Jamie Roberts has no doubt that an extended preparation period will help Wales arrive at the World Cup later this year in prime physical and mental shape.

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.

Italy 0 France 29

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.

European Champions Cup

Leicester put indifferent domestic form behind them as they made a strong start to their European Rugby Champions Cup Group Three campaign by sinking Ulster at Welford Road.

Brian O’Driscoll is to set a new all-time Test appearances record of 140 caps in his penultimate international bow today, easing past former Australia scrum-half George Gregan’s tally.

France 30 Italy 10

Treviso 3 Ulster 35

Brian O’Driscoll has emerged for potentially his final RBS 6 Nations match as Ireland meet Italy at the Stadio Flaminio with his future beyond the summer undecided.

Italy will be without prop Martin Castrogiovanni for their RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland after he failed to recover from a thigh injury.

England 18 Italy 11

Italy 9 Wales 26

Scotland 34 Italy 10

Italy 23 France 18

Italy 28 Tonga 23

Ospreys 38 Benetton Treviso 17

Ireland resumed their interrupted RBS 6 Nations campaign determined to avoid a third successive defeat at the Aviva Stadium.

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.

DECLAN KIDNEY last night stuck with Munster half-backs Ronan O’Gara and Conor Murray as he named what he hopes will remain an unchanged side for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Wales.

Leonardo Ghiraldini will face a disciplinary hearing today in relation to an incident that occurred during Ireland's 36-6 victory last Sunday when the Italian hooker allegedly eye-gouged Cian Healy in the first-half of the game.

RORY BEST’S participation in the remainder of Ireland’s World Cup campaign remains in the balance after he was deemed a “serious doubt” by team manager Paul McNaughton for Saturday’s quarter-final against Wales.

Ireland 36 Italy 6

Italy 27 USA 10

Italy coach Nick Mallett was in bullish form today ahead of his side’s World Cup clash with Ireland in Dunedin next Sunday.

Scotland were today aiming to avoid the RBS 6 Nations wooden spoon in their clash with Italy at Murrayfield.

LEE BYRNE has revealed he feared the selection axe for Wales’ successful Italian job after his yellow card calamity at Croke Park.

FRANCE defence coach Dave Ellis was delighted with his side’s six-try show against Italy as Les Bleus remained on course for the Grand Slam.

MARTIN JOHNSON admitted he was relieved to escape Rome with a victory after watching England battle to an unconvincing win against Nick Mallett’s Italy yesterday at the Stadio Flaminio.

IT’S a straight-out-of-the-book recipe for a very poor game of rugby when Grand Slam champions perform like wooden spooners and the opposition do likewise.

Ireland are beginning the defence of their RBS 6 Nations crown amid high expectations at Croke Park against wooden spoon favourites Italy.

Italy coach Nick Mallett is looking for the Azzurri to play the perfect game against Ireland in tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations opener at Croke Park.

SCOTLAND prop Allan Jacobsen faces four months on the sidelines after tests showed he will require shoulder surgery.

FRANCE captain Lionel Nallet preferred to dwell on his team’s victory over Italy rather than the prospect of registering a heavy win against Wales next weekend to retain the RBS 6 Nations Championship title.

JONNY WILKINSON clocked up 1,000 points for England as he guided the World Cup finalists through a hazardous Italian job and revived their RBS Six Nations campaign.

ITALY’S stuttering World Cup campaign showed no sign of improvement last night as they struggled to an unconvincing Pool C win over brave Portugal at the Parc des Princes.

Italy will be looking to put down a marker ahead of their probable winner-takes-all Pool C match against Scotland when they meet Portugal at the Parc des Princes tomorrow.