Ireland’s four provinces are facing an almost impossible task in their respective bids to push beyond the pool stages of the Champions Cup, never mind win it.

Sean Lamont says Scotland are desperate to end their decade of failure against France — but denied they are shackled by an inferiority complex.

There was a point in the Irish rugby timeline when even the idea of beating France in Paris was outside the logic of all but the criminally optimistic.

France’s Sevens sensation Virimi Vakatawa will make his Test debut in tomorrow’s Six Nations opener against Italy in Paris.

News last week the appointment of a chairman and a director general have had to be put on hold for the time being offered a timely reminder of the difficulties faced in satisfying the diverse interests of the stakeholders on the board of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), says Donal Lenihan.

Ronan O’Gara and Jonathan Sexton’s first season in France will come to an end next weekend unless they can defeat Toulouse away in the first of the play-offs for the Top 14.

Irish attitudes towards French opposition in Europe have changed markedly, but a healthy respect remains for Guy Noves’ Toulouse, writes Ronan O'Gara.

Memo to Munster fans from Ronan O'Gara : Get into Thomond Park a good 45 minutes before tomorrow’s Heineken Cup quarter-final.

Ian Madigan believes that pride in, and attachment to, their home province will prove to be the difference next Sunday when Leinster travel to take on Toulon’s European champions at the Stade Felix Mayo.

Derby day tomorrow in Paris and Dublin.

Connacht 9 Toulouse 37

HEINEKEN CUP POOL THREE:

Sports stadiums can be drab places long after the final whistle has blown, when all that humanity has trickled away into the surrounding streets and countryside and left behind are the memories, the cold and the detritus of a day well spent.

We’ve been spoilt over the years with the frequency of Munster and Leinster being paired with Toulouse and Clermont Auvergne in either the pool or knockout stages of the Heineken Cup. At its best, French club rugby is irresistible and in those two outstanding sides, we have been exposed to the very best it has to offer.

WITH all of the posturing and brinkmanship going on at the moment between the Premiership rugby umbrella in England and the rest of the European participants, we should cherish this Heineken Cup while we have it. With just two seasons left on the existing accord, it is inevitable the current format will be tweaked, if only for the warring factions on all sides to save face. In the meantime, let’s enjoy what we have and concentrate on matters on the pitch.

English clubs go missing again...

Toulouse captain Thierry Dusautoir was not surprised by how well Connacht battled throughout the Heineken Cup clash between the two at the Stade Ernest Wallon.

PAUL O’CONNELL’S decision to commit to Munster until the end of the 2013/14 season is about the only bit of good news to come the province’s way over the last few weeks.

Jamie Heaslip denied that revenge was used as a motivating factor for Leinster in their pulsating Heineken Cup semi-final victory over Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium.

Biarritz 20 Toulouse 27

WASPS head coach Tony Hanks was proud of his players after the London club came close to pulling off a shock victory at the reigning Heineken Cup champions.

SATURDAY sees the culmination of the domestic competitions in this part of the world with the Magners League, Guinness Premiership and the French Top 14 championship all up for grabs.

LEINSTER forwards coach Jono Gibbes has singled out Toulouse scrum-half Byron Kelleher as one of the main threats to the Irish province’s hopes of retaining their status as Heineken Cup champions.

LEINSTER lock Nathan Hines has warned that the province’s hopes of retaining their Heineken Cup title will evaporate if they repeat their awful start against Clermont Auvergne in Toulouse on Saturday.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika will wait until tomorrow before deciding whether Jonathan Sexton will start Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Toulouse in the south of France.

BYRON KELLEHER has warned three-time Heineken Cup champions Toulouse to raise their level of performance despite a crushing 42-16 quarter-final win over rivals Stade Francais at Le Stadium yesterday.

Toulouse 42 Stade Francais 16

SALE director of rugby Kingsley Jones felt poor discipline had cost his side victory against Toulouse at Edgeley Park.

Sale 13 Toulouse 19

Toulouse 33 Harlequins 21

TOULOUSE are also struggling for momentum going into the Heineken Cup final. Guy Noves’ side lost 17-15 in the French Top 14 at Montpellier yesterday.

Toulouse 33 Leinster 6

London Irish boss Brian Smith believes his Exiles will feel the full force of a Toulouse backlash when they meet the three-times Heineken Cup winners tomorrow.

FRENCH international Xavier Garbajosa has been left out of Guy Novès’ 23-man squad to face Leinster, the Toulouse coach preferring the in-form Maxime Médard.

Toulouse 37 Northampton 9

Northampton 23 Toulouse 21