Ospreys 26 Connacht 9

Zebre 16 Ospreys 34

Ospreys forward George Stowers has received a four-week ban after being cited for a dangerous tackle on Newport Gwent Dragons wing Tonderai Chavhanga during a RaboDirect PRO12 game last Friday.

BRITISH business confidence in the economic outlook plunged last month to its lowest level in three years, according to Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets, which said there was a 74% chance of a recession.

NIGEL OWENS is once again embroiled in a social networking debate, after Ospreys boss Scott Johnson claimed it was “lunacy” that the international referee was allowed use Twitter.

THE Ospreys have banned players from having spray tans and coloured boots in an attempt to shed the club’s “Galacticos” tag.

Wales flanker Dan Lydiate is battling around the clock to recover from injury and put himself back in World Cup contention.

Wales are set to reassess their injury situation after next Monday’s World Cup Pool D clash against Namibia in New Plymouth.

EUROPEAN kings Leinster made a nightmare start to the RaboDirect Pro12 after being blown away by the Ospreys in Swansea last night.

Ospreys 27 Leinster 3

THE DULL pain of rejection experienced by a number of quality Irish players on Monday was replicated throughout the rugby world yesterday when the cut-off point for announcing the respective World Cup squads arrived.

Sam Warburton will become Wales’ youngest World Cup captain when he skippers the squad in New Zealand next month.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has made nine changes, two of those positional, from the side that defeated Connacht last weekend for Saturday’s Magners League semi-final match against the Ospreys at Thomond Park Stadium, kick-off 6.30pm.

SEAN O’BRIEN will have to wait until tea-time today before discovering whether he will miss the Heineken Cup final as well as the business end of Leinster’s Magners League campaign.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named his side for tomorrow night’s Magners League clash with the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, kick-off 6.30pm.

Ospreys captain Alun Wyn Jones has rejected offers from France and signed a new three-year deal with the Welsh region.

France 28 Wales 9

Wales coach Warren Gatland has made two enforced changes for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations finale against France in Paris.

Ronan O’Gara has been hailed as “a legend of the game” as he prepares to join an exclusive club in Test match rugby.

Jonathan Thomas has been passed fit to take his place on the Wales bench for tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland in Cardiff.

Wales captain Matthew Rees has no doubts his team will need to prove they are far more than 20-minute wonders in tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations appointment with Ireland.

Dan Lydiate admits there is no hiding place from the damaging number of penalties Wales have conceded in this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship.

James Hook will make his second start at fly-half in this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship when Wales face Ireland on Saturday.

Wales will announce their side to face Ireland this weekend later today, rather than on Thursday.

Wales expect key players Matthew Rees, James Hook and Ryan Jones to all be fit for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland in Cardiff.

SHAUN EDWARDS accepts that Wales face “a big ask” defensively when try-hungry Ireland arrive at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

WALES full-back Lee Byrne begs to differ with the bookmakers who have installed England as favourites for Friday night’s RBS 6 Nations opener in Cardiff.

Paul O’Connell will start for Munster in Sunday’s crunch Heineken Cup game against Toulon at the Stade Félix Mayol (kick-off 4pm).

THEY MAY have heard the cheap jibes about Munster being funded by the IMF, and allegations about the state of Irish hospitality at Thomond Park but one wonders what the Munster brains trust will make of Toulon owner Mourad Boudjellal’s latest outburst against Tony McGahan’s men.

Paul O’Connell has today been named in a 27-man squad for Sunday’s crunch Heineken Cup clash against Toulon in the Stade Félix Mayol, kick-off 4pm.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has named his side for Friday’s Magners League clash with the Ospreys at the RDS. (kick-of 7.35pm)

DAN BIGGAR supplied 26 points as Ospreys completely crushed regional rivals the Scarlets by 60-17 with seven tries to two in this rearranged Magners League clash at the Liberty Stadium.

Ospreys 60 Scarlets 17

Ireland and Munster lock Paul O’Connell has had his appeal dismissed against a four-week ban.

MUNSTER will be hoping an early Christmas present arrives when Paul O’Connell’s appeal against a four-week ban is heard today.

Munster's appeal against Paul O'Connell's four-week ban will be heard tomorrow by a three-strong appeal committee.

Munster are waiting for the ERC to decide on a date for an appeal against Paul O’Connell’s four-week ban.

Munster Rugby have today confirmed that they have appealed the ERC decision that was handed down to Paul O’Connell last Thursday at an ERC hearing in Dublin.

REWIND, replay, repeat. Aside from Paul O’Connell’s momentary lapse in judgement at Thomond Park last Sunday, the manner of that home win over Ospreys will be precisely what Munster coach Tony McGahan will be looking for when he sends the same starting XV out at the Liberty Stadium today (3.30pm).

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named the same starting line-up that faced Ospreys in Limerick for Saturday’s Heineken Cup game at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea. (kick-off 3.30pm)

MUNSTER appear set to appeal Paul O’Connell’s four-week ban handed out by Heineken Cup chiefs yesterday.

HAVING been brought down a peg or two at Thomond Park, the Ospreys hope Liberty Stadium can be equally as hostile to Munster for this weekend’s Heineken Cup tie.

Wales back-rower Jonathan Thomas has agreed a new contract with the Ospreys that will keep him at the Liberty Stadium until 2014.

PAUL O’CONNELL faces an ERC Independent Disciplinary hearing in Dublin today to account for his sending off in Thomond Park last Sunday, but Munster coach Tony McGahan must have some hope he can avoid a ban after naming him in Munster’s 28 man group (the match-day squad will be narrowed to 23) to feature in Saturday’s Heineken Cup away game to the Ospreys at the Liberty stadium.