DOUG HOWLETT is just one of a number of senior players set tointensify Munster’s pre-season effort when they take on Gloucester at Musgrave Park tonight (7pm).

Glasgow Warriors 33 Gloucester 11

GLOUCESTER boss Bryan Redpath has put his team on red alert tonight for their Heineken Cup clash against a Newport Gwent Dragons side he believes will show “no fear”.

CARDIFF BLUES will complete a triumphant march into the Heineken Cup quarter-finals tonight, but head coach David Young insists: “There is still work to be done.”

SHANE HORGAN will start Ireland A’s clash with England Saxons at Welford Road next Friday.

GLOUCESTER boss Dean Ryan accepts his team will head into “a confrontational environment” when they tackle Heineken Cup hosts Bourgoin tonight.

ROB ANDREW has hailed “an English solution for the English game” after the Twickenham unveiling of a new detailed agreement governing professional rugby in England.

Ulster 14 Gloucester 32

ULSTER have been hit with a double whammy ahead of tonight’s opening Heineken Cup clash with Gloucester at Ravenhill. Flanker Stephen Ferris has been told he will be sidelined for up to six weeks while veteran fly-half David Humphreys is a major concern due to an ankle injury.

David Humphreys will have to come through a fitness test on a damaged ankle beofre Mark McCall can insert him at out-half for Friday's Heineken Cup opener against Gloucester at Ravenhill.

Jason Robinson will captain an England squad containing seven uncapped players on the two-Test tour of South Africa.

GLOUCESTER face a fight for their Heineken Cup lives in the south of France tonight, with captain Marco Bortolami admitting: “We have only one chance.”

England have included World Cup winner Mike Catt in their squad for the two-Test tour to Australia.

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.

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.

Martin Corry will captain England in their RBS 6 Nations Championship game against Italy at Twickenham a week on Saturday.

Gloucester 55 Ulster 13

Neath-Swansea Ospreys have made no fewer than five changes from their first day defeat to Stade Francais for the visit of Munster to The Gnoll on Sunday (3pm).

ENGLAND international James Simpson-Daniel last night conceded that Gloucester will require “something a little bit extra” to take the sting out of Heineken Cup quarter-final opponents Wasps.

Olly Barkley has been left out of the England side for their RBS 6 Nations title showdown with France in Paris on Saturday.

GARY LONGWELL has been called into the Irish squad for the Six Nations game against England at Twickenham tomorrow week.

England boss Sir Clive Woodward tonight axed three members of his World Cup-winning squad for next Sunday’s Six Nations championship opener against Italy in Rome.

Wasps centre Stuart Abbott will make his first appearance in an England shirt on Monday after he was today named in a strong side to face the New Zealand Maori.

Martin Johnson will regain the captaincy from stand-in Jonny Wilkinson for England’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield on March 22.

England 40

Kyran Bracken has been handed a shock recall to the England side for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Wales in Cardiff.

Gloucester wing James Simpson-Daniel will make his Test debut when England tackle Tri-Nations champions New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.