The European debuts came thick and fast as Munster said their farewells to the Heineken Champions Cup for another season and made a determined change of direction towards the Guinness PRO14.

On an explosive Saturday that saw Saracens relegated from the Gallagher Premiership on the eve of a must-win Champions Cup pool game against Racing 92, Munster took their exit from this season’s competition without firing a shot.

Results over the weekend ended Munster’s slim chances of qualifying before a turnstile opened in Thomond Park on Sunday, writes Tom Savage.

Having trailed 6-0 after 14 minutes, Munster added their points in sevens to take a 14-6 lead into the break but it was not until Conor Murray pounced off the back of a ruck in 47th minute that the home side truly put this game beyond Ospreys in front of 19,891, the biggest crowd of the weekend in the Champions Cup. Not bad for a dead rubber.

Nash has been named to start on the wing as Keith Earls misses out due to a minor knee injury in one of two changes to Johann van Graan's side.

A run of two wins from their last eight games has increased the focus on the squad and management for all the wrong reasons.

There are three key metrics that Munster can use to measure progress, writes Owen Harrison.

The Ulster website offered a taster of how the other province lives on Monday, with the club about to send out a welcome update to their fans ahead of a huge week of European rugby.

There was no mention of the injury to Carbery in a medical update issued by Munster at 6.14pm last night, but confirmation was forthcoming an hour and a half later after news of the problem emerged online.

Munster are facing an out-half injury crisis after Joey Carbery suffered a wrist injury that will require surgery.

As Joey Carbery and Jacob Stockdale lined up against each other at Ravenhill, it was noted that four years ago, at the time of the 2015 World Cup, neither had made their provincial debuts.

Joey Carbery makes his first start of the season at out-half.

Carbery has spent the last two months rehabbing an ankle injury.

Leinster are poised to present a batch of fresh and inexperienced faces when they take on Munster this weekend but James Tracy won’t be among the boys in blue experiencing Thomond Park for the first time.

There’s not much worse than old-timers waxing lyrical about how things were better in their day.

Dave Kilcoyne makes his return from a calf injury to start for Munster against Connacht in tomorrow's PRO14 clash.

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.

Ireland’s so-called ‘green sweep’ on the opening weekend of the Heineken Champions Cup was always unlikely to be replicated in Round 2 given the quality of the French opposition for the Irish quartet.

There are three changes to the team that defeated Ospreys.

Head Coaches Johann van Graan and Dan McFarland has named his side for Satuday's Guinness PRO14 Interpro derby this Saturday at Thomand Park.

The host will be without a sizeable number of internationals including record try-scoring wing Josh Adams along with fellow Welsh stars, Owen Lane and Hallam Amos.

Jack O’Donoghue, the only forward to be retained from the victory over the Ospreys, captains the side for the second time in his career.

Jack O’Sullivan and Jed Holloway both made their debuts as part of the Munster pack, with the Waratahs import Holloway lining out in the second row alongside captain Billy Holland.

Those newcomers are among five changes by Johann van Graan to the side which lost their last Pro14 game 40-16 to the Cheetahs.

The new PRO14 campaign may be in its infancy but for the Cheetahs their clash with Munster this evening kick-off 5.15pm) has a real end-of-season feel to it in Bloemfontein.

Dave Kearney returns for defending champions Leinster for their Guinness PRO14 clash with Edinburgh at the RDS tomorrow evening.

Munster claimed a second bonus-point victory in a week as their perfect start to the PRO14 season continued in Port Elizabeth against Southern Kings.

Munster have made four changes to their team for the Guinness Pro14 clash against Southern Kings.

Three Academy players will make their first Munster starts in Friday's friendly against London Irish.

Leinster made light of their European final disappointment in Newcastle to brush past rivals Munster and ease into next Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 decider.

Munster and Ireland backs Joey Carbery and Keith Earls look set to return from injury to face Leinster in Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final following a positive fitness update from Johann van Graan.

It’s been all but lost amid the tidal wave of more significant events since, but it’s worth remembering that Jonathan Sexton’s first appearance on a rugby field after he picked up the gong for world player of the year in Monte Carlo at the back end of November ended with him limping to the sidelines with a grimace.

Versatile back five player Fineen Wycherley is Munster’s only new injury concern as they start preparing for next weekend’s Heineken Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens.

Three Academy players are included in the squad.

CJ Stander is back in the Munster team for tomorrow's Pro 14 match against Zebre at Thomond Park.

Rory Scannell is set to be the youngest player to reach 100 caps for Munster when he takes to the field against Scarlets on Saturday.

Jonathan Sexton doesn’t do a whole lot wrong on the field and that probably explains why the recently named World Player of the Year has been getting it in the neck all week for his tempestuous showing in Thomond Park last Saturday.

There was a spell there when the old enmities inherent to the Munster-Leinster rivalry appeared to be buried beneath the bonhomie borne of Irish duties and Leinster’s dominance, so Saturday night was a return to the most bitter and biting of the good old days.

Frank Murphy’s appointment as referee for Leinster’s visit to Munster was a topic for conversation long before the first whistle.

Let’s put this game into context, writes Donal Lenihan.

Donal Lenihan looks at three statements Munster need to make today to beat Leinster.

Returning out-half Tyler Bleyendaal will captain Munster in Sunday’s PRO14 encounter against Cheetahs, head coach Johann van Graan confirmed yesterday.

Scrum-half issues further up the chain have impacted on Munster A head coach Peter Malone’s selection for the visit of Dragons A to Cork this afternoon for this Celtic Cup third round game (5:30pm).

Earls took the public vote ahead of Jean Kleyn and Rory Scannell.