A man from Dublin has been sentenced to 20 weeks in prison in the UK for racially abusing ex-Manchester United striker Andy Cole on a flight.

Clermont Auvergne are not a side to meet from September to March, but their late season form and inability to close the deal means coach Vern Cotter will depart the club in the summer to mixed reviews, by Bernard Jackman.

Wales and Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies has ended speculation about his playing future by agreeing a two-year contract with French club Clermont Auvergne.

Racing Metro 13 ASM Clermont Auvergne 9

Racing Metro 13 Clermont Auvergne 9

Three reasons to relish the return

Rob Kearney has thanked the British and Irish Lions coaching staff for sticking with him during his fightback from injury.

We’ve been spoilt over the years with the frequency of Munster and Leinster being paired with Toulouse and Clermont Auvergne in either the pool or knockout stages of the Heineken Cup. At its best, French club rugby is irresistible and in those two outstanding sides, we have been exposed to the very best it has to offer.

Clermont Auvergne 36 Montpellier 14

Like the little girl with the curl, when Welsh rugby is good it’s very good. When it’s bad it can be rotten.

Jonathan Sexton may not be the only big name to walk out on the boys in blue

South Africa-born forward Andries Pretorius has been named in the Wales squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

South Africa-born forward Andries Pretorius has been named in the Wales squad for this season’s RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Ireland and Leinster flyhalf Jonathan Sexton may be on his way out of the province after this season with the Dubliner being linked with a move to French side Racing Metro.

Wales international Lee Byrne could face a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to a back injury.

No-one knows better than Joe Schmidt how hard it is to chisel out a win at the Marcel Michelin.

FOR the third season in-a-row, the best two sides in the Heineken Cup meet outside the decider itself.

Clermont Auvergne 15 Leinster 12

Fifty games.

Heady days for Leinster. Less than 24 hours after their Heineken Cup semi-final heroics in France the European champions announced that 18 players had inked new deals with the province.

EPIC. Truly epic.

Clermont Auvergne 15 Leinster 19

As Ulster adapt to being favourites for a Heineken Cup semi-final, champions Leinster face the sternest test in the defence of their title and an all-Irish final hangs in the balance.

Bridesmaid. It’s a word that seems to provoke equal amounts of fear and loathing from members of the opposite sex, much to the incomprehension of men everywhere.

When the Heineken Cup celebrated its 15th birthday two years ago, fans were asked to select their most memorable games from the tournament’s history.

Saracens 3 Clermont Auvergne 22

Their national side is amongst the most feared in world rugby. So why aren’t Welsh teams replicating that success at club level?

Wales prop Adam Jones has signed a new two-year contract with the Ospreys.

Wales boss Warren Gatland has dismissed any notion of him taking a double risk with Jamie Roberts and Rhys Priestland for Sunday's RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland.

Clermont Auvergne 19 Ulster 15

GAVIN HENSON could be in line for a first RBS 6 Nations appearance since 2009 after being included in head coach Warren Gatland’s 35-man training squad.

Gavin Henson could be in line for a first RBS 6 Nations appearance since 2009 after being included in head coach Warren Gatland's 35-man training squad.

IRISH provinces will be chasing a financial jackpot this weekend as they look to secure a Heineken Cup quarter-final home draw, with local economies benefiting by up to €10.5 million, according to figures released by the tournament organisers.

PETER STRINGER’S Saracens are on the brink of a place in the Heineken Cup quarter-finals, after England new boy Owen Farrell kept his nerve to kick them to a 20-16 victory over Biarritz in Pool 5.

Aironi 0 Clermont 82

Ospreys coaching director Scott Johnson is to quit his post at the end of this season.

Leicester 23 Clermont Auvergne 19

World Cup skipper Sam Warburton has retained the Wales captaincy for next month’s one-off Test match against Australia in Cardiff.

CLERMONT AUVERGNE picked up their first win of this season’s Heineken Cup in some style as they put Aironi to the sword in a one-sided clash at Stade Marcel Michelin last night.

Clermont Auvergne 54 Aironi 3

Ulster 16 Clermont-Auvergne 11

Ospreys 28 Biarritz 21

TO borrow from the brewery giant’s oft-quoted advertising slogan, if the Heineken Cup refreshes places that others can’t reach, then the French could do with a couple of brews at the moment.

1. Half-back mastery