COACH Michael Cheika faces an anxious injury wait as he prepares Leinster for what could be his last game in charge before departing to France next season.

LEINSTER and Munster will meet at the RDS on Saturday night (8pm) in a late-season bid for Irish rugby bragging rights, following a dramatic day of Magners League action.

BRIAN O’DRISCOLL is battling to be fit for Leinster’s assault on another Heineken Cup title when they meet Clermont Auvergne in the quarter-final on April 9.

JONATHAN SEXTON will return to the Leinster side for Saturday’s Heineken Cup clash with Brive and kickstart a fascinating battle for the No 10 jersey ahead of Ireland’s Six Nations Championship campaign.

AS DRESS rehearsals go, this was up there with the best. Ireland’s display against the inexperienced but gritty Fijians left coach Declan Kidney smiling despite the selection headaches he faces ahead of Saturday’s date with world champions South Africa.

LEO CULLEN is back to provide a captain’s guiding hand for Leinster in Saturday’s Magners League Halloween clash with Cardiff Blues at the RDS.

RORY BEST will lead Ireland’s tour to America as one of five Grand Slam winners included in the 25-man squad.

THERE is just one change on the Irish A team to meet Scotland from the team originally named to meet England Saxons in last week’s postponed tie.

THE strength in depth of Irish rugby will be put to the test at Thomond Park tonight (7.30) when Michael Bradley’s Ireland A squad go into action against Australia A.

INJURY-HIT Cardiff still hope to spring a Celtic League surprise on Munster at the Arms Park this evening (5.30).

ANYBODY doubting the strength in depth in the Munster camp should be reassured by the side being fielded by coach Alan Gaffney for tomorrow’s Celtic League tie against Glasgow at Thomond Park (kick-off 5pm).

Connacht 0 Munster 3

ON this very day twelve months ago, Munster and Connacht clashed in Athlone in what is now regarded as one of Celtic League’s worst ever games.

SQUAD rotation is the name of the game where the Munster team to face Connacht in the Celtic League at the Galway Sportsground on Monday (kick-off 2pm) is concerned.

MUNSTER last night refuted allegations that prop Marcus Horan racially abused a Neath/Swansea Ospreys player at the Gnoll last weekend.

Leinster 17 Munster 15

MUNSTER coach Alan Gaffney is indebted to Declan Kidney. When the coaches first met they got on like the proverbial house on fire.

JOHN KELLY and Jason Holland are back in action for Munster against Connacht at Musgrave Park on Saturday night.

WALLABY international Tom Bowman is set to sign for Munster today after undergoing a medical.

Munster 13 Newcastle 10

NEWCASTLE have confirmed that England World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson will make his long-awaited comeback from injury in a pre-season friendly against Connacht in Galway today (6.15pm).

Munster 39 Connacht 10

Munster 17 Edinburgh 28

MUNSTER coach Alan Gaffney is taking no chances with most of his star players in advance of the Heineken Cup semi final with Wasps.

THE sense of relief in the Munster camp last night was palpable after it was confirmed Ronan O’Gara’s ankle injury was not as serious as first feared and that he would definitely be fit to line out against Stade Français in the Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park on Saturday week.

CHRISTIAN CULLEN will miss Munster's Celtic League clash with Glasgow in Hughenden tomorrow evening.

ULSTER COACH Alan Solomons has hit out at plans to reduce the Celtic League programme ahead of this evening’s Irish derby clash with Munster at Ravenhill (7.30 kick-off).

THE Munster Branch may have to bow to demands for an extraordinary general meeting before distributing tickets for the Heineken Cup clash against Stade Francais next month.

THE fans came out in force, most of them to watch Christian Cullen's debut for Munster.

CHRISTIAN CULLEN'S Munster debut will ensure a huge attendance at Musgrave Park tonight (kick-off 7.35) for the visit of the Welsh Ospreys in the Celtic League.

BRIAN O'MEARA has been excluded from the Leinster team for the Celtic League clash with the Celtic Warriors at Donnybrook this evening (7.30pm).

THERE was a hint of Friday the 13th as Munster stormed back with another top-notch second half display to keep their Celtic League hopes alive at Musgrave Park last night.

MUNSTER'S Celtic League title is on the line at Musgrave Park this evening (7.30pm). Alan Gaffney's troops have to win to keep their chances of ultimate victory alive as the league moves into the second stage.

MUNSTER coach Alan Gaffney will be without star centre Mike Mullins for six weeks.

Munster 51 Treviso 0

BENETTON TREVISO coach Craig Green, smiled quietly as he studied the plaque in Thomond Park that commemorates Munster’s famous victory over the 1978 All Blacks.

MUNSTER have suffered another injury blow ahead of the Heineken Cup with star signing, Christian Cullen diagnosed with a serious shoulder injury which could sideline him for up to eight weeks.

MUNSTER’S young guns continue their bid to make an impression on coach Alan Gaffney before the province’s established stars return from the World Cup in Australia.

MUNSTER’S preparations for tomorrow’s Celtic League clash with Edinburgh have taken an unusual twist with the exclusion of Jeremy Staunton from the squad.

Munster 22 Celtic Warriors 21

ULSTER apart, these are vital weeks for the Irish provinces in the Celtic League.