WINTER arrived with a vengeance in Dublin last night — but Leinster gave their supporters plenty cause for cheer as they swept to a comfortable bonus-point victory over an outclassed Cardiff outfit.

ONE more injury or one more call-up to the Wales squad this week and Cardiff Blues would have found themselves travelling to Dublin for this evening’s RaboDirect Pro12 encounter without the services of a full starting 15.

ANOTHER frustrating night for Connacht.

MUNSTER maintained their winning start to the season and while they conceded their first try of the season, another superb defensive display was the foundation for victory at Cardiff City Stadium last night.

DANNY BARNES returns for Munster in tonight’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Cardiff Blues at Cardiff City Stadium, but the Reds’ hopes of forward dominance took a hit yesterday with news of illness and injury to key front rowers Marcus Horan and BJ Botha.

A FIRST-HALF double by centre Darren Cave sent Ulster top of the RaboDirect Pro12 League with a deserved win over previous leaders Cardiff Blues at Ravenhill last night.

JAMES COUGHLAN scored the game’s only try but it was Munster’s defence that saw them put one foot in the Magners League play-offs in Cardiff last night.

LEO CULLEN will become only the fifth player in Leinster’s history to reach the 150 cap mark when he leads the side out for tonight’s Magners League clash away to third-placed Cardiff Blues at the Cardiff Park Stadium (kick-off 6.30pm).

NORTHAMPTON maintained their perfect Heineken Cup Pool 1 record in a thriller at the Cardiff City Stadium after the Blues were hit by the second-half dismissal of Xavier Rush.

THERE was an element of satisfaction about the end result when a fitful performance but deserved victory at Thomond Park on Saturday night guaranteed Munster will stay top of the Magners League at least until St. Stephen’s Day.

CARDIFF BLUES boss Dai Young is expecting a stern test from Ulster in tomorrow’s Magners League clash at Cardiff City Stadium (3.45pm).

Former Munster prop Timmy Ryan has made the replacements bench on the Toulon squad to play Cardiff Blues in the Amlin Challenge Cup final in Marseilles tomorrow.

FRUSTRATED Ulster skipper Chris Henry is determined to lift his side following a flat performance last week when they lost to the Cardiff Blues.

LEINSTER’S young guns steered them back to the top of the Magners League table and now they have a four-point lead over champions Munster with a game in hand.

CONNACHT hope for a swift reversal in fortune when they return to the Galway Sportsground to host Cardiff this evening.

British & Irish Lion centre Jamie Roberts will make his seasonal debut for Cardiff Blues against Connacht at The Sportsground on Friday.

THERE was a time when Munster was the last place a promising young back-row forward would have looked when it came to forging a career as a professional rugby player.

AS THE gap widens between Connacht and those above them in the Magners League, every game is becoming more critical, and few more so than a home fixture against the Welsh team immediately above them.

IRELAND hooker Rory Best will lead Ulster’s Magners League challenge against Glasgow at Ravenhill on Saturday night although Stephen Ferris and Paddy Wallace are still unavailable.

CARDIFF BLUES will complete a triumphant march into the Heineken Cup quarter-finals tonight, but head coach David Young insists: “There is still work to be done.”

Munster's Frederico Pucciarello, Leinster's Ollie Le Roux and Ulster's Justin Harrison have been named in a 30-man Barbarians squad for games against Belgium, Ireland and England.

LEINSTER’S South African prop Ollie le Roux believes Toulouse will destroy Munster’s dreams of a second Heineken Cup title.

ENGLAND coach Brian Ashton has “total confidence” in his players to keep alive their World Cup dream tonight and book a knockout clash against Australia.

Tonga captain Nili Latu is battling to be fit for his team’s World Cup eliminator against England in Paris on Friday night.

MUNSTER coach Declan Kidney will name his team to play their final Celtic League game of the season against the Cardiff Blues at lunchtime today, but may have to do without two international greats.

DECLAN Kidney has named a 27-strong squad from which the side will be selected for the Celtic League game against the Cardiff Blues at The Arms Park tomorrow (7.30pm).

LEINSTER will be aiming to rediscover their winning touch against Cardiff Blues at the RDS today (5.30pm), just a week before they open another Heineken Cup campaign at the same venue.

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