TOMÁS O’LEARY, John Hayes, James Coughlan and Johne Murphy are named in the 28-man Munster squad for Saturday’s RaboDirect Pro12 opening fixture against Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park (7.45pm).

A SIXTH win on the trot moved Leinster up into fourth place in the Magners League at the RDS last night as their second string brushed the Dragons aside and picked up a bonus point en route.

CLINT NEWLAND makes his debut for Leinster tonight against the Dragons at the RDS (7.05pm), when the New Zealand Maori prop lines up in a front row which includes Heinke van der Merwe and Richardt Strauss.

ERIC ELWOOD had every reason to be “chuffed” about his side’s unexpected demolition of the Dragons on opening day.

British and Irish Lions boss Ian McGeechan has made wholesale changes for Saturday's final Test against world champions South Africa.

The Lions coaching staff have named seven Irish players in the starting 15 for Saturday's second test against South Africa in Pretoria.

Ireland fly-half Ronan O’Gara will captain the British and Irish Lions in tomorrow night’s clash against the Emerging Springboks at Newlands.

IAN MCGEECHAN might well have good cause to thank his Springbok rival Peter de Villiers for leaving out the Cheetahs’ back row man Heinrick Brussow from his 28-man squad to face the British & Irish Lions this month.

Leigh Halfpenny will get a belated first taste of action for the British and Irish Lions in tomorrow’s clash with the Cheetahs after finally being passed fit to join the squad in South Africa.

Brian O’Driscoll will captain the British and Irish Lions in their second tour match against the Golden Lions in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

ENGLAND romped to their most emphatic victory over France since the glory days of 2003 as Martin Johnson’s under-fire side enjoyed a staggering return to form at Twickenham.

England will start with Toby Flood at fly-half in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with Ireland at Croke Park.

Danny Cipriani is one of six capped players named in the England Saxons side to face Ireland A at Donnybrook.

Ben Foden’s blistering form for Northampton has been rewarded with a call-up to the elite England squad.

TOBY FLOOD steps into the number 10 limelight vacated by Danny Cipriani at Twickenham on Saturday determined to make some publicity of his own.

England manager Martin Johnson appeared to provide an early glimpse into his thinking ahead of a demanding autumn Test campaign by making eight players available for EDF Energy Cup action this weekend.

LEICESTER coach Heyneke Meyer hailed a “brilliant” performance by Toby Flood after Tigers launched their Heineken Cup campaign with victory over the Ospreys at Welford Road.

England U20 43 Ireland U20 14

Ireland internationals Geordan Murphy and Shane Jennings will start for Leicester Tigers against Llanelli Scarlets in the Heineken Cup semi-final at the Walkers Stadium on Saturday.

GEORDAN MURPHY has underlined Leicester’s degree of difficulty in chasing an unprecedented trophy treble, declaring: “It is like climbing Everest.”

WASPS forward James Haskell will make his England debut in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

JAMES HASKELL has received a ringing endorsement from one of England’s leading coaches as he prepares to make his Test match debut.

ENGLAND coach Brian Ashton has ignored struggling Wales’ miserable RBS 6 Nations season and predicted possibly his team’s “toughest game of the tournament” on Saturday.

World Cup winner Josh Lewsey has been left out of the England team for Saturday’s Six Nations finalé against Wales in Cardiff.

England have suffered a triple injury blow for Sunday’s Six Nations showdown with title favourites France at Twickenham.

England boss Brian Ashton has sprung a major surprise ahead of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Italy by calling up uncapped Harlequins flanker Nick Easter.

ROB ANDREW has hailed England World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson as “an extraordinary individual” ahead of his logic-defying return to the Test match arena.

WORLD Cup winner Steve Thompson has been ruled out of England’s entire RBS Six Nations Championship campaign due to a neck injury.

Declan Kidney has decided to stick with Mick O'Driscoll at blindside in preference to Anthony Foley for the crucial Heineken Cup tie against Leicester Tigers at Thomond Park on Saturday.

LEICESTER are hurtling towards a Pool Four decider against European champions Munster in Limerick tomorrow week, but they cannot allow such an enticing prospect to overshadow their Welford Road appointment with Cardiff Blues this afternoon (3pm, Sky Sports).

New England boss Brian Ashton has named a new captain and summoned Jason Robinson from international retirement for this season’s Six Nations Championship.

Andy Robinson has wielded the axe after England’s French farce and dropped six World Cup winners for the Six Nations Championship finale against Ireland at Twickenham on Saturday.

Matt Dawson has been recalled to the England starting line-up for Sunday’s Six Nations Championship showdown against France in Paris.

Scotland international Allister Hogg is aiming to cap a fine personal week with a Calcutta Cup win over England on Saturday.

Lawrence Dallaglio has been named amongst the replacements for England’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales – exactly 17 months after he retired from international rugby.

Lawrence Dallaglio has been named in England’s RBS 6 Nations training squad - almost 17 months after he quit international rugby.

Leicester lock Louis Deacon will make his England debut in Saturday’s clash against Samoa at Twickenham.

Mark Van Gisbergen was today omitted from the England starting XV to take on Australia on November 12.

England boss Andy Robinson has named five uncapped players – including New Zealand-born Wasps star Mark Van Gisbergen – in his 30-man squad for the autumn Tests.

Leicester Tigers 50 Munster 19

Ireland U18s 19 England U18s 38

Ireland U18 21 21 England U18 38

AUSTIN HEALEY has been sensationally axed for Leicester’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster tomorrow.

ENGLAND boss Andy Robinson has warned his players they will face a Scotland side fuelled by a raw “hatred” of their oldest foes in this evening’s Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham.