JOE SCHMIDT wasn’t interested in talk of a ‘good defeat’ but this was surely the closest thing to it.

NO Brian O’Driscoll, no Rob Kearney, no Luke Fitzgerald and — thanks to the weather — not a proper training session in two weeks.

Brian O’Driscoll has failed to make the Leinster squad for Sunday’s Heineken Cup clash with ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel Michelin (kick-off 3pm).

THERE isn’t much in the way of history between Leinster and Clermont Auvergne, but what little there is will always remain a source of some satisfaction for the Irish province.

Donal Lenihan reflects on his five most memorable action moments at Ireland's temporary home.

Viadana 20 Clermont Auvergne 59

Clermont Auvergne 27 Ospreys 7

France head coach Marc Lievremont has named just one recognised fly-half in his provisional 30-man squad for a three-day training camp ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Clermont-Auvergne have made eight changes to their side to take on Munster in the Heineken Cup clash at Thomond Park tomorrow.

THIS year’s Heineken Cup took off in spectacular fashion last weekend with some outstanding contests, surprise results and cracking atmosphere.

Clermont Auvergne 25 Munster 19>br>

TOBY FLOOD openly admits he is enduring a week from hell as England prepare to complete their failed RBS 6 Nations campaign.

France have recalled scrum-half Jean-Baptiste Elissalde but named utility back Cedric Heymans on the bench for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship title decider against Wales in Cardiff.

France have gone with experience after making six changes to their squad for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations Championship title decider against Wales in Cardiff.

MARC LIEVREMONT insists France are by no means the finished article after making six changes to the line-up that dismantled Scotland for Saturday’s clash with Ireland.

Marc Lievremont insists France are by no means the finished article after making six changes to the line-up that dismantled Scotland for Saturday's clash with Ireland.

France have made six personnel changes to their team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Ireland in Paris.

INJURY-PRONE French back row Elvis Vermeulen will miss the rest of the Six Nations Championship with a broken rib.

THE newly installed triumvirate of youthful coaches at the helm of the French rugby team are displaying a united front that was missing from Bernard Laporte’s days.

Scotland 6 France 27

MARC LIEVREMONT didn’t take long to usher in a new dawn in French rugby yesterday by naming six uncapped players in a much-changed squad for the Six Nations Championship opener against Scotland.

New France coach Marc Lievremont has made sweeping changes in his first squad selection ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 3.

Llanelli Scarlets 0 Clermont Auvergne 41

MUNSTER flanker Alan Quinlan hopes his side will have recovered mentally and physically for Saturday’s must-win Heineken Cup showdown with London Wasps (Thomond Park, 5.35pm, Sky Sports).

WHEN Munster fell 17 points behind a rampant Clermont Auvergne team with 25 minutes still to play at the splendid Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin yesterday, there was every reason to fear a defeat of embarrassing proportions.

NO matter what your sporting preference, the television pictures from venues across Europe last weekend portrayed the same images, driving wind and lashing rain. The weather conditions that prevail at this time of year do different things to different teams. Usually it has the effect of closing the gap between the good and the not so good.

France will give more of their squad players a chance to impress ahead of the World Cup when they take on Wales in Cardiff on Sunday.

LATE tries from veteran Argentinian scrum-half Augustin Pichot and Fijian substitute Radike Samo inspired Stade Francais to a 23-18 victory over Clermont in the French Top 14 championship final at the Stade de France on Saturday.

IF IRELAND’S bid for Six Nations glory ended in anti-climax as a result of Elvis Vermeulen's injury time try against Scotland, the feeling of disappointment was far more acute after the exit of Munster and Leinster from the Heineken Cup last weekend.

David Wallace has identified his Ireland Test team colleague Simon Easterby as a major threat to Munster’s hopes of retaining the Heineken Cup.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan described the wait for confirmation of France’s decisive try in a dramatic final day of the RBS 6 Nations as “excruciating”.

REFEREE Craig Joubert saw the ball grounded for France’s dramatic winning try against Scotland which knocked Ireland into second place in the RBS Six Nations Championships.

RAPHAEL IBANEZ went through the whole range of emotions in the final heart-stopping minutes of France’s dramatic 46-19 success over Scotland, which clinched yet another RBS 6 Nations Championship title.

Raphael Ibanez went through the whole range of emotions in the final heart-stopping minutes of France’s dramatic 46-19 success over Scotland that clinched yet another RBS 6 Nations Championship title.

Ireland may mourn the cruel demise of their RBS 6 Nations title dream for some time to come but Denis Hickie is adamant the experience will prove invaluable at the World Cup.

Eddie O’Sullivan refused to blame fixture scheduling for Ireland’s heart-breaking failure to win the RBS 6 Nations as France were crowned champions by the narrowest of margins.

France 46 Scotland 19

GARETH THOMAS will captain Wales in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with England after Stephen Jones was forced to pull out with a fractured bone in his wrist.

France have made three changes to the team that lost to England last weekend for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash with Scotland in Paris.

ITALY flanker Mauro Bergamasco will miss Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland after receiving a four-week ban for punching Wales captain Stephen Jones.

France team manager Jo Maso wants his side to rediscover the flair and pride that was missing against England when they take on Scotland in the final round of the Six Nations Championship on Saturday.

Sebastien Chabal and Dimitri Yachvili have been dropped from France’s squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash with Scotland on Saturday.

FRANCE prop Sylvain Marconnet has been ruled out of the rest of the RBS 6 Nations Championship after suffering a serious injury while on a skiing holiday.

French Barbarians 14 Argentina 28