Munster have reached one objective in this Heineken Champions Cup campaign by beating Saracens for the first time in five years last Saturday.

Saracens have named an almost totally different side to face Munster at Allianz Park tomorrow, while the Reds make one change from their 10-3 home win.

One man’s setback appears to be an opportunity for a couple of his team-mates as Johnny Sexton’s likely absence from the start of the Six Nations seems to have opened the door for a pair of Munster stars to take centre-stage with Ireland in the coming weeks.

Saracens are set to bring their big guns back for the return match with Munster next weekend after leaving Limerick with a losing bonus point.

Johann van Graan admitted Saracens’ losing bonus point at Thomond Park could be crucial in the final shake-up in Munster’s European pool campaign.

Ask any Munster supporter their thoughts on the Saracens personnel coming to Thomond Park this evening and they will take the matchday squad named by Mark McCall yesterday in a heartbeat. Ask the Munster coaching group the same question and they will not be taking anything for granted.

The four Irish provinces have named their teams for this weekend's Champions Cup clashes.

Peter O’Mahony admitted Munster’s quarter-final qualification hopes had taken a hit from Saturday’s home stalemate with Racing 92, but both he and Johann van Graan were staying positive ahead of back-to-back games against Saracens next month.

Mark McCall’s public confession that Saracens may have to sacrifice the Champions’ Cup in order to preserve their domestic status will have fallen on stony ground all over Europe.

Move over Dean Richards, Harlequins, and ‘Bloodgate’, there is an even bigger bad news story to overtake you in the annals of English club rugby history, writes Rob Cole.

Jonny May is poised to win his 50th cap for England recalling the missed drinking session that created the opportunity for his debut six years ago.

England are in the middle of a long break between pool games.

England proved too much for Pacific Islanders, running out convincing 35-3 winners

England have beaten Ireland 57-15 in their World Cup warm-up Test at Twickenham.

If Carlsberg could do Grand Slam-winning opening salvos, they would replicate what Wales delivered in the opening 70 seconds of action in Cardiff last Saturday.

Quite what impact Saturday’s Murrayfield result has on the next time Ireland meet Scotland in September’s key opening World Cup pool game in Yokohama remains to be seen but, right now, Joe Schmidt has more immediate problems to address, writes Donal Lenihan.

Keith Earls took his turn in front of the media and made two declarations — one a whole lot more difficult than the other, but both of huge benefit to the Ireland cause ahead of this Saturday’s Murrayfield showdown with Scotland.

Joe Schmidt sensed his Ireland team were in for a rough ride as he surveyed an unusually quiet home dressing room prior to kick-off.

Among Ireland's chief assets in recent years has been the ability to strike at a point and time that hurts their opponent hardest, but it was the Grand Slam holders who were shipping the biggest blows at the most damaging of moments on Saturday night.

Elliot Daly has held off the challenge of Mike Brown at full-back for England's Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.

These are the four spine-tingling moments of 2018 that will live long in the memory of Donal Lenihan

They led 24-3 early on in a thrilling Test.

Joe Schmidt deservedly received the plaudits for guiding Ireland to a Grand Slam on Saturday. But the New Zealander was quick to credit the efforts of his backroom team in the unforgettable spring campaign. Rory Keane reports.

Enda McEvoy gives the TV View of Ireland’s winning match with England. 

Rory Best has declared captaining Ireland to just their third-ever Grand Slam as a dream come true.

Our history-makers!!

This is as good as it gets for the players and supporters, writes Simon Lewis.

Ireland have secured the NatWest 6 Nations Grand Slam by beating England at Twickenham.

From Eddie Jones’ crass comments to World Rugby’s removal of assistant referee Marius van der Westhuizen, there has not been a dull moment in the build-up to Ireland’s bid for Grand Slam glory at Twickenham.

Eddie Jones has been left embarrassed after footage emerged of the England head coach referring to Ireland as the “scummy Irish” and Wales as a “little shit place”.

England captain Dylan Hartley is expected to be available to face Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday but doubt now hovers over the fitness of Elliot Daly.

In total there are five changes to the side defeated by Scotland at Murrayfield.

The England head coach has reiterated his decision to no longer use public transport.

Is it any wonder the structure of the professional game in Ireland is the envy of so many of our international counterparts at present?

Eddie Jones has been assessing his dwindling options in the back three due to an escalating injury crisis.

Police raided the headquarters of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) yesterday as part of an investigation into alleged conflict of interest involving the federation’s president Bernard Laporte, a source close to the matter said.

Elliot Daly scored two tries as Wasps kept alive their hopes of progressing to the Champions Cup quarter-finals with a hard-fought 21-3 victory.

England claimed a fifth straight win over Australia in a titanic, and controversial, tussle at Twickenham.

France have named inexperienced half-back duo Anthony Belleau and Antoine Dupont in the starting XV to face New Zealand tomorrow.

Englishman Sam Walker teed off alone with only a marker for company as Saturday’s Irish Open action began at 7.50am.

The frustration for Warren Gatland was already beginning to subside the morning after the night before the draw.

Warren Gatland hailed Sam Warburton's diplomacy skills as crucial to the British and Irish Lions' drawn Test series with New Zealand.