Ian Madigan chipped in with 13 points as Leinster got back to winning ways in the Guinness PRO12 with an unconvincing 20-3 triumph over Zebre at the Stadio XXV Aprile this afternoon.

Leinster’s back row has an average of 22 as the province look to the young players to help them bounce back from

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The Italian coach Jacques Brunel has tipped Ireland to take the Six Nations title with a rare victory in Paris on Saturday.

Brian O’Driscoll is to set a new all-time Test appearances record of 140 caps in his penultimate international bow today, easing past former Australia scrum-half George Gregan’s tally.

Marco Bortolami insists Italy are not keeping their powder dry for the visit of England to Rome next week and the Azzurri have come to Dublin determined to “destroy” Brian O’Driscoll’s party as the Leinster centre plays for his country on home soil for the last time.

Italy are out to rain on Brian O’Driscoll’s great leaving parade in Dublin on Saturday, according to captain Marco Bortolami.

Veteran lock Marco Bortolami will captain Italy in tomorrow’s RBS Six Nations game against Ireland.

France 30 Italy 10

Wales 23 Italy 15

Warren Gatland has been hailed as “a fantastic coach” as he prepares to re-enter the RBS 6 Nations arena in pursuit of an unprecedented title hat-trick.

Paddy Jackson’s 14 points from the kicking tee proved decisive as Ulster ground out a hard-earned 19-11 RaboDirect Pro 12 victory at Zebre.

Recent performances in the Heineken Cup excepted, it has been a poor campaign by Munster’s exalted standards and it will be a whole lot worse should they become the first team to lose to Zebre in their last match of the season at the Stadio XXV Aprile in Parma this evening.

Connacht 19 Aironi 16

Connacht are determined to finish their home RaboDirect Pro 12 season on a high when they host Aironi at the Sportsground this evening. Having picked up 15 points in their last six matches, Connacht can post a third successive win and leapfrog Dragons and Treviso.

The inclusion of prop Denis Buckley, who joins the front-row in place of the injured Brett Wilkinson, is the only change Eric Elwood has made for his side’s PRO12 meeting with Aironi in the Sportsground tomorrow (5pm).

Italy coach Jaques Brunel has made six changes to the squad that lost against Wales in Cardiff last weekend for their final RBS Six Nations game against Scotland in Rome on Saturday.

Former Wales captain Ryan Jones will take the place of banned lock Bradley Davies in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Millennium Stadium visitors Scotland.

Chris Robshaw will captain an unchanged England team into Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made two changes to the side that lost the RBS 6 Nations opener against France for the game against England in Rome on Saturday.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has named four uncapped players in his 30-man squad for the for the first two games of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

AIRONI bring their debut season in the Magners League to a close with two big challenges in the guise of Leinster and the Ospreys.

Connacht 11 Aironi 6

CONNACHT are targeting five home wins in a row for the first time since 2005 against Aironi in the Sportsgrounds tonight (7.45pm).

ULSTER got their Heineken Cup campaign off to the perfect start with a five-pointer against Aironi at Ravenhill last night.

Ulster 30 Aironi 6

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.

Ospreys 38 Aironi 6

AT first glance, there could be no more difficult a start to life in the Magners League than what lies ahead for Aironi on Saturday.

WALES captain Ryan Jones has backed teenage record-breaker Tom Prydie to seize his moment when he “lives the dream” today.

Italy fly-half Craig Gower believes his side are moving in the right direction, even though they could yet end up with the RBS 6 Nations wooden spoon.

WALES out-half Stephen Jones has welcomed the return of skipper Ryan Jones, prop Gethin Jenkins and scrum-half Mike Phillips from injury for his side’s clash with Italy tomorrow in Cardiff.

France 46 Italy 20

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made no changes to the starting XV that lost their last RBS 6 Nations match to England for the game against Scotland in Rome on Saturday.

Carlo Antonio Del Fava is the surprise inclusion in Italy’s 30-man squad to face Scotland in their next RBS 6 Nations clash.

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.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has been forced to make two changes to his 24-man squad ahead of the RBS 6 Nations match against England in Rome on Sunday.

BOXING is one of the few sporting activities in which the protagonists talk themselves up and promise to hammer the opposition into submission in the lead-up to a contest.

Italy coach Nick Mallett is looking for the Azzurri to play the perfect game against Ireland in tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations opener at Croke Park.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made no changes to the starting XV that lost to Wales for Saturday’s final RBS 6 Nations game against France.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has dropped six players from his squad to face France in their final RBS 6 Nations game in Rome at the weekend.

Scotland 26 Italy 6

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made four changes to the side that lost against Ireland for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.

DANNY CIPRIANI will continue his quest to regain the England out-half jersey with Wasps this weekend after being included among 17 players Martin Johnson has made available for club duty.

Italy will be boosted by the return of lock Marco Bortolami and centre Andrea Marcato for their RBS Six Nations game in Scotland on February 28, but will be without Andrea Masi after the full-back received a three-week ban today.