European Rugby Challenge Cup final

If you are going to make changes in the aftermath of a crushing defeat you would be advised to have a few British & Irish Lions hanging around the place looking for some game time and that is just the luxury Rassie Erasmus has at his disposal this afternoon.

Connacht lacked so much ‘attitude and commitment’ according to coach Kieran Keane who bristled with frustration as his side lost for the third time in four PRO14 games on Saturday.

Connacht have turned to new out-half Andrew Deegan as they seek a crucial home win against Cardiff Blues.

Ireland skipper Rory Best will lead Ulster for the first time this season when they face a strong Cardiff outfit at the Kingspan Stadium this evening (kick-off 7.35pm).

Munster and Cardiff Blues won’t be lacking incentives when they clash at the Arms Park this evening in a Guinness PRO12 encounter that could play an important part in their seasons.

Iain Henderson and Chris Henry return to the Ulster side for this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 game at Cardiff Blues, a match both teams regard as critical to relaunching their seasons.

Cardiff Blues 13 Leinster 16 

Pool D: Wales v Fiji

Three of Welsh rugby’s biggest names — James Hook, Mike Phillips and Richard Hibbard — face uncertain international futures after seeing their World Cup hopes extinguished.

Sometimes being given more questions than answers from an exercise can be a good thing.

Warren Gatland rarely fails to take an opportunity to rile Ireland and even before a so-called warm-up game — and the mischievous side in him could still play a trick or two on Wales’ rivals.

Wales have announced the team to face Ireland in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up Test at the Millennium Stadium.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named nine uncapped players in a 47-man training squad for the Rugby World Cup.

Munster face a second top-of-the-table clash in as many weeks tonight when they defend their RaboDirect Pro12 lead against second-placed Ospreys at Thomond Park (7:15pm).

RABODIRECT PRO12

Munster head coach Rob Penney will discover whether the blow torch treatment he dispensed to his squad this week had the desired effect this evening.

Flanker John Muldoon (pictured) is thrilled to be finally starting his first match tonight for Connacht since October.

Joe Schmidt has had to ring the changes for Leinster as they go in search of their first victory at the Liberty Stadium since September 2009.

Connacht’s Eric Elwood is once again putting his faith in youngsters with Ireland U20 player Darragh Leader making his debut tomorrow against the Ospreys in Liberty Stadium (2.30pm).

There hasn’t been much talk about it recently, but Munster are still embarrassed about the capitulation to the Ospreys in last season’s RaboDirect semi-final.

Robbie Diack has withdrawn from the Ulster team to face the Ospreys today (Liberty Stadium, 6.30pm) after the South African back row aggravated a dead leg suffered in the 18-10 win over Glasgow last weekend.

Joe Schmidt: Leinster coach will be in Auckland to watch Ireland take on the All Blacks but only because he’ll be there on a family holiday.

Tony McGahan is banking on youthful enthusiasm to help carry defending champions Munster through their RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final at Ospreys in Swansea tonight (7.35pm).

OSPREYS replacement Dan Biggar held his head in his hands as his last-gasp drop-goal to win an enthralling Welsh derby with Newport Gwent Dragons hit the post.

MUNSTER concede they have to step up ahead of the Heineken Cup double header with the Scarlets after falling victim to the Ospreys for the second time this season.

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan will hope his side can settle a score with the RaboDirect Pro12 leaders,Ospreys, at the LibertyStadium tonight.

AFTER last weekend’s historic Heineken Cup fixture against Toulouse, Connacht’s desire to translate their strong European form into points in the RaboDirect Pro 12 came unstuck against league pacesetters Ospreys.

IN a return to RaboDirect action, the challenge facing Connacht does not get any easier with the visit of the Ospreys to the Galway Sportsground this evening.

THE Ospreys travel to Thomond Park tonight in search of their second win over Munster in 18 months – a victory that would see them become the first team to beat all four Irish provinces in the one half of the regulated two part RaboDirect Pro12 (formerly Magners League) season.

FLY-HALF Ian Humphreys has been given a further 24 hours to prove his fitness by Ulster ahead of tomorrow’s RaboDirect Pro12 League clash against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium (4.30pm).

EUROPEAN kings Leinster made a nightmare start to the RaboDirect Pro12 after being blown away by the Ospreys in Swansea last night.

IRELAND U20 missed a chance of victory as Paddy Jackson struck the post with an injury-time conversion at Parc Y Scarlets.

AFTER consecutive away victories, Darren Edwards has made four changes for Wales U20’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland at Parc Y Scarlets tonight (7.10 pm).

CONNACHT were denied their second home victory of the Magners League season when the Ospreys struck for a match-winning try in the 78th minute at the Galway Sportsground last night.

NEMO RANGERS won the permanent tsb Cork County IFC title for the second time in two years at floodlit Páirc Uí Rinn yesterday.

JUST one game in the permanent tsb Cork County SFC over the weekend where a superb opportunist goal by former inter-county player Pat Hegarty proved crucial as Carbery overcame Ballincollig 1-9 to 0-9 at Clonakilty.