Retired Munster hooker Mike Sherry joins Duncan Casey and Duncan Williams to talk injuries, wet wellies and coaching in the AIL.

The AIL can help Munster compete with the Leinster schools conveyor belt, says retired Munster hooker Mike Sherry.

Donal Lenihan and Ireland-20s’ Cork Con out-half Jack Crowley join 'the new Ant and Dec of Irish rugby'.

The official changing of the guard from Joe Schmidt to Andy Farrell took place in Abbotstown on the Sunday before Christmas.

The IRFU has said it asks employees not to express their personal beliefs in a way that will be associated with the rugby body, after a former Munster player claimed he was told to stop tweeting his opinion on the Middle East.

Having planned for life beyond rugby for some time now, it is fitting Duncan Casey bade adieu to the sport with three games still to play in his final campaign in professional rugby.

Here's your lunchtime bulletin.

Like many Pacific Islanders in his native Auckland, Edgar’s parents moved there in search of a better life for themselves and their families. This is the case for many players of Pacific heritage who now ply their trade in Europe. While I had played alongside Casey Laulala and Francis Saili at Munster, I was largely ignorant of “Islander” culture and what it entailed.

There has been some semi-final success for a Munsterman in recent weeks and for hooker Duncan Casey his appearance for Grenoble in tomorrow’s Pro D2 final against Perpignan represents a vindication of his decision not to walk away from the game he loves.

Iain Henderson has vowed to ignore “highlights-reel” rugby to realise his full potential with Ireland.

Skerries teenager Ciaran Frawley converted four of UCD’s five tries and kicked a penalty as they dished out a 36-8 derby defeat to Dublin University, moving to the top of Ulster Bank League Division 1A in the process.

Rassie Erasmus has endorsed potential Munster successor Dave Wessels as “one of the good fits” to replace him as director of rugby.

Schools’ rugby has transformed lately and, this year, I was blown away by the physical condition of the boys, writes Duncan Casey.

Niall Scannell admits it made for tough viewing.

It is no secret Ireland is thundering towards the title of “heaviest in Europe”. Obesity levels are spiralling out of control and have been for some time, with one quarter of our adults now in the category.

Former Munster flanker David Wallace believes that neither Munster nor Leicester Tigers will be daunted by the prospect of away games ahead of the back-to-back clashes over the festive period.

In a shock development, Peter O’Mahony was yesterday released from the Irish camp preparing for Saturday’s clash with Australia and will now lead Munster against Treviso in the Guinness PRO12 at Thomond Park on the same day.

Munster director of rugby Rassie Erasmus, his staff, and his players have been working hard at UL over the last few days trying to return things to as close to normality as possible following the tragic and heartfelt loss of head coach Anthony Foley.

Jerry Flannery enjoyed an outstanding career as a hooker with UCC, Shannon, Galwegians, Connacht, Munster, and Ireland, and completed his Masters in Sports Performance when he received a welcome call from an old friend and team mate.

Former Munster hooker Denis Fogarty has become the latest player to have to retire from the game through injury.

Munster A 31 Ulster A 38

Hooker Duncan Casey returns from a lengthy lay-off and starts Munster A’s clash with Ulster Ravens today in Naas (3pm).

Is it any wonder rugby players groan when we see another headline about concussion? We sigh, roll our eyes and reluctantly read what the latest expert has to say. One more person that is convinced we are all lumbering along to a life of irreversible physical and cognitive damage, like cattle queuing up for the abattoir.

Hooker Duncan Casey has become the latest homegrown player to commit to Munster, signing a two-year contract as the province captured teenage centre Sam Arnold from Ulster for next season and saw former lock Ian Nagle rejoin the professional ranks with London Irish.

Munster Rugby has confirmed this afternoon that Duncan Casey has signed a two-year contract extension and Ulster Rugby's Sam Arnold will join the province on a two-year deal.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

With the pressure valve released a little, our rugby correspondent Simon Lewis teases out the green shoots of Munster’s recovery with head coach Anthony Foley.

It’s a sign of changing times and the massively improved status of Connacht rugby that coach Pat Lam has been able to make nine changes in personnel for today’s top-of-the-table Guinness PRO12 clash with Munster at Thomond Park from the side that defeated Brive in the European Challenge Cup last week.

Some 29 years have elapsed since Connacht last beat Munster at Thomond Park. In that space of time, they have been unlucky on a few occasions, on others they returned west on the back of one or two hammerings. 

How quickly priorities change.

Munster return to a happy hunting ground this afternoon when they will hope to bring this block of Pro12 games to a successful conclusion in Edinburgh before turning their attention to the Champions Cup next weekend.