ULSTER’S victory in the Milanese suburb was not as convincing as the score suggests, but the only thing that mattered for the visitors was the attainment of a winning bonus point, according to Pedrie Wannenburg.

ULSTER successfully manoeuvred the first part of their Heineken Cup back-to-back clashes with Aironi at Ravenhill last night with a bonus-point victory in Pool Four.

BALLYNAHINCH’S Paddy McAllister gets a rare start when he lines out at loose-head as Ulster tackle Italian visitors Aironi in the first of important back-to-back Heineken Cup fixtures at Ravenhill this evening.

BALLYNAHINCH’S Paddy McAllister gets a rare start when he lines out at loose-head as Ulster tackle Italian visitors Aironi in the first of important back-to-back Heineken Cup fixtures at Ravenhill this evening.

RONAN O’GARA does not get that many opportunities these days to display his skills at Musgrave Park, but he treated the crowd of almost 7,000 last night to a superb display of kicking in appalling conditions.

TONY McGAHAN has defended his decision to bring several big names straight back into Munster’s starting team this weekend.

Andrea Masi returns at full-back in Italy’s only change for Sunday’s World Cup showdown with Ireland at Otago Stadium.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named a 30-man squad for the World Cup in New Zealand.

LEINSTER reclaimed second spot in the Magners League with a 20-8 victory over Aironi on Saturday afternoon but of greater satisfaction to head coach Joe Schmidt was the fact that the province left the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella without any injuries.

LEINSTER coach Joe Schmidt is taking few chances as he takes his side to Italy to face Magners League basement side Aironi at the Stadio Luigi Zaffanella today.

IT was the Italian hoodoo all over again as Connacht slumped to a 25-13 defeat away to Aironi on Saturday evening for their third Magners League defeat on Italian soil.

ERIC ELWOOD has kept faith with the squad that has racked up five wins on the trot at home as Connacht look to record an away victory over Aironi this afternoon.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made four changes to the side that lost their RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland for Saturday’s game against England at Twickenham.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has handed Benetton Treviso’s Kristopher Burton the number 10 shirt for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland at Rome’s Flaminio Stadium.

ULSTER coach Brian McLaughlin put down his team’s success in Italy on Saturday night to sheer doggedness.

WALES out-half Stephen Jones has welcomed the return of skipper Ryan Jones, prop Gethin Jenkins and scrum-half Mike Phillips from injury for his side’s clash with Italy tomorrow in Cardiff.

FRANCE defence coach Dave Ellis was delighted with his side’s six-try show against Italy as Les Bleus remained on course for the Grand Slam.

ANDY ROBINSON yesterday told his Scotland team they had no excuses for not delivering a “winning performance” against Italy today.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named lock Carlo Antonio Del Fava in his 24-man squad for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland in Rome.

MARTIN JOHNSON admitted he was relieved to escape Rome with a victory after watching England battle to an unconvincing win against Nick Mallett’s Italy yesterday at the Stadio Flaminio.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made no changes to the squad that beat Samoa in November for Saturday´s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland at Croke Park.

ITALY head coach Nick Mallett has named his 24-man squad ahead of the RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.

NEW ZEALAND coach Graham Henry claims uncertainty over scrum laws is ruining the game for spectators after watching his second-string side labour to victory over Italy at the San Siro on Saturday.

ON a cold day in Rome, Ireland turned the heat up on the RBS Six Nations title challengers and hit the top of the table on point difference from Wales, the reigning champions.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett is looking for the Azzurri to play a perfect game against Ireland as they attempt to forget their opening 6 Nations defeat at England.

Saracens Director of Rugby Alan Gaffney has set out his stall to test Munster's scrum ahead of Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

Alessandro Troncon will earn his 100th Test cap when he lines up for Italy against Portugal in the World Cup Pool C match at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.

ITALY manager Pierre Berbizier has made seven changes for tomorrow’s World Cup warm-up match against Ireland.

Fly-half Andrea Scanavacca was the most notable absentee from a 40-man squad named by Italy coach Pierre Berbizier today for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.

STEPHEN JONES insists it is Wales’ players and not coach Scott Johnson who should be taking the brunt of the increasing criticism following last weekend’s lacklustre RBS 6 Nations Championship draw against Italy.

Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has made three changes to his starting line-up for the Six Nations Championship clash against Wales in Cardiff.

THOMAS CASTAIGNEDE admits it has been hard watching France endure a stuttering start to their RBS 6 Nations campaign as he prepares to make his tournament bow against Italy tomorrow.

ENGLAND lock Steve Borthwick has a degree in economics and politics from Bath University - so his reputation as a workaholic rugby scholar should be of little surprise.

Alessandro Troncon is the only household name in the Benetton Treviso side to play Ulster at Ravenhill on Friday night.

THOUGH the main focus of the final weekend will be in Cardiff, France’s game with Italy could play a major part in the outcome of the championship.

Italy coach John Kirwan has made one change to his 25-man squad for their final two RBS 6 Nations games against England and France.

ITALY coach John Kirwan has warned his side they must eradicate the errors that blighted their loss to Wales or risk suffering a third successive RBS Six Nations defeat when they face Scotland on Saturday.

FRANCE’S second-half revival to beat England on Sunday has not stopped coach Bernard Laporte making several changes.

A doubt over the fitness of Paul Griffen means former captain Alessandro Troncon has been preferred at scrum-half for Italy’s opening RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland in Rome on Sunday.

Benetton Treviso 9, Leinster 25

Italy coach John Kirwan has made just the one change for the Azzurri’s crunch Pool D game against Canada next week.

John Kirwan today made 14 changes to the Italy side that was thumped by New Zealand on Saturday and urged his new-look side: “Our World Cup starts now.”

Italy coach John Kirwan has pulled back from his threat to field an entire second 15 in Saturday’s Pool D clash with New Zealand in Melbourne.

Italy coach John Kirwan will find out in Edinburgh on Saturday whether his intensive World Cup preparations are likely to pay worthwhile dividends.