It is difficult to imagine a coach as demanding as Joe Schmidt putting his feet up on Saturday night and thinking he has this World Cup campaign nicely sized up.

Having trailed 10-7 at half-time, Ireland started the second period with intent with two tries before the hour mark

Wales have completed the Grand Slam after beating Ireland 25-7 in their Guinness Six Nations match in Cardiff.

Joe Schmidt admits that the decision to start Robbie Henshaw at full-back against England in Saturday's Six Nations opener has been made with one eye on the upcoming World Cup in Japan.

Munster booked their place in the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals for an 18th time as they ground out a dogged victory over English league leaders Exeter at a sold-out Thomond Park on Saturday night.

Rival coaches Johann van Graan and Richard Cockerill have adopted contrasting strategies in choosing their teams for tonight’s (7.35pm) Guinness PRO14 encounter at Musgrave Park.

Munster boss Rassie Erasmus admitted his side only had themselves to blame after poor discipline allowed man of the match Johnny Sexton to secure derby victory for Leinster at Aviva Stadium today.

Garry Ringrose hasn’t looked back since making his Irish debut last November and tomorrow (6.40am, Eir Sport) he will chalk up his 11th appearance in a row for the national side.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said jet lag and humidity has made preparations for the opening test against Japan on Saturday quite difficult.

Joe Schmidt may wait until after training this morning at Carton House before finalising his Ireland team to face France in Dublin on Saturday.

Munster 28 Edinburgh 14: “The performance was really, really average”. 

Defeat is painful and Munster have been hurting all week as they prepare to right the wrongs of last weekend’s home stumble to Cardiff Blues in their Guinness Pro12 trip to Newport Gwent Dragons today (5:15pm).

Johnny Holland’s fine form for Munster has not gone unnoticed by Ireland coach Joe Schmidt who wants to see the out-half put himself into international contention next season.

The Galway Sportsground has played host to many magnificent occasions over the past eight months but they will struggle to match the atmosphere that will be generated for tonight’s Guinness PRO12 clash of Connacht and Munster.

Munster 47 Zebre 0: From as early as the 12th minute when Leinster referee Dudley Phillips harshly awarded a penalty try against the hapless Italian side Zebre at Thomond Park last night, a bonus point, runaway win for Munster was a cast iron certainty. 

Munster 26 Stade Francais 13: The smiles have returned to the faces of the Thomond Park faithful after a miserable winter of discontent but Anthony Foley knows there is still a way to go before the sun will shine once more on this Munster side.

Munster restored some much-needed Champions Cup pride as they rebounded from Parisian humiliation with a bonus-point victory over Stade Francais in Limerick today.

Edinburgh 14 Munster 16

Munster return to a happy hunting ground this afternoon when they will hope to bring this block of Pro12 games to a successful conclusion in Edinburgh before turning their attention to the Champions Cup next weekend.

Ireland 24 France 9: Let us delay talk of Argentina and quarter-finals for a moment, this victory over the French needs to be savoured.

Ireland boss Joe Schmidt toasted fly-half Johnny Sexton after his playmaker helped get his team's World Cup Pool D campaign off to a flying start with a seven-try rout of Canada.

Sometimes being given more questions than answers from an exercise can be a good thing.

So the scramble for Ireland survival begins.

And so it begins.

Munster gave Paul O'Connell a rousing curtain call as they booked their place in next week's Guinness Pro12 after surviving an almighty scare form Ospreys in a pulsating semi-final at Thomond Park.

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.

Munster 30 Treviso 19: Five points in the bag courtesy of Saturday’s victory over Treviso and Munster are sitting exactly where they want to be in the top two of the Guinness Pro 12 and within touching distance of a home semi-final.

Munster got the bonus-point win required to keep their Guinness Pro 12 challenge running, but it was not quite achieved with the satisfaction they might have wanted at Musgrave Park this afternoon.

Guinness Pro 12

Edinburgh 3 Munster 34: Edinburgh scarcely represented Munster’s biggest hurdle in their march towards the knockout stages of the Guinness Pro12 league but nevertheless the visitors were in ruthless form in Scotland on Saturday afternoon.

Anthony Foley has wasted no time in recalling Ireland’s Six Nations heroes as the province continue to seek the victories required to help them to a top two Guinness Pro12 finish.

Guinness Pro12  

Munster 42 Connacht 20: Munster moved closer to a home Guinness Pro12 semi-final in some style at Thomond Park on Saturday evening, running in six tries to thump derby rivals Connacht.

Guinness Pro12