Aironi coach Franco Bernini has named a near full strength side for his side’s first ever Heineken Cup game against Ulster on Friday night, although Captain Quintin Geldenhuys will be missing for the visitors.

Aironi 9 Edinburgh 10

ULSTER coach Brian McLaughlin put down his team’s success in Italy on Saturday night to sheer doggedness.

Aironi 15 Ulster 22

NIALL O’CONNOR continues as Ulster first choice number 10 for the fourth consecutive game against Magners League new boys Aironi in Viadana tonight.

HAVING survived the skirmishes, Munster won the battle and secured the victory demanded of them against Italian newcomers Aironi at Musgrave Park on Saturday night.

Munster 33 Aironi 17

NINE months ago, Munster full-back Felix Jones was left to ponder his rugby future after a sickening and career-threatening injury in the Magners League clash with Connacht at Thomond Park.

DENIS LEAMY has had his status as stand-in skipper to the injured Paul O’Connell confirmed with the announcement that he is to lead Munster into Magners League battle against Aironi at Musgrave Park tomorrow (7.30pm).

England star Jonny Wilkinson produced a superb wet-weather display of goal-kicking to lead Newcastle to a European Challenge Cup victory over Brive at the Parc Municipal des Sports.

LEINSTER’S galacticos may have a reputation as the most exciting back division in Europe but tomorrow they face a young Gloucester unit that is a serious pretender to their throne.

IT may seem like a strange claim to make just days after losing to the previously pointless Borders, but Michael Cheika firmly believes his Leinster side is already better than last year’s model.

Gloucester 31 Worcester 23

LEEDS secured an invaluable 25-14 win over fellow strugglers Bath yesterday as the leading four clubs all won their clashes to cement their position atop the English Premiership.

BRISTOL became only the second side to inflict a league defeat on Guinness Premiership leaders Sale Sharks yesterday when they beat them 22-14 at the Memorial Stadium.

London Irish 25 Gloucester 10

World Cup winner Joe Worsley has hailed his Wasps team-mate Tom Rees as a potential England star of the future.

Andrew Baldock

Zurich Premiership Gloucester have completed the signing of French fly-half Ludovic Mercier on a three-year contract.

Michael Bradley says his Connacht side will put everything into their last chance to make the Heineken Cup as they play Sale this weekend.

Pau 37 Brive 16

FRONT row brothers, Simon and Rory Best have been called into the Ulster panel for Friday’s Celtic League match against Edinburgh at Ravenhill.

JOHN HAYES trained with Munster at Thomond Park yesterday and is a certain starter against Gloucester in the Heineken European Cup at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Wasps produced a blistering performance in searing Twickenham heat to be crowned English champions for the third time.

England star Jonny Wilkinson has been named players’ player of the year at a glittering awards ceremony in London.

Gloucester's Jake Boer, formerly of London Irish, has been voted the Zurich Premiership Player of the Season by a mixture of broadcast and print journalists.

Double European champions Leicester could miss out on Heineken Cup qualification next season – and Dean Richards today admitted the Tigers are up against it.

French duo Olivier Azam and Ludovic Mercier are to leave Gloucester at the end of the season to return home, it was reported today.

Gloucester were the better side in the first-half of their Powergen Cup semi-final against Leicester, but the Tigers are 6-3 up at half-time.

Last weekend Frédéric Michalak was playing for France Under-21. This week he has been included in the France A team to play Ireland A.

England forwards Lawrence Dallaglio and Julian White look certain to miss national squad training today after picking up injuries during the latest round of Zurich Premiership action.

Gloucester captain Phil Vickery today insisted his Premiership leaders had taken collective responsibility for their Heineken Cup horror show in Limerick last weekend.

Ronan O’Gara today took stock of Munster’s devastating Heineken Cup demolition job on English top dogs Gloucester and admitted: “You couldn’t have written a better script.”

Munster 33 Gloucester 6

ALL the rage up to a short few weeks ago, Gloucester appear to be running scared in the aftermath of their convincing defeat by Perpignan in Pool 2 of the Heineken European Cup last weekend.

Munster coach Alan Gaffney tonight paid tribute to Gloucester after seeing his twice Heineken Cup finalists dismantled 35-16 at Kingsholm.

Gloucester boss Nigel Melville today put a brave face on prop Patrice Collazo’s shock departure to Toulouse after his unbeaten league leaders went four points clear of the Zurich Premiership pack.

Gloucester have switched star signing Henry Paul from centre to fly-half for Sunday’s Powergen Cup sixth round tie at Bristol.