Bordeaux-Begles 15, Racing 92 9: Ian Madigan said he has settled in well in Bordeaux after leaving Leinster and is delighted to have made a winning start to his Top 14 career. The 27-year old was the star of the show as Bordeaux-Begles made an opening night win over holders, with Madigan outscoring Dan Carter five penalties to three.

Racing 92 sealed a home quarter-final tie in the European Champions Cup with a record victory over Scarlets in Paris.

Northampton 9 Racing 92 9: Northampton’s England contingent failed to make an impression as Eddie Jones resumed his busy pre-Christmas scouting tour of the Aviva Premiership clubs last night.

When James Downey and Casey Laulala, Munster’s first-choice centre partnership last season, were finding it increasingly difficult to break down defences, coach Rob Penney acceded to the player’s wishes and experimented with Denis Hurley, normally a wing or full-back, in the number 12 jersey.

RABO DIRECT PRO 12:

The scale of the task facing Munster’s new centre signing Andrew Smith was made clear yesterday when the man he is set to replace was named in the RaboDirect Pro12 Dream Team for the season about to end.

There’s two things you must consider after this game: Munster could have won the Heineken Cup this year, but to win a European Champions Cup next season, they will have to invest wisely.

In terms of injuries, it’s a mixed bag for Munster as the business end of the season approaches.

Munster’s Casey Laulala is likely to miss the province’s Heineken Cup semi-final clash with Toulon in Marseille on April 27 following confirmation that he broke a bone in his right hand during Saturday’s victory over Toulouse.

Munster 47 Toulouse 23

THE STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Munster could be poised to mix up their midfield for tomorrow’s RaboDirect Pro12 top-of-the-table clash with Leinster by including Denis Hurley at inside centre.

Munster 14 Treviso 3

Ospreys 11 Munster 25

Munster 54 Cardiff Blues 13

Munster head coach Rob Penney has admitted it will be difficult to find a quality replacement for Casey Laulala when the former All Black quits the province next summer.

Munster’s weekend to remember signed off in the perfect fashion yesterday when Ireland forward Donnacha Ryan committed his future to the province for another three years.

Rob Penney has offered a slightly different take on weekend reports centre Casey Laulala would be departing the province at the season’s end and joining up with Grenoble in France‘s Top 14.

Nobody will be spared when Munster players go through a critical self analysis this week.

Munster 26 Gloucester 10

Tim Visser grabbed a late try for Edinbugh as they registered their first Heineken Cup win in 18 months with a surprise 29-23 victory over Munster.

Paul O'Connelll will make his first start of the season for Munster in tomorrow's game against Leinster.

Munster captain Peter O’Mahony has praised Casey Laulala’s emergence as a team leader ahead of the province’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with Leinster tomorrow.

The complexities of Cork men remain the same, it’s just the venues that change.

Munster 28 Gloucester 17

Clermont 16 Munster 10

Three key areas where Munster must impose themselves this evening

HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINAL

Harlequins 12 Munster 18

Glasgow 51 Munster 24

Munster supporters have been used to setbacks in advance of must-win Heineken Cup games but rarely can there have been one of such seismic proportions as the province experienced in Glasgow last night.

Glasgow 51 Munster 24

Munster 13 Ospreys 13

Rob Penney has made just one change to his starting XV for the return game against Saracens in Vicarage Road on Sunday with Casey Laulala coming into the side in place of the injured Keith Earls.

Contrary to popular belief, Keith Earls insists he is neither a temperamental baby throwing his toys out of the pram nor a cranky old character mired in his own inflexibility.

Cardiff Blues 18 Munster 24

Cardiff 18 Munster 24

Munster 29 Zebre 3

Munster head coach Rob Penney has received the best possible antidote to the province’s injury woes after Paul O’Connell declared himself fit to face Racing Metro at Stade de France tomorrow.

Leinster 30 Munster 21

Leinster 30 Munster 21

Ospreys 30 Munster 15

Peter stringer and Ronan O’Gara will form a familiar halfback partnership for Munster’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with the Dragons in Thomond Park on Saturday (8pm).