Scarlets 23, Leinster 13: Matt O’Connor is adamant this defeat in west Wales has not done major damage to Leinster’s Guinness Pro12 title aspirations.

Scarletts v Leinster

For the second game in succession, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has opted to make seven changes to his starting line-up.

Guiness Pro12

Following the disappointment of last Sunday’s home defeat to Newport Gwent Dragons, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has made a total of seven changes to his starting line-up for tonight’s Pro12 encounter against Zebre at the RDS.

Joe Schmidt finally had some good news to share as he named a trimmed-down Ireland squad for the first two rounds of the RBS 6 Nations, with first-choice scrum-half Conor Murray expected to be fit to face Italy in Rome on Saturday.

Jack Coonan, the highly-promising Leinster back-row forward and Connacht prop Nathan White, are the only uncapped players in the extended 46-strong Ireland squad announced yesterday by head coach Joe Schmidt. 

Leinster 24 Ulster 11

Zebre 3 Leinster 20

Change is the order of the day for Leinster in Stadio XXV Aprile this afternoon, as the defending champions make 10 alterations to their starting line-up for the Guinness Pro12 encounter against Zebre (kick-off 3pm, Irish time).

Leinster 37 Cardiff Blues 23

Guinness Pro12:

Leinster 13 Ulster 9

Leinster 15 Edinburgh 13

Sixteen seasons of professional rugby. A grand total of 286 games for Leinster, Leicester and Ireland. The only man to captain three Heineken Cup-winning teams. Take a bow, Leo Cullen.

RABO DIRECT PRO12: Ospreys v Leinster

Fit-again Donnacha Ryan is in line for his first Six Nations action this season after making the cut for Ireland’s training squad to prepare to face England.

HEINEKEN CUP POOL 1:

Leinster 36 Scarlets 19

RABODIRECT PRO12:

Jamie Heaslip will captain Ireland, despite being named vice-captain by new head coach Joe Schmidt, as new skipper Paul O’Connell is not fit enough to start the match.

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

RABODIRECT PRO 12:

It’s not easy to create a stir when your panel extends to 42 names, but Joe Schmidt’s first Irish squad announcement yesterday did at least throw up a handful of interesting talking points.

Leinster 29 Ospreys 29

RABODIRECT PRO 12:

Seán O’Brien has been named in Leinster’s team to face Glasgow Warriors in tomorrow night's RaboDirect PRO12 Play Off in the RDS (7.35pm) despite a lingering calf injury.

Leinster fly half Jonathan Sexton has been ruled out of tomorrow’s derby encounter with Munster with the management opting to give the kicker another week’s recovery before returning to action.

AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER-FINAL:

AMLIN CUP QUARTER-FINAL:

Last time these sides met in the RaboDirect Pro12 the Leinster scrum was left in a heap.

Richardt Strauss has recovered from the ankle injury which kept him out of the Six Nations and is named in the Leinster starting XV for tomorrow’s derby encounter with Ulster at the RDS (6.15pm).

Leinster 22 Glasgow 17

Leinster have been boosted by the return of a number of key players after the Six Nations window, allowing Joe Schmidt to name a much-changed starting XV for tomorrow’s RaboDirect PRO12 game against Glasgow Warriors.

Gordon D’Arcy (dead leg) and Peter O’Mahony (concussion) have recovered from the injuries sustained in last weekend’s win over Wales allowing Declan Kidney to name an unchanged starting XV for Sunday’s crucial meeting with England at the Aviva Stadium (3pm).

Ireland coach Declan Kidney looks set to stick with the same starting XV which beat Wales for Sunday’s Six Nations showdown against England at the Aviva Stadium.

The French media is no wiser than the Irish about where Jonathan Sexton will be playing next season with Racing Metro president Jacky Lorenzetti denying a deal had been done.

Exeter Chiefs 20 Leinster 29

Brian O’Driscoll, Richardt Strauss, Sean O’Brien, Kevin McLaughlin and Eoin Reddan all make their return to Leinster’s starting XV for the crucial Heineken Cup meeting with Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park tomorrow (6pm).

Brian O'Driscoll, who made his Leinster comeback last weekend, has been left on the bench for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup Pool 5 encounter with the Scarlets in the RDS (6pm).

Leinster head-coach Joe Schmidt has recalled Brian O’Driscoll, Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald for tonight’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash against lowly Edinburgh in Murrayfield.

Brian O’Driscoll, Rob Kearney and Luke Fitzgerald have all been named in Leinster’s starting XV for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO 12 meeting with Edinburgh at Murrayfield (7.35pm).

Ulster 27 Leinster 19

The decision to start Heinke van der Merwe over Cian Healy represents one of four changes Joe Schmidt has made to his team for the return Heineken Cup game against Clermont Auvergne at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (3.40pm).