Munster can expect the kind of reception they like to dish out to visiting teams when they take on Edinburgh in tonight’s deferred Guinness Pro 12 game at Myreside.

Winger Rob Lyttle has been rewarded for his try-scoring exploits when he earns a start for Ulster against Edinburgh at Murrayfield this evening.

You would have thought Connacht’s bid to get their first points of the season would be the primary focus of this encounter, but the surprise midweek departure of Edinburgh coach Alan Solomons has changed the dynamic of this clash.

Munster 26 Newport Gwent Dragons 5: Two salient points emerged from Saturday night’s Guinness Pro 12 game at Thomond Park.

Munster and the Newport Gwent Dragons both received good news yesterday as they prepare for their Guinness Pro12 clash at Thomond Park tonight.

After a brief respite, Connacht Rugby return to Pro12 action and face an improving Newport Gwent Dragons in Newport this evening (7.30pm).

Anthony Foley has laid it on the line for his players ahead of tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

Ulster’s new director of rugby Less Kiss has named Rory Best and Ruan Pienaar on the bench for tomorrow’s Guinness PRO12 clash away to Newport Gwent Dragons.

Leinster 37 Dragons 12: Isa Nacewa and Fergus McFadden led by example at the RDS on Saturday, when their combined tally of 27 points helped Leinster to a comprehensive victory over Newport Gwent Dragons in the Guinness Pro12.

Connacht 29 Dragons 23: Connacht opened their Guinness Pro 12 season with a valuable home win, edging a lively encounter against the Newport Gwent Dragons at the Galway Sportsground last evening.

There are few surprises in Pat Lam’s Connacht squad for this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 opener at the Galway Sportsground (7.30pm).

Anthony Foley will send his Munster players out against Newport Gwent Dragons today hoping last Saturday’s late meltdown was not an omen for the last throes of the regular season.

With their European Rugby Champions Cup semi-final against Toulon just eight days away, Leinster coach Matt O’Connor has opted to wrap his star players in cotton wool for the province’s Guinness Pro12 encounter with Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade tomorrow.

Guinness Pro12

Guinness Pro12: Leinster 14 Gwent Dragons 16: Leinster suffered a setback to their Pro12 play-off aspirations, as Tom Prydie’s 70th-minute penalty at the RDS yesterday meant they finished the weekend outside the league’s top-four spots.

Newport Gwent Dragons 9 Cardiff Blues 11

GUINNESS PRO12:

Ulster 23 Newport Gwent Dragons 6

Connacht 16 Newport 11

Dragons 8 Connacht 24

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Connacht 14 Newport Gwent Dragons 11

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.

Leinster will finally get to road test their expensive new flyer tonight when Zane Kirchner makes his first start for the province before checking out again for duty with South Africa.

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Munster coach Rob Penney has resisted the temptation to field his strongest side in response to last week’s second half meltdown at Treviso for this evening’s Rabo Direct clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons.

Dragons 15 Ulster 8

Bristol 26 Leinster A 30

It is 12 years since Connacht came away from Cardiff Arms Park with a win, and coach Eric Elwood says that needs to change when the sides meet this evening in the RaboDirect Pro12 (7.30pm).

RaboDirect PRO12: Cardiff Blues v Leinster

Cardiff Blues 18 Munster 24

The return to home comforts at Cardiff Arms Park tonight is no guarantee to help the Blues end a dismal run of defeats by Munster, but director of rugby Phil Davies remains hopeful the visitors might find it hard to grind out a result there.

Soul II Soul.

Cardiff Blues 19 Ulster 48

Munster A secured a first British and Irish Cup victory with an accomplished all-round performance that overpowered brave Cross Keys at Musgrave Park last night.

Ulster jumped up to fifth place in the RaboDirect Pro12 League after treating themselves to a bonus-point success over the Dragons at Ravenhill last night.

Ulster have been rocked by the loss of influential skipper Johann Muller ahead of tonight’s RaboDirect Pro12 League clash against the Dragons at Ravenhill.