The four Irish provinces have named their teams for this weekend's Champions Cup clashes.

It is not just the levels of professionalism in the Saracens squad coming to Thomond Park that impress Peter O’Mahony but the quality of the individuals that give the Munster skipper pause for thought

This is a contest fit for the final itself with the winner fancied to go all the way.

The heavy fitness work is over ahead of a first run of the summer, but even though the World Cup is still a month away, Conor Murray knows there is no such thing as preseason when it comes to playing England at Twickenham.

Fit-again Mako Vunipola is approaching the best shape of his career — but try telling that to the lady who had to wheel the 122kg prop through Los Angeles airport back in June.

There will be a strange dynamic surrounding Saturday’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final between Leinster and Munster at the RDS. It’s been a difficult ten days for both Irish provinces but for different reasons.

Peter Jackson picks his XV for the Heineken Champions Cup Team of the Tournament.

It is a measure of the quality in play at tomorrow’s Heineken Champions Cup final that there is so much mutual respect between the two teams, respect borne out of the shared experience of a successful British & Irish Lions tour two summers ago.

Tadhg Furlong might not have done Leinster any favours when he opened Mako Vunipola’s eyes to what it takes to be a true, world-class prop, on the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand.

Stuart Lancaster needs no introduction to the dangers Leinster will be facing when they go toe-to-toe with Saracens in Saturday’s heavyweight Heineken Champions Cup final.

Mark McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, handed Munster a crumb of comfort in the aftermath of his team’s 32-16 Champions Cup semi-final win in Coventry.

Donal Lenihan runs the rule over the Heineken Cup semi-finalists

Peter Jackson gets over the gain line, behind the headline...

As Ireland women’s scrum coach, Mike Ross bemoaned England’s “professionalism” after his side’s loss in Donnybrook last Friday night.

Eddie Jones insists England have the resources to cover for the loss of Maro Itoje as a cloud hangs over the Saracens lock’s participation in the rest of the Guinness Six Nations.

Elliot Daly has held off the challenge of Mike Brown at full-back for England's Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium.

In total there are five changes to the side defeated by Scotland at Murrayfield.

Saracens back-rower Billy Vunipola could miss the first month of the Aviva Premiership season in England as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery.

Lions coach Rob Howley believes he can tell from the glint in the players' eyes that the time for words is over as kick-off time approaches to the series-deciding Test against the All Blacks.

There’s not much riding on Eden Park tomorrow only immortality for a group of lads from Britain and Ireland, writes Ronan O’Gara.

Billy Vunipola is being targeted for a return to action against Ireland in their Six Nations tournament climax in Dublin next month.

England must launch their Grand Slam defence without three first-choice forwards – and face question marks over four more.

England are set to spring a selection surprise for Saturday’s autumn opener against South Africa by naming Elliot Daly at outside centre in place of Jonathan Joseph.

England boss Eddie Jones is hoping to turn uncapped lock Maro Itoje into a “BMW”, with the Saracens man set to see action in Rome tomorrow.

France star Wesley Fofana scored the game’s solitary try just after half-time as French heavyweights Clermont prevailed 13-9 against Saracens to reach their second European final in three seasons.

RBS SIX NATIONS:

Saracens 64 Connacht 6

Andy Farrell hopes the British and Irish Lions can reserve their best for last in Sydney next Saturday.

British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland revealed that Alex Corbisiero’s superior scrummaging resulted in his selection ahead of Mako Vunipola for Saturday’s opening Test against Australia.

Jake White has seen his Australian Super Rugby rivals try to unsettle the British & Irish Lions on this tour and earn plaudits for doing so, yet the Brumbies coach knows the bottom line is that all of them have failed.

Japan’s Princess Kiko has developed complications with her pregnancy and may have to give birth to her third child by Caesarean section, Kyodo News agency reported.

A 19-year-old Pennsylvania college student has been charged with killing her newborn son, whose body was found in a rubbish bin near a women’s dormitory.