Ireland squad manager Mick Kearney insists Cian Healy’s recovery from neck surgery is “coming on fine”.

Stuart Lancaster has urged Twickenham to will England to victory tomorrow evening as he prepares to order his RBS 6 Nations title hopefuls to carry the game to France.

Ulster 26 Leicester 7: European Champions Cup Pool 3: Darren Cave helped clip the Tigers’ claws in an attritional Champions Cup clash at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday when Ulster had their bonus point on the board by the 50th minute before a brickwall defence proved almost impenetrable.

Stuart Lancaster has pledged to "make it absolutely crystal clear" to Dylan Hartley that any more lapses in discipline could blow England’s Six Nations chances.

Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter have the chance to reignite their Test careers in England’s 34-man Six Nations training squad, with Sam Burgess also handed World Cup lift-off.

The teams for Australia versus British and Irish Lions have been decided.

The British and Irish Lions have named Tommy Bowe, Dan Lydiate and Ben Youngs in their starting XV for Saturday's second Test against Australia at the Etihad Stadium.

Warren Gatland knows there will be tougher days than the one his British & Irish Lions faced in Western Australia yesterday, starting this Saturday in Brisbane, yet you could not blame the head coach for feeling a little pleased with the ruthless way his team dispatched their opponents.

Ireland centre Brian O’Driscoll will captain the British and Irish Lions in Wednesday’s clash against Western Force in Perth.

Toulon 21 Leicester Tigers 15

Joe Launchbury has passed a late fitness test and will start for England in their Grand Slam showdown with Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Courtney Lawes is ready to strike fear into the French ‘bully boys’ when he is unleashed from the England back row for the first time.

Wasps flanker James Haskell will make his first RBS 6 Nations start in nearly two years when England tackle Ireland in Dublin on Sunday.

Munster sensation Simon Zebo, inset, and Ulster’s Rory Best are the only Irish players in contention for the ERC European Player of the Year Award.

Owen Farrell will start opposite fellow world player of the year nominee Dan Carter after being confirmed as England’s starting fly-half against New Zealand.

Robbie Deans has brushed aside comments by David Campese that he has “destroyed Australian rugby,” but admitted he understands criticism of his regime.

Chris Ashton is back to play Australia after being recalled to the England side for Saturday’s Cook Cup showdown at Twickenham.

The sun shone brightly on a smattering of young Ulster stars as they held a full-strength Leicester Tigers side in a pre-season slog at Ravenhill on Saturday.

England head coach Stuart Lancaster claims his players already have their minds set on revenge after their narrow first Test loss to South Africa.

David Strettle has returned to the England team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations finale against Ireland in place of Charlie Sharples after recovering from a sternum injury.

England captain Chris Robshaw and full-back Ben Foden last night endorsed Stuart Lancaster’s bid to become the team’s full-time coach after a remarkable RBS 6 Nations triumph over France.

Ben Foden will always be indebted to France coach Philippe Saint-Andre for spotting his potential as an international full-back.

Superstitious Wales skipper Sam Warburton has banned himself from talking about the Grand Slam his World Cup semi-finalists are now favourites to achieve next month.

Mike Phillips believes Wales must shut out the external hype and hysteria surrounding their Triple Crown bid today — or risk blowing hopes of a rare Twickenham win.

Owen Farrell will start at fly-half for England in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations game against Wales after Charlie Hodgson failed to recover from a finger injury.

The 20-year-old landed four penalties and a tough conversion, following Charlie Hodgson’s second charge-down try in as many weeks, as England rallied from 15-6 down to claim their second win of the championship.

The temperatures in Rome may have plummeted but England captain Chris Robshaw has warned Italy his men will be prepared to fight fire with fire in today’s RBS 6 Nations clash.

Chris Robshaw will captain an unchanged England team into Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

Stuart Lancaster confirmed he has applied for the full-time England coach’s job after joining his players in shedding blood in a physical Calcutta Cup win over Scotland on Saturday.

Owen Farrell, Brad Barritt and Phil Dowson will make their Test debuts in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland as part of a new-look and inexperienced England team.

England’s interim head coach Stuart Lancaster will name at least eight uncapped players in his 22-man squad to face Scotland in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown.

ULSTER could not breach Leicester’s tryline at Welford Road on Saturday as the home side dug out an important win over a determined Ulster at Welford Road.

MICHAEL BRADLEY reckons Paddy Wallace is ready to reclaim his Ireland centre jersey in the Six Nations opener against Italy.

CONNACHT kept their European hopes alive with a last-gasp victory over the Newcastle Falcons at the Galway Sportsground last night.