Andy Farrell's first squad was not one named for shock value, though the omissions are as notable as the new additions.

Before Ulster start getting ahead of themselves with giddy thoughts about a home quarter-final in the Champions Cup this season, beware the Clermont back three.

Josh van der Flier says that Joe Schmidt always reminded his Ireland players that they were in the presence of greatness.

There's no room for Rob Kearney, Seán Cronin, Jordi Murphy, Jack Carty, John Ryan or Kieran Marmion – with newly eligible Jamison Gibson-Park jumping ahead of the Connacht man at scrum-half.

With the Six Nations kicking off in less than two months, it is the first squad meet-up since the national team returned from Japan.

Ulster head coach Dan McFarland has made two changes to his side for tomorrow's Heineken Champions Cup trip to Harlequins.

Sean Reidy has admitted Ulster underestimated Harlequins last weekend and will be a more switched on side when they hit the Stoop tomorrow night.

After a year when everything he touched turned to gold, 2019 has not been the follow-up act that Jacob Stockdale had hoped for, but it is one he was prepared for.

The four Irish provinces have named their teams for this weekend's Champions Cup clashes.

Head Coaches Johann van Graan and Dan McFarland has named his side for Satuday's Guinness PRO14 Interpro derby this Saturday at Thomand Park.

Jared Payne has insisted Joe Schmidt’s record as Ireland head coach is beyond reproach and feels sorry his fellow New Zealander and Rory Best are not leaving on the high they deserved.

This isn’t the team that Joe Schmidt envisaged naming against Samoa.

60 second on-the-whistle report from Kobe as Ireland secure bonus-point victory over Russia

Ireland got the bonus-point victory expected of them as they took a welcome step towards the World Cup quarter-finals on Thursday but this was not the bounce-back performance required following last Saturday’s defeat to Japan.

Johnny Sexton will return to the Ireland starting line-up on Thursday as Joe Schmidt’s team bids to reignite their World Cup Pool A campaign against Russia with a much-changed XV.

Irish Examiner rugby writers Brendan O'Brien and Simon Lewis pick the bones out of Ireland's World Cup meeting with Japan. And we hear from CJ Stander on Ireland's options and stadium humidity.

Garry Ringrose could be pressed into a third successive World Cup start this Thursday after Ireland’s midfield stocks were reduced by a concussion for Chris Farrell.

The home side also claimed tries from back-rower Greg Jones and full-back Matt Faddes, the new signing from New Zealand who crossed on his competitive debut for the Irish province.

You never know who you might bump into in Carton House during an Ireland camp.

The clock had long dipped into the red at the end of the first-half by the time Jonathan Sexton attempted one of those trademark wraparound moves only to be swallowed by a bear hug of a tackle and then held up by a posse of supporting Welshmen.

So now the real work begins. The debates over squad selection are over, at least inside the Irish camp, and now comes the business end of Joe Schmidt’s preparations for Japan and the 2019 World Cup.

Jean Kleyn: No matter what Agustin Pichot thinks, the South African-born Munster lock has qualified by right and earned his place the hard way after three years of acclimatisation in Limerick.

Malcolm O’Kelly has told Devin Toner not to switch off after he was sensationally left out of Joe Schmidt’s 31 man Rugby World Cup squad.

Joe Schmidt described the difficulty of narrowing his Ireland 2019 World Cup squad down from 45 over the course of the summer before making his final cut to bring the number to 31 on Monday.

The IRFU named the group that will travel to Japan today, six days earlier than planned, after the shock demotion was leaked.

In another unexpected move, head coach Schmidt preferred Luke McGrath as his back-up scrum-half over Conor Murray’s long-standing number two Kieran Marmion.

Joe Schmidt has urged his players not to go into their shells when Ireland get their chance to atone for their Twickenham nightmare against Wales tomorrow.

Munster out-half Joey Carbery is part of the 40-man squad flying to Portugal today for an eight-day warm-weather training camp.

Eddie Jones may well be showing his World Cup hand a month early when he unveils his 31-man England squad for Japan today but the final cut can wait for Joe Schmidt and his Ireland selection permutations.

Self-preservation or team cohesion?

The pressure may be on for Ireland’s World Cup hopefuls to press their claims for a seat on the plane to Japan next month but Andy Farrell has insisted the national team management will not ease the agony for their players until the very last minute.

Ultan Dillane and Rory Scannell became the first players to be jettisoned from Ireland’s World Cup planning as Joe Schmidt’s training squad was trimmed ahead of Saturday’s opening summer Test against Italy.

The squad includes two uncapped players –Mike Haley and Jean Kleyn

Ulster's chances of reaching the Guinness Pro14 final have been boosted by the return to fitness of Jacob Stockdale.

Defeats make doubters of us all.

There will be a strange dynamic surrounding Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final between Leinster and Munster at the RDS. It’s been a difficult ten days for both Irish provinces but for different reasons.

Leo Cullen is hopeful his bruised and fallen European champions can recover from their Saracens loss but wary of Munster’s own desire for silverware as preparations begin for Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final.

For years, the power and impact of Munster’s heroic exploits in Europe haunted Leinster.

The northern province's take on Connacht tomorrow with Rory Best and Darren Cave looking to exit on a high with a spot in the PRO14 semi-finals up for grabs.

Leo Cullen is not convinced that Ireland’s Six Nations defeat to England last February will have any effect on next month’s Champions Cup final.

You may have heard by now that Leinster have used 56 players this season.

Dan McFarland has made three changes as Ulster bid to get back to winning ways away to Edinburgh.

Ulster have announced their starting XV to take on Glasgow Warriors at Scotstoun Stadium.

Four stunning quarter-finals, three of which were decided by a single score, made for a sensational weekend of Champions Cup rugby.