The Ospreys have confirmed the appointment of Gruff Rees as their backs coach.

Ospreys 23 Aironi 7

JONATHAN HUMPHREYS hopes to strike the second of two huge blows to Irish rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12 top of the table clash at Thomond Park tomorrow night (7.30 pm).

TONY McGAHAN has made 14 changes to the Munster team for this evening’s Magners League clash with the Ospreys.

JEAN DE VILLIERS is interested in returning to Munster after this year’s World Cup.

DESPITE an horrendous eight-hour delay in Clermont Airport last Sunday night, arriving in Dublin at 5am, I am looking forward to next weekend already.

PAUL O’CONNELL faces an ERC disciplinary hearing following his second Heineken Cup sending-off in Munster’s victory over the Ospreys yesterday.

Munster coach Tony McGahan was left to rue a bittersweet 22-16 victory at Thomond Park as Paul O’Connell was red-carded 10 minutes into his Heineken Cup comeback.

London Irish intend to send Jonny Wilkinson and company packing tomorrow in the same fashion as Munster made their Madejski Stadium exit two months ago.

THOMOND PARK cannot help but stir memories and while Ospreys at least have a good one to recall, the sight of Paul O’Connell warming up for action tomorrow may well remind the Welshmen of a darker hour in Limerick.

OSPREYS head coach Sean Holley believes his charges will have to step up a gear when they face a Munster side he believes are the team to beat in this year’s Heineken Cup.

Shane Williams admitted he felt “pretty good” after scoring a wonder try that underpinned the Ospreys’ 27-16 Heineken Cup victory over London Irish tonight.

AS sports fans, the Irish can be as myopic as the best of them but spare a thought for the Ospreys side which will pitch up at the RDS for their Magners League tie with Leinster tonight.

WELSH side Ospreys could suffer a Magners League points deduction as the fallout continues from their request to postpone a rescheduled match with Ulster.

Ireland wing Tommy Bowe will be on the bench for The Ospreys for their Magner's League clash with Ulster at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow.

THE Ospreys are considered the glamour boys of Welsh rugby but assistant coach Jonathan Humphreys admits he will take an ‘ugly’ win against Munster in the Heineken Cup on Sunday.

England prop Julian White found himself at the centre of an eye-gouging storm tonight - just a fortnight before this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship.

FORMER Ireland A prop Peter Bracken is hopeful that his career can be relaunched by a mid-season move from Bristol to Harlequins.

THE Australian arrived at Leinster in the summer of 2005 armed with his three-year plan and intent on annexing world club rugby’s greatest prize.

London Irish are ready to hit the high spot of their season tomorrow after what coach Gary Gold admits has been a “rollercoaster” ride.

Bath 23 Leinster 27

London Irish can compound Northampton’s relegation fears at the Madejski Stadium on Monday – but Exiles coach Gary Gold has braced his team for a tough examination.

Leinster 30 Bath 11

Skipper Jonathan Humphreys will be on board for Bath’s date with Leinster at Lansdowne Road tomorrow evening (5.15pm) The Welshman has mended from a shoulder strain and his front row colleague Duncan Bell is also included.

Bath captain Jonathan Humphreys is set to return from injury for the Heineken Cup clash against Leinster in Dublin on Saturday.

Bath have appointed former Wales skipper Jonathan Humphreys as their captain for the new season.

Newcastle today bolstered their forward resources by signing former England hooker Andy Long from Rotherham on a two-year contract.

ENGLAND’S most capped full-back Matt Perry is primed to make his Bath comeback in today’s Parker Pen Challenge Cup semi-final clash with Montferrand — just five weeks after undergoing pioneering back surgery.

London Irish 20 Bath 21

Bath hooker Lee Mears has signed a new two-year contract with the Zurich Premiership club.

Martyn Williams has been handed a golden opportunity to lead Wales into the record books and clear of the Six Nations Championship wooden spoon.

WALES captain Jonathan Humphreys has been ruled out of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship showdown with France in Paris, almost certainly ending his international career.

Jonathan Humphreys has been ruled out of Wales’ final RBS 6 Nations match against France, almost certainly ending his international career.

Wales captain Jonathan Humphreys is set to make his final international appearance on home soil tomorrow, but the Bath hooker has no intention of letting emotion affect his performance.

GETHIN JENKINS will make his full RBS Six Nations Championship debut on Saturday — by playing out of position against the Grand Slam-chasing Irish.

Tom Shanklin has called on his Wales team-mates to reproduce the fire and brimstone effort they showed against England for Saturday’s tough RBS 6 Nations Championship appointment with Ireland.

WALES will find themselves one defeat away from the wooden spoon if they lose to RBS 6 Nations Championship opponents Ireland on Saturday, but scrum-half Gareth Cooper yesterday insisted: “Our mood is still upbeat.”

Wales coach Steve Hansen tonight voiced grave concerns about a potential exodus of top players to England next season.

Wales hooker Gareth Williams admits he must deliver after winning his first full Test cap in the crunch RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield tomorrow.

Wales captain Jonathan Humphreys faces D-day tomorrow in his battle to be fit for the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Wales are hopeful their captain Jonathan Humphreys will be fit for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Bath duo Gareth Cooper and Gavin Thomas will miss the Zurich Premiership home match against Saracens on Saturday after the pair were retained on Wales duty ahead of the RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland a week later.