“The quarter-final is set for the first weekend in April, with the semi-final three weeks later.” It’s been a while since I came across such bullish confidence from a bunch of Munster supporters, but that was the thrust of the conversation I overheard between a few diehards last Friday morning at Shannon Airport in advance of boarding the plane for Munster’s pool- defining trip to Glasgow.

Leo Cullen has packed all his heavy artillery as Leinster fly to the south of France for their toughest game of the season.

Brian O’Driscoll has outlined how being overlooked for the 2009 IRB Player of the Year was one of the biggest disappointments of his career, while the Grand Slam win that year was one of the highlights.

Argentina 16 South Africa 16

Cardiff Blues 36 Racing Metro 30

Racing Metro 24 Edinburgh 27

South Africa 87 Namibia 0

HT: South Africa 31 Namibia 0

South Africa 49 Fiji 3

HT: South Africa 21 Fiji 3

South Africa 9 Australia 14

Racing Metro 11 Leinster 36

LEINSTER’S ambition of a home Heineken Cup quarter-final spot has been facilitated by another weakened Racing Metro selection for tonight’s final Pool 2 clash at Stade Yves Du Manoir in Paris.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has named his side for Friday night’s Heineken Cup match against Racing-Métro 92 at the Stade Yves du Manoir, kick-off 8pm.

PHILIPPE Saint-Andre believes his Toulon side are under no pressure going into this Sunday’s crucial Heineken Cup clash with Munster.

JONNY WILKINSON lost a battle of the drop kicks as Toulon were beaten in Paris last night but Munster were put on warning ahead of their Heineken Cup showdown in the south of France next Sunday.

France rugby’s version of Manchester City have huge ambitions for the future, have dropped the good-time image and they also play in sky blue. Robert Kitson reports

Saracens 21 Racing Metro 24

Juan Smith will captain South Africa when they take on the Barbarians next weekend in their final match of the season, it has been announced today.

Scotland 21 South Africa 17

Wales 25 South Africa 29

South Africa will mull over making changes to their backline to face Wales on Saturday after Francois Steyn joined up with the Springbok squad yesterday.

JOE SCHMIDT’S European euphoria was dampened last night by confirmation that Leinster will travel to Saturday’s clash against Saracens at Wembley without hamstrung Brian O’Driscoll.

Leinster 38 Racing Metro 22

TODAY’S Heineken Cup opener against Racing Metro at the RDS (1.30pm) has proved to be a bridge too far for injured Leinster skipper Leo Cullen, but Jonathan Sexton is back to make his first start of the season.

JONATHAN SEXTON faces another 24 hours of uncertainty before being confirmed in Leinster’s starting line-up for the Heineken Cup opener against French league leaders Racing Metro at the RDS tomorrow (1.30pm).

Lionel Nallet talks to Ian Moriarty about Racing Metro’s ambitions in their first Heineken Cup.

Maybe the GAA can learn a thing or two from rugby –- like kicking off its premier competition with a bang. While the summer Championships often sleepwalk into summer, the Heineken Cup starts this weekend with heavyweight collisions. Alan Good looks ahead.

SOUTH AFRICA’S conditioning coach Neels Liebel claimed yesterday he had proof to show northern hemisphere rugby was slower than the game played in the southern hemisphere.

Wales 31 South Africa 34

I AM astounded that Brian O’Driscoll has been sensationally passed over for the International Rugby Board player of the year award for 2009 in favour of New Zealand’s Richie McCaw.

THE CLASH of the Northern Hemisphere grand slam winners and the Tri-Nations and world champions at Croke Park this afternoon assumes even greater significance now that both sides are able to field as close to full-strength as makes no difference.

HARD man to second guess, is Declan Kidney.

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll and number eight Jamie Heaslip have been nominated for the IRB World Player of the Year.

New Zealand 29 South Africa 32

South Africa 29 Australia 17

MUNSTER marquee signing, Jean de Villiers, is eligible to play for South Africa when he joins up with the two-time Heineken Cup champions next month.

SOUTH AFRICA rugby bosses face one inevitable downside to their national side’s series win over the Lions – their best players’ appearance in the shop window makes them prime targets for British and French clubs.

South Africa 9 British and Irish Lions 28

SSPRINGBOK captain John Smit warned the British and Irish Lions early last week of the lung-bursting experience at altitude in Loftus Versfeld, but he said nothing of the heart-breaking experience they’d leave it with.

IRELAND full-back Rob Kearney, who realised a lifetime ambition when coming on for the Lions at Kings Park on Saturday, believes a Test series victory is still possible.