Leinster 17 Newcastle Falcons 42

Munster’s love affair with the B&I Cup came to an end yesterday when they bowed out to arch-rivals Leinster at the quarter-final stage of a competition that will cease to exist after this season.

Leinster A 17 Munster A 6: Munster A were stripped of their B&I Cup title by Irish rivals Leinster A at Energia Park, Donnybrook today in a tight match that was in doubt for much of the 80 minutes.

OSPREYS 32 LEINSTER 18: Leinster limped back into Dublin late on Saturday night having fluffed their lines in their dress-rehearsal for the Champions Cup quarter-final with Saracens and licking their wounds after a mauling by the Ospreys.

It has been a hard road for Southern Kings, the whipping boys of the Guinness PRO14, and things are unlikely to get easier for the South Africans at the RDS tonight.

A game badly compromised by the absence of almost two dozen Six Nations stars was rescued by another star turn from Leinster’s James Lowe who continued to entertain long after the final whistle on Saturday afternoon.

Garry Ringrose’s first start of the season and a debut for Kiwi flyer James Lowe give an exciting edge to the Leinster backline for the Guinness PRO14 trip to Treviso’s Benetton Rugby (3:30pm Irish time).

Leinster Head Coach Leo Cullen has handed a first start to Josh Murphy in tonight’s Guinness PRO14 clash with the Dragons at the RDS Arena (7.35pm).

Just one week after proving to all of Europe how dangerous he is in the No 15 shirt, Joey Carbery is back to orchestrate another Leinster victory, only this time he will be wearing number 10.

This evening’s clash at the RDS will be Pat Lam’s 98th in charge of Connacht and it is safe to say that he still has little difficulty coming up with a cause for his men each time they go out.

Cardiff Blues 13 Leinster 16 

Leinster 19 Bath 39: Semesa Rokoduguni, Harry Davies and George Ford helped themselves to second-half tries at Donnybrook last night, as Leinster’s pre-season campaign ended with a 20-point defeat against Bath.

Munster 16 Scarlets 10

B&I CUP:

Ireland captain Paul O’Connell makes his return to Munster colours ahead of schedule tonight having been cleared by the IRFU to face Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Munster 28 Gloucester 17

It is now more than a decade since the famous Miracle Match of 2003, but memories of that never-to-be-forgotten occasion will be revived when three survivors participate in today’s Seat Series clash of Munster and Gloucester at Thomond Park (kick-off 5pm).

Andrew Conway will line out in Munster colours for the first time tomorrow as Rob Penney’s side begin their pre-season programme against Gloucester at Thomond Park (5pm).

TBILISI CUP:

Les Kiss will continue as part of the Ireland coaching structure after he hands over the reins to new head coach Joe Schmidt.

RABODIRECT PRO12

Recent performances in the Heineken Cup excepted, it has been a poor campaign by Munster’s exalted standards and it will be a whole lot worse should they become the first team to lose to Zebre in their last match of the season at the Stadio XXV Aprile in Parma this evening.

Head coach Rob Penney has named a strong team for Munster’s final RaboDirect PRO 12 match of the season tomorrow night.

British & Irish Cup semi-final

RABODIRECT PRO12

Munster head coach Rob Penneyn has made twelve changes to the starting XV that took on Leinster, for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Dragons at Rodney Parade (7pm)

Cornish Pirates 9 Munster A 10

Rob Penney’s men aren’t the only Munster outfit in search of glory across the Irish Sea tomorrow.

Dolphin 24 Cork Constitution 27

Munster head coach Rob Penney will discover whether the blow torch treatment he dispensed to his squad this week had the desired effect this evening.

After last weekend’s drubbing at the hands of Treviso, Munster head coach Rob Penney has made five personnel changes for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Ospreys at Thomond Park (6.30pm).

Treviso 34 Munster 10

RaboDirect Pro12

Felix Jones and James Downey return to the Munster starting XV for the first time since facing Racing Metro in mid January, for Sunday’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Benetton Treviso at Stadio di Monigo (3pm).

Scarlets 18 Munster 10

Munster will roll out a couple of heavyweights for their trip to Llanelli tonight.

Mike Sherry will captain Munster for the first time in tomorrow night’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Scarlets in Llanelli (6.30pm).

Munster 30 Edinburgh 3