IT was nail-biting stuff on Saturday as Ulster drew first blood in dispatching Bath at Ravenhill.

IF ever Martin Johnson was going to dash down the touchline, punching the air in celebration like Jose Mourinho it was at Twickenham on Saturday.

Andrew Sheridan will return to the England front row after a 20-month absence for Saturday’s showdown with New Zealand after recovering from shoulder surger

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson did not once seriously consider his position despite criticism prior to Saturday’s win over Australia in Sydney.

FURIOUS Nick Easter warned heads will roll if England fail to beat Australia in Sydney next Saturday.

AUSTRALIA scrum-half star Will Genia gets the chance today (11.05am Irish time) to do what he loves doing best – beating England.

Jonny Wilkinson has been dropped by England for only the third time in his 12-year international career.

Lewis Moody has been dropped for England’s Calcutta Cup game against Scotland on Saturday.

Jonny Wilkinson has been retained in an unchanged England team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with Ireland at Twickenham, despite concerns over his form and fitness.

MARTIN JOHNSON admitted he was relieved to escape Rome with a victory after watching England battle to an unconvincing win against Nick Mallett’s Italy yesterday at the Stadio Flaminio.

England manager Martin Johnson has finalised a forwards-dominated bench for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy.

Leicester tight-head prop Dan Cole will make his full England debut in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome.

Martin Johnson has cast off the shackles and named the boldest attacking team of his 18-month tenure for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations championship clash with Wales.

Ayoola Erinle will make his first England start after replacing Shane Geraghty at inside centre in the team to play New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

MARTIN JOHNSON has warned that England will be in “big trouble” if they fail to improve before New Zealand arrive at Twickenham for the final Investec Challenge clash of the autumn next Saturday.

IT IS usually wise to downplay the opposition before a huge Test match, but Australia captain Rocky Elsom has a simple message for his side ahead of their visit to Croke Park next Sunday: this is the best team in Ireland’s history.

Martin Johnson will name one of the most inexperienced England teams in memory to face Australia at Twickenham on Saturday – and that is despite the return of Jonny Wilkinson.

BARBARIANS captain Martin Corry, says Rocky Elsom’s game has undergone rapid transformation since moving to Leinster at the beginning of the season.

PETER DE VILLIERS has named three uncapped players in his South African XV to face a Namibian Invitational XV in Windhoek tomorrow.

DANNY CIPRIANI has been left out of England’s squad for the summer Test series against Argentina – but there is a recall for 2003 World Cup-winning hooker Steve Thompson.

Ben Foden’s blistering form for Northampton has been rewarded with a call-up to the elite England squad.

Irishmen Geordan Murphy will make his 50th Heineken Cup appearance for Leicester Tigers in their Heineken tussle with Leinster at The RDS on Saturday.

Mark Cueto will replace the injured Josh Lewsey in England’s team to play South Africa in the World Cup final on Saturday.

ROB ANDREW admitted England had “rewritten the rules” after reaching the World Cup final despite three years of upheaval and just 10 months of dedicated planning.

ANDY FARRELL will epitomise the “direct approach” England intend adopting to muscle Australia out of Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final at Stade Velodrome.

Andy Farrell has been recalled to the England side for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Australia at Stade Velodrome in Marseille.

ENGLAND coach Brian Ashton has “total confidence” in his players to keep alive their World Cup dream tonight and book a knockout clash against Australia.

FLY-HALF Jonny Wilkinson has called for “an enormously committed” England display in tonight’s World Cup eliminator against Tonga.

MARTIN CORRY will lead England into their most important Test match since the 2003 World Cup final on Friday night, claiming: “Captaincy is not something I strive for.”

England World Cup captain Phil Vickery has failed to reclaim a place in the starting line-up for Friday night's tournament eliminator against Tonga at Parc des Princes.

MARTIN CORRY has declared England’s record World Cup defeat against South Africa must not be a “a terminal hammer blow” for the struggling Webb Ellis Trophy holders.

MARTIN CORRY claims England will “draw strength from adversity” when they go into battle as huge World Cup underdogs against South Africa tonight.

Jonny Wilkinson will not be involved in England’s crunch World Cup clash against South Africa in Paris on Friday night.

ENGLAND star Jonny Wilkinson’s World Cup campaign could be over before it has even started after his injury jinx struck again to deal the defending champions a potentially shattering blow.

England boss Brian Ashton has named his 30-man World Cup squad – with Mike Tindall and Charlie Hodgson the big-name casualties.

Full-back Geordan Murphy, openside Shane Jennings and scrum-half Frank Murphy will provide a distinctly Irish flavour to the Leicester Tigers side to play London Wasps in the Heineken Cup final at Twickenham on Sunday.

Ireland internationals Geordan Murphy and Shane Jennings will start for Leicester Tigers against Llanelli Scarlets in the Heineken Cup semi-final at the Walkers Stadium on Saturday.

GEORDAN MURPHY has underlined Leicester’s degree of difficulty in chasing an unprecedented trophy treble, declaring: “It is like climbing Everest.”

ROB ANDREW has hailed England World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson as “an extraordinary individual” ahead of his logic-defying return to the Test match arena.

WORLD Cup winner Steve Thompson has been ruled out of England’s entire RBS Six Nations Championship campaign due to a neck injury.

Declan Kidney has decided to stick with Mick O'Driscoll at blindside in preference to Anthony Foley for the crucial Heineken Cup tie against Leicester Tigers at Thomond Park on Saturday.

LEICESTER are hurtling towards a Pool Four decider against European champions Munster in Limerick tomorrow week, but they cannot allow such an enticing prospect to overshadow their Welford Road appointment with Cardiff Blues this afternoon (3pm, Sky Sports).

New England boss Brian Ashton has named a new captain and summoned Jason Robinson from international retirement for this season’s Six Nations Championship.

WALES lock Ian Gough has dubbed New Zealand “honest cheaters” just four days before the two countries clash at the Millennium Stadium.