MUNSTER chiefs are confident that Lions pair Paul O’Connell and Keith Earls will be fit for Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final with Northampton Saints.

MUNSTER will pick from close to a full deck for Friday night’s Magners League clash with Leinster at Thomond Park.

THE answer to the above question that has dominated Irish rugby for the past 10 weeks will be provided at 1.30 this afternoon when Declan Kidney announces his Ireland team to play Italy in the RBS Six Nations Championship at Croke Park on Saturday.

MUNSTER have opted to give John Hayes another week off and he will sit out Sunday’s Magners League game against the Scarlets at Musgrave Park. Meanwhile, they are keeping their fingers crossed that Marcus Horan will take a full part in Shannon’s AIB League game against St Mary’s College on Saturday.

AS DRESS rehearsals go, this was up there with the best. Ireland’s display against the inexperienced but gritty Fijians left coach Declan Kidney smiling despite the selection headaches he faces ahead of Saturday’s date with world champions South Africa.

ON his 100th Test appearance it was fitting that Brian O’Driscoll should produce a late, late try under the posts for Ireland to secure a share the honours against Australia at Croke Park yesterday.

TOMMY BOWE won more than the man-of-the-match award in Durban on Saturday – he also cemented his place for Saturday’s first test against South Africa in Durban.

MUNSTER’S challenge for the Magners League title remains very much on course after Saturday night’s 25-10 defeat of Connacht at Thomond Park but if they happen to be caught at the post, they may well rue the failure to take a bonus point from this game.

ONE hundred Heineken Cup games later, yesterday’s quarter-final victory over the Ospreys at Thomond Park was an historic occasion for European champions Munster.

MUNSTER supporters needn’t worry. As the province trained at the University of Limerick yesterday afternoon for Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against the Ospreys, Ronan O’Gara, Paul O’Connell and Doug Howlett were missing, but the trio were subsequently included in the 26-man squad.

MUNSTER coach TonyMcGahan wasn’t in the mood to bask in the glory of this Magners League derby victory at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

RONAN O’GARA has been omitted from the Munster squad for tomorrow night’s top-of-the-table Magners League game against the Ospreys as a precautionary measure.

MUNSTER’S desire to win the Magners League will only be partially compromised by the decision to rest captain Paul O’Connell, John Hayes and Doug Howlett for the clash with Ulster at Ravenhill on Saturday.

MUNSTER surged to third spot in the Magners League with a facile victory over hapless Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park last night.

ANTHONY FOLEY makes his 201st competitive and final appearance for Munster on home soil in tomorrow’s Magners League clash against Glasgow, (Musgrave Park, 5pm).

THERE was a carnival atmosphere at windswept Coonagh on Saturday before this AIL Division One semi-final clash between Limerick’s big two, both sets of fans enjoying the usual pre-game banter; afterwards, however, the joy was all one-sided as the sound of the Garryowen anthem carried from the victorious dressing-room.

Cork Constitution 12 Garryowen 12

FORMER English coach Andy Robinson believes Munster will shock Wasps in the Heineken Cup next Saturday — with Ronan O’Gara as the central figure.

SHANNON and Garryowen look in good shape ahead of the new AIB League season next weekend.

MUNSTER second-row forwards Chris Wyatt and Donnacha Ryan are auditioning tonight for a starting place in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Llanelli.

Scotland U-20 8 Ireland U-20 31

IRELAND Under-20 coach Eric Elwood and his team are on a high after coming back from the brink to record a smash-and-grab 17-15 win over Wales last weekend.

THE focus of attention in this A interprovincial at Musgrave Park yesterday was surely only on a few as Munster coach Declan Kidney draws the line on his Heineken Cup squad.

LEINSTER bid for the U-20 Interprovincial title at Dubarry Park, Athlone tomorrow (4pm) in a must-win game against an Ulster side who have won all three games so far.

IRELAND's U19s will face England in the opening game of the IRB Rugby World Championship which take place in Dubai next month.

Ireland Schools 9 French Schools 3

DEFENDING champions Munster begin their preparations for the forthcoming schools interprovincial championship with a mini-tour of England next weekend.