BATH captain Steve Borthwick hailed “a mammoth effort” from his team after they ended their 10-year wait for a major trophy.

England lock Danny Grewcock was last night digesting the bitter reality that his hopes of playing at the World Cup were all but wrecked – and his international career could be over.

DANNY GREWCOCK’S place in England’s World Cup squad was in serious doubt tonight after he received a six-week ban for punching.

Danny Grewcock's chances of being included in England's World Cup squad have been thrown into serious doubt after he was handed a six-week ban for punching.

Bath and England lock Danny Grewcock will have to wait until Monday to discover whether or not he will be banned by a European Rugby Cup disciplinary panel.

BRIAN ASHTON believes England have been relegated to the “second division of world rugby” as they prepare for a Twickenham showdown with RBS Six6 Nations title favourites France.

IF ever a team captured the spirit of a nation, it was Ireland’s 22 proud heroes in Croke Park on Saturday.

ENGLAND, based on this display, will be handing over the William Webb Ellis trophy early in the autumn.

London Irish look poised to make a major swoop in the transfer market by signing England scrum-half Peter Richards.

JASON ROBINSON believes there are “signs of something special” after England’s World Cup heroes reunited to launch the Brian Ashton era in trophy-winning fashion at Twickenham.

BELEAGURED England boss Andy Robinson has reacted to his team’s shambolic defeat against Argentina by making seven changes for the Twickenham appointment with South Africa on Saturday.

England boss Andy Robinson has reacted to his team's shambolic defeat against Argentina by making seven changes for the Twickenham appointment with South Africa on Saturday.

Danny Grewcock joins an elite club in English rugby against Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday.

ENGLAND’S record Twickenham crowd of 82,000 witnessed a record-breaking occasion — but for all the wrong reasons as New Zealand underlined their credentials as overwhelming World Cup favourites.

CONNACHT’S hopes of qualifying as pool leader in their European Challenge Cup campaign rest on the result of tomorrow afternoon’s clash with former Heineken Cup winners Bath (2.30pm).

IF CLARE hurling was haunted by the curse of Biddy Earley for years, one wonders what external forces are contriving to deprive Munster of European Cup success.

BIARRITZ forward Benoit August is free to play in the Heineken Cup final after an astonishing blunder by the tournament organisers.

Biarritz forward Benoit August is free to play in this season’s Heineken Cup final after an astonishing blunder by tournament organisers.

MUNSTER’S Heineken Cup final opponents Biarritz hope Benoit August will escape suspension for the Cardiff showdown thanks to the support of an unlikely source — Danny Grewcock, the Bath second row August is accused of gouging in their semi-final meeting.

Biarritz's Benoit Agustin will appear before an independent disciplinary committee in Dublin on Friday, May 5 after he was cited for an incident in the Heineken Cup semi-final against Bath Rugby at the Estadio Anoeta last Saturday.

Barry Coughlan

BIARRITZ hooker and captain Benoit August could miss the Heineken Cup final against Munster after being cited for allegedly gouging Bath lock Danny Grewcock during Saturday’s semi-final victory in San Sebastian.

Biarritz captain Benoit August could miss the Heineken Cup final after being cited for allegedly gouging Danny Grewcock during the semi-final win over Bath at the weekend.

Leicester 12 Bath 15

Leicester 12 Bath 15

Leicester: Vesty, Murphy, Lloyd, Smith, Hipkiss, Goode, Ellis, Rowntree, Chuter, White, Kay, L. Deacon, Jennings, Moody, Corry. Replacements: Holford, Buckland, Cullen, Abraham, Healey, Cornwell, A. Tuilagi.

DEFIANT England boss Andy Robinson is confident he can put his ailing world champions back on track despite another season of underachievement in the Six Nations.

WHILE France remain the bookies favourites to regain the championship they last won in 2004, Ireland’s sole Six Nations focus should be on beating England in Twickenham, thus securing the Triple Crown for only the eighth time in our long rugby history.

Danny Grewcock is ready for England’s daunting mission against France in Paris, but the Bath lock admits: “We have to raise our game.”

PAUL O’CONNELL returned to training with the Ireland squad in Bray yesterday for the first time since sustaining a shoulder injury in the Six Nations defeat by France in Paris.

England 47 Wales 13

Sale 35 Castres 3

Glasgow Warriors 10 Bath 29

WHEN the call came it was so good he heard it twice: Donncha O’Callaghan had been selected to start for the Lions in Saturday’s second Test against the All Blacks.

Test places are up for grabs today as the battered British and Irish Lions take on second-division provincial side Manawatu.

LIONS LOCK Danny Grewcock has protested his innocence after he was found guilty of biting an opponent and banned for two months.

New Zealand 21 Lions 3

Lions lock Danny Grewcock insists he did not bite New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu after being banned for two months.

The Lions tour of New Zealand reached a new low today when lock Danny Grewcock received a two-month ban for biting an opponent.

Lions lock Danny Grewcock has been cited for allegedly biting New Zealand hooker Keven Mealamu during today's first Test in Christchurch.

IF THE mind games in the build-up to the first Test are anything to go by, we’re in for one hell of a game tomorrow in Christchurch.

WITH the first Test fast approaching, the timing of Saturday's Dunedin performance and victory by the Lions could not have been better.

AS a consequence of their first defeat on tour to the Maoris last Saturday, it has been a difficult week for the Lions.

SHANE BYRNE is loving every minute of this. After helping to get the Lions tour back on track by playing a starring role in the 23-6 victory over Wellington on Wednesday, he is basking in one of his finest hours.