Former Munster hooker Denis Fogarty has become the latest player to have to retire from the game through injury.

Jerry Sexton, younger brother of Lions out-half Jonny, has joined his sibling in making a move to French club rugby.

Ex-Munster hooker Denis Fogarty has been named in the French Pro D2 team of the season after an excellent first year with Aurillac.

As Ireland international selection calls go, Declan Kidney’s choice to toss in Ulster’s Paddy Jackson against Scotland ahead of Ronan O’Gara is pretty seismic.

As you would expect from a player just named in his division’s team of the month, life is pretty sweet right now for former Munster hooker Denis Fogarty.

Munster hooker Denis Fogarty has inked a deal with French second division club Aurillac coached by former Ulster, Ireland and Lions second row Jeremy Davidson.

Friday’s British & Irish Cup final against Cross Keys in Musgrave Park (5.30pm) is likely to be the last time Munster fans will see Denis Fogarty wearing the red jersey, with the hooker moving to French side Aurillac at the end of the season.

Ulster’s head coach Brian McLaughlin looks set to lose his job at the end of the season, despite pulling the side out from the depths of despair.

LESS than a year ago, Andrew Trimble was facing into the unknown; he could be forgiven for thinking his future in international rugby was in serious jeopardy after 25 Irish caps and eight tries.

MUNSTER’S Doug Howlett, Jean de Villiers and Paul Warwick will add a local flavour to the Barbarians squad which returns to Ireland on June 4 for the first time in nine years.

Springbok BJ Botha and Ireland’s Stephen Ferris return to the Ulster squad for Ulster's Heineken Cup Pool match against Stade Francais at Ravenhill on Saturday.

New head coach Brian McLaughlin is relishing the start to his job with the announcement Ulster's pre-season fixtures.

SIMON SHAW is ready for the launch of mission improbable tomorrow after completing a 12-year journey into the Lions Test team.

ULSTER Rugby have resisted the temptation to appoint from overseas in their search to replace Matt Williams, plumping for home-grown candidate, Brian McLaughlin.

Ulster Rugby has returned to its roots with the announcement of the management team and the employment of former out-half David Humphreys as operations manager for next season.

SOUTH AFRICA captain John Smit will lead the Springboks into the rarefied atmosphere of a Test series against the British and Irish Lions today with one fierce message to his men — it is now or never.

AFTER all the speculation, the Lions side to contest tomorrow’s opening test was widely predictable and lacked the bolter element of Paul Wallace and Jeremy Davidson 12 years ago.

Simon Shaw will make his final bid for a place in the British and Irish Lion’s first Test tomorrow, but he admits it will take “a huge performance”.

Former British and Irish Lion Jeremy Davidson will return to Ulster as their forwards coach at the end of the season.

It should have been the perfect day. Croke Park, brimful with expectation, had opened its doors to rugby for the first time but, on a historic day of outward celebration for Irish sport, all was silenced by a piece of late Gallic magic.

THERE are reasons to believe that Castres might offer limited opposition in Friday’s return Heineken Cup clash at Stade Pierre-Antoine, but don’t say that within earshot of Leinster coach Michael Cheika.

Leinster coach Michael Cheika brushed aside any talk of disappointment over a missed bonus point after the Pool Two leaders cruised to a 33-3 victory over Castres.

GAVIN HASTINGS yesterday urged Lions selectors to retain Brian O’Driscoll as skipper for next summer’s tour to South Africa.

Mark McCall has found refuge and a job as backs coach at French club Castres.

MARTIN JOHNSON believes a bold selection policy is key to a successful Lions tour as competition to lead the 2009 squad to South Africa intensifies.

FORMER England hooker Brian Moore has launched a scathing attack on Eddie O’Sullivan and the Irish squad for their performances at the Rugby World Cup.

One of Ulster's top rugby players has signed a deal to join Castres.

Shannon 31 Dungannon 0

Dungannon 23 Garryowen 29

IRISH and Munster second row Paul O’Connell, was last night voted the BT IRUPA Players’ Player of the Year by his peers at the 4th annual Awards Dinner at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin.

Dungannon 29 Galwegians 27>BR>

Dungannon 6 Clontarf 3

WHEN the call came it was so good he heard it twice: Donncha O’Callaghan had been selected to start for the Lions in Saturday’s second Test against the All Blacks.

Dungannon Director of Rugby Jeremy Davidson has signed a three-year extension to his contract which will keep the former Irish star at Stevenson Park until June 2008.

Galwegians 12 Dungannon 19

Not even a last-gasp Jamie McGrugan try could help Ballymena from going down to Ulster rivals Dungannon tonight - as their slim hopes of an AIB league Division One play-off spot blew up in smoke.

Dungannon 22 Dublin University 22

THE renowned Shannon front-row factory is alive and well.

CLONTARF went to the head of the AIB All-Ireland League Division 1 on Saturday after Galwegians surrendered a 16-3 half-time lead to them at Crowley Park.

Dungannon 21 Garryowen 24

Tries in either half from Ajay Subherwal and Paul Magee saw Dungannon claim the scalp of Blackrock, 17-10, for their fourth win of the AIB League Division One season at Stevenson Park.