Zebre 3 Leinster 20

Change is the order of the day for Leinster in Stadio XXV Aprile this afternoon, as the defending champions make 10 alterations to their starting line-up for the Guinness Pro12 encounter against Zebre (kick-off 3pm, Irish time).

Italy 20 Scotland 21

Scotland head coach Scott Johnson admits not even a victory over Italy this afternoon will cure the Dark Blues’ problems.

Connacht 20 Zebre 3

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Zebre 6 Connacht 33

Zebre 21 Munster 41

Connacht 25 Zebre 16

Pat Lam has a hard act to follow when his Connacht team take to the field in today’s Rabodirect Pro 12 opener against Italian visitors Zebre (5pm).

Zebre 22 Leinster 41

England 18 Italy 11

Courtney Lawes is ready to strike fear into the French ‘bully boys’ when he is unleashed from the England back row for the first time.

Italy 23 France 18

Munster 29 Zebre 3

It seems the RaboDirect Pro12 this season is all about development.

Zebre 10 Connacht 19

Undeserving may be, but Connacht’s late steal at the death against Aironi on Saturday provided the Irish province with their first three-in-a-row of victories since 2002.

Connacht are determined to finish their home RaboDirect Pro 12 season on a high when they host Aironi at the Sportsground this evening. Having picked up 15 points in their last six matches, Connacht can post a third successive win and leapfrog Dragons and Treviso.

The inclusion of prop Denis Buckley, who joins the front-row in place of the injured Brett Wilkinson, is the only change Eric Elwood has made for his side’s PRO12 meeting with Aironi in the Sportsground tomorrow (5pm).

It wasn’t exactly the script David Wallace was looking for on his return from a long term injury, but the veteran backrower was nevertheless upbeat despite Munster’s shock defeat in Viadana yesterday.

Munster will welcome David Wallace back to the fold at some stage of tomorrow’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with Aironi at Stadio Zaffanella in Viadana.

A COUPLE of months ago Connacht were relishing the prospect of playing French aristocrats Toulouse in the Heineken Cup; this week they head there in a different frame of mind.

CONNACHT bid to end a miserable run of form away to Aironi this afternoon.

ULSTER’S victory in the Milanese suburb was not as convincing as the score suggests, but the only thing that mattered for the visitors was the attainment of a winning bonus point, according to Pedrie Wannenburg.

RONAN O’GARA does not get that many opportunities these days to display his skills at Musgrave Park, but he treated the crowd of almost 7,000 last night to a superb display of kicking in appalling conditions.

TONY McGAHAN has defended his decision to bring several big names straight back into Munster’s starting team this weekend.

Andrea Masi returns at full-back in Italy’s only change for Sunday’s World Cup showdown with Ireland at Otago Stadium.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett isn’t holding out much hope for victory against Australia tomorrow.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made 11 changes to his starting line-up for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named a 30-man squad for the World Cup in New Zealand.

OH, how a few performances can change a team.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made seven changes to his side to face France in Saturday's RBS Six Nations match at the Stadio Flaminio.

SAM WARBURTON believes Wales are turning around their RBS 6 Nations campaign after the “doom and gloom” of an opening day defeat against Grand Slam-chasing England.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made three changes to his side to face Wales in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match at the Stadio Flaminio.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made four changes to the side that lost their RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland for Saturday’s game against England at Twickenham.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has handed Benetton Treviso’s Kristopher Burton the number 10 shirt for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland at Rome’s Flaminio Stadium.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has handed uncapped Giulio Rubini a starting berth for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations game against Wales in Rome.

THOUGH the main focus of the final weekend will be in Cardiff, France’s game with Italy could play a major part in the outcome of the championship.

ITALY coach John Kirwan has warned his side they must eradicate the errors that blighted their loss to Wales or risk suffering a third successive RBS Six Nations defeat when they face Scotland on Saturday.

A doubt over the fitness of Paul Griffen means former captain Alessandro Troncon has been preferred at scrum-half for Italy’s opening RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland in Rome on Sunday.