Tadhg Beirne hopes back-to-back titles with the Scarlets can help him cement his place in the Ireland squad to tour Australia this summer.

Sam Whitelock does not want to emulate family history when he captains New Zealand against Wales today.

Wales are determined to begin a two-year World Cup countdown today by ending their dismal run of defeats against Australia.

Wallaby fly-half Christian Lealiifano played the most important role since his comeback from a bone marrow transplant after he contacted Leukaemia just over 12 months ago when he helped Ulster to a dramatic victory over defending champions Scarlets.

Ireland’s summer debutant John Cooney will start his third successive game when Ulster tackle a star-studded Scarlets outfit on an emotional night at Ravenhilll (kick-off, 7.35pm).

Rory Best is set to captain the British & Irish Lions against the Chiefs on Tuesday after Warren Gatland named a matchday squad missing tour skipper Sam Warburton in the final game before Saturday’s first Test with the All Blacks.

Connacht v Scarlets: Connacht, having lost only once at home on their way to that memorable Guinness PRO12 crown a year ago, will be bidding to prevent a fifth league defeat at the Sportsground this season when facing a Scarlets side bidding for a semi-final place.

Ireland centre Luke Marshall is determined to right recent wrongs this evening when a struggling Ulster side travel to Llanelli to face the Guinness PRO12’s in-form side unbeaten in eight games at Parc y Scarlets (7.35pm).

Here’s the lowdown on four big games across Europe...

Ulster struggled to defeat a weakened Scarlets side at the Kingspan Stadium last night.

New Zealander Charles Piutau is anxious to get back into Ulster action for the visit of the winless Scarlets to the Kingspan Stadium this evening (7.05 pm),

Wales prop Tomas Francis has received an eight-week ban for making contact with the “eye or eye area” of England forward Dan Cole in last Saturday’s Six Nations game at Twickenham.

England 25 Wales 21: Eddie Jones has calmed England’s Six Nations title celebrations because an even greater prize is within reach as he targets a precious Grand Slam.

CHAMPIONS CUP: YOUR TEAM-BY-TEAM WEEKEND GUIDE

Racing 92 sealed a home quarter-final tie in the European Champions Cup with a record victory over Scarlets in Paris.

Change is the order of the day for Leinster head coach Leo Cullen, who has chosen a completely new starting line-up for his side’s latest Guinness Pro12 encounter against Scarlets at the RDS this evening.

Previous World Cups, in soccer and in rugby, have demonstrated the dangers of bigging up teams during the pool stages, but Michael Cheika and the Wallabies have certainly earned the praise.

Pool D: Wales v Fiji

Three of Welsh rugby’s biggest names — James Hook, Mike Phillips and Richard Hibbard — face uncertain international futures after seeing their World Cup hopes extinguished.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named nine uncapped players in a 47-man training squad for the Rugby World Cup.

World Rugby boss Brett Gosper has claimed his tweet was "over-interpreted" into partisanship when posting that hosts England failing to reach the World Cup quarter-finals would be "not the words we want to hear".

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

Scarlets 25 Munster 25: How Anthony Foley judges this result at Scarlets depends on whether he believes the glass is half-full or half-empty.

Guinness Pro12

Guinness Pro12: Scarlets 32 Connacht Rugby 14: Connacht’s top six qualification hopes were give a shake-up when they were outgunned by fellow hopefuls Scarlets in yesterday’s lunchtime Pro12 clash.

Guinness Pro12

Warren Gatland revealed a glowing recommendation from one of world rugby’s outstanding coaches played its part in New Zealand-born Gareth Anscombe making an unlikely journey from Super Rugby to potential Wales Test star.

Cardiff Blues may be lying ninth in the Pro12 table, but with a pack boasting three British and Irish Lions, as well as a recalled Alex Cuthbert on the wing, Leinster know it won’t be easy at the Arms Park.

Cardiff Blues 24 Munster 28

Robin Copeland’s return to the BT Cardiff Arms Park where he enjoyed two highly successful years before linking up with Munster this season and the first appearance of Argentine international Luis Gonzalez Amorosino on the wing for Cardiff Blues adds considerable interest to this evening’s Guinness Pro12 clash.

Connacht 24 Cardiff 24

Leinster 37 Cardiff Blues 23

Guinness Pro12:

Ireland internationals Tommy Bowe and Paddy Jackson both make their first starts of the season for Ulster on Friday in the away match against Cardiff Blues.

Leinster 42 Scarlets 12

Scarlets 32 Ulster 32