JOE SCHMIDT wasn’t interested in talk of a ‘good defeat’ but this was surely the closest thing to it.

Brian O’Driscoll has failed to make the Leinster squad for Sunday’s Heineken Cup clash with ASM Clermont Auvergne at the Stade Marcel Michelin (kick-off 3pm).

LEICESTER tight-head prop Dan Cole has admitted the prospect of anchoring the England pack in a full international was not even on his radar at the start of this season.

FRANCE head coach Marc Lievremont admits his team could be embarrassed by Italy on Saturday if they fail to improve on the “mediocrity” they have shown so far in the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

France have made four changes in personnel to their team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Italy in Rome.

France will go with an unchanged squad for their last match in the RBS 6 Nations Championship, against Italy in Rome on Saturday.

France flanker Thierry Dusautoir makes England slight favourites going into tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations clash at Twickenham.

MARTIN JOHNSON has urged England to win back the faith of the Twickenham crowd with a ferocious start and victorious finish to tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with France.

SEBASTIEN CHABAL will be under orders to smash some holes in England’s much-vaunted defence when he reverts to France’s back row for ‘Le Crunch’ at Twickenham on Sunday.

Sebastien Chabal will return to France’s back row for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship match against England at Twickenham.

Nicolas Mas has been ruled out of France’s RBS 6 Nations match against Wales next week because of a strained left adductor.

France head coach Marc Lievremont is not ready to make any rash changes in light of his team’s disappointing start to the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

France have made four changes to the team which started last weekend’s defeat against Ireland for Saturday’s RBS Six Nations match against Scotland in Paris.

France head coach Marc Lievremont will go with an unchanged squad for next weekend’s RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland in Paris.

France head coach Marc Lievremont has named just one recognised fly-half in his provisional 30-man squad for a three-day training camp ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Ronan O'Gara has today been named in the Munster side to play Sale Sharks in the crucial Heineken Cup match at Thomond Park on Friday evening.

Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Sebastien Chabal have been drafted into France’s starting XV for Saturday’s Test against Australia in Paris.

SALE SHARKS will enter a Heineken Cup cauldron today without two of their main ingredients — England World Cup stars Mathew Tait and Andrew Sheridan.

AT long last, and after they hadput themselves in a situation where another Paris humiliation looked likely, this Irish team finally rediscovered its heart and soul at the Stade de France on Saturday.

FRANCE head coach Marc Lievremont maintains the second-half implosion against Ireland should not cloud the overall impression of his side’s progress during the first two rounds of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Ronan O’Gara feels Ireland have regained some credibility with their agonising 26-21 RBS 6 Nations defeat by France – but he refuses to celebrate failure.

Ireland head coach Eddie O’Sullivan praised his players’ guts and determination after seeing them fall just short of a remarkable comeback win against France.

France 26 Ireland 21

Chris Paterson took his place on the bench for Scotland’s opening game of this year’s RBS 6 Nations Championship against France at Murrayfield.

LIONEL FAURE admits his call-up to the France squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship allowed him to dodge the potentially painful dilemma of switching his allegiance to England.

MARC LIEVREMONT insists he has total faith in France’s new breed after opting to blood four uncapped players in his starting side for Sunday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash with Scotland.

Uncapped Francois Trinh-Duc will play at fly-half in a much-changed France side for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

MARC LIEVREMONT didn’t take long to usher in a new dawn in French rugby yesterday by naming six uncapped players in a much-changed squad for the Six Nations Championship opener against Scotland.

New France coach Marc Lievremont has made sweeping changes in his first squad selection ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 3.

Mark Cueto scored twice as Sale Sharks continued their comfortable march in the European Challenge Cup with an emphatic 53-14 victory over Petrarca.

Sale 7 Ospreys 18

ANGRY Sale boss Philippe Saint Andre accused Bristol of cheating after they condemned his side to a surprise 10-6 defeat at Edgeley Park.