Ireland have won their Six Nations clash with Wales by 24-14 to record a second successive victory under new head coach Andy Farrell.

Ireland have a number of injury issues as they start preparations today to face Wales in Dublin this Saturday following an attritional 19-12 opening-round Guinness Six Nations win over Scotland.

Stuart Hogg’s cock-up at a crucial moment was in stark contrast to Ireland’s new skipper Johnny Sexton, writes Simon Lewis.

Dave Kilcoyne may well be playing in a dead rubber at Thomond Park on Sunday if results elsewhere in the Heineken Champions Cup fail to fall Munster’s way but he knows how important a win over Ospreys will be, regardless of their European fate.

There are three key metrics that Munster can use to measure progress, writes Owen Harrison.

Jack O’Donoughe’s first-half try and a perfect kicking performance from JJ Hanrahan gave Munster the honours in this feisty inter-pro, which saw them stretch their lead at the top of the PRO14 Conference B standings.

Dave Kilcoyne makes his return from a calf injury to start for Munster against Connacht in tomorrow's PRO14 clash.

This weekend’s test will have to be negotiated without two fly-halves and a trio of front-rowers.

A Limerick Councillor whose home was attacked by masked men has said he will “not be intimidated”.

Simon Lewis Munster’s injury problems at fly-half look set to be replicated at loosehead prop after Jeremy Loughman joined Dave Kilcoyne on the casualty list during the draw with Racing 92.

Munster are holding out hope that JJ Hanrahan will pass fit to face Ospreys in their Heineken Champions Cup pool opener in Wales on Saturday but the province will definitely be without Dave Kilcoyne for the first two rounds at least of the European campaign.

This was a game that Ireland could not afford to labour in, but labour they did all the same.

Here’s how the players rated in the aftermath of a hugely disappointing result and performance for Ireland in Shizuoka.

Kevin Egan When the qualifier draw is made this morning, it will be Offaly — the only remaining county in today’s draw that will play their league football outside the top two divisions next spring — that will be seen as the plum draw for most of the other seven.

A second win in a fortnight, another performance that didn’t reach the heights of 2018 and a nasty injury have given Kevin Walsh plenty to ponder as this win over Sligo qualifies Galway for the Connacht final.

Martin Farragher came off the bench to score 1-1 in his inter-county debut as holders Galway beat Sligo at Markievicz Park to book their place in another Connacht final.

Munster will not rush back injured trio Joey Carbery, Keith Earls and Dave Kilcoyne for Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 clash at home to Connacht unless they are 100% fit, coach Johann van Graan has insisted.

Johann van Graan is under no illusions about the size of the task facing Munster in Treviso on Friday night, but he will nevertheless dig deep into his squad as the Reds bid to keep pace in the race for a Guinness PRO14 home semi final.

Joe Schmidt has made seven changes to the Ireland team to face France in Sunday's Six Nations clash.

Simon Lewis Ireland may have collected five points following a 26-16 bonus-point victory over Italy, but the post-match dressing room described by Dave Kilcoyne spoke of a disappointment akin to defeat.

There was a spell there when the old enmities inherent to the Munster-Leinster rivalry appeared to be buried beneath the bonhomie borne of Irish duties and Leinster’s dominance, so Saturday night was a return to the most bitter and biting of the good old days.

Simon Lewis picks out three players who put their hands up...

Munster 38 Cheetahs 0

Southern Kings 22 Munster 39: There was a carnival atmosphere at Outeniqua Park on Saturday and while it seemed for a time that the Southern Kings were going to spoil CJ Stander’s homecoming, Munster’s superiority shone through in the end as they cantered home.

No wonder Johann van Graan looked downbeat.

Munster boss Johann van Graan will welcome back a trio of internationals for his side’s Guinness PRO14 trip to Cardiff Blues on Saturday as he attempts to guide the province through a four-game block without his Ireland front-liners.

Munster prop Dave Kilcoyne looks set to miss Ireland’s opening two games of the NatWest 6 Nations but Joe Schmidt is confident Ulster wing Jacob Stockdale will return to training by the end of the week.

Beirne has been shortlisted for the European Player of the Year award.

James Cronin was the lucky recipient of a trip to Spain yesterday after an injury to Munster team-mate Dave Kilcoyne ruled him out of Ireland’s Six Nations warm-weather training camp.

And then there was eight, writes Donal Lenihan. 

A grand total of 34 minutes off the bench wouldn’t be everyone’s idea of a good November, but Dave Kilcoyne returns to Munster this week more than satisfied with his month’s work with Ireland.

After an absorbing but scoreless first 60 minutes, the game shifted gears as Conor Murray charged down a Maxime Machenaud kick from the back of a Racing scrum

Rassie Erasmus has endorsed potential Munster successor Dave Wessels as “one of the good fits” to replace him as director of rugby.

Do-it-yourself dentistry is on the rise, and so are the complaints from dissatisfied people who bought braces, veneers, and tooth-whitening kits online.

There will be no-one moaning in Leinster if Isa Nacewa lifts the Guinness Pro12 trophy at Aviva Stadium on May 27 but the lack of players from the province making the league’s Dream Team this season has ruffled some blue feathers.

When you ply your trade in the front-row of the Munster scrum, following legendary figures like Tom Clifford, Phil O’Callaghan, Peter Clohessy, and John Hayes, there’s little confusion over your responsibility to the famous red shirt.

Just 24 hours after Dave Kilcoyne capped an outstanding performance for Munster with the 78th minute try that completed a magnificent fightback against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium, Kilcoyne was dropped from the national squad.

Munster centre Jaco Taute registered two first-half tries to put the Guinness PRO12 leaders on their way to 14 wins in 15 games following a bonus-point 45-17 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons at Irish Independent Park.

So much for the French unpredictability. The world and its mother knew Racing 92 would take a scalpel to the side that earned a losing bonus point away to Toulon in last week’s domestic fixture and the reigning Top 14 champions duly performed significant surgery.