Leo Cullen won’t have been burning the midnight oil last night just because Munster threw a curveball by naming three out-halves in their back line for today’s Guinness PRO14 encounter in Dublin.

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.

As if presiding over a performance Rassie Erasmus yesterday described as the “worst” of his Munster tenure was not painful enough, last Friday’s heavy defeat has further depleted the province’s second-row stocks.

Marinero was the class-act on yesterday’s card at Tipperary, which attracted a huge crowd. 

On a night when the classy four-year-old Let’s Dance justified 1/12 favouritism in the opener, the Tom Gibney-trained Ah Littleluck captured the featured Brenda Anderson Memorial Cup Rated Novice Hurdle in Sligo last night.

Champion Hurdle-winning trainer Colm Murphy savoured a welcome change of luck when Catalaunian Fields landed the Thatch Bar Katies Kitchen Maiden Hurdle in Bellewstown last night.

There were around 100,000 people around the country out for the dawn walks for Pieta House’s annual Darkness Into Light fundraiser today.

Odds-on favourite Landau and Drunken Counsel provided trainer Gordon Elliott with a double on Downpatrick’s Bank Holiday card on a day when the County Meath handler also doubled-up, with Balbriggan and Taglietelle at Cartmel.

Jerry Sexton, younger brother of Lions out-half Jonny, has joined his sibling in making a move to French club rugby.

Brian O’Driscoll will return to action for Leinster in Saturday evening’s RaboDirect PRO12 interprovincial clash against Munster in Thomond Park (6.30pm) and he may be joined by flyhalf Jonathan Sexton.

Lansdowne 32 Clontarf 25

With Leo Cullen named among the replacements, Shane Jennings has been entrusted with skippering Leinster for their RaboDirect PRO 12 clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade tomorrow evening (7.00pm).

He is 35 now and has played almost 200 games for Leinster alone in a career sprinkled with silverware but there were strong indications again yesterday that Leo Cullen will soldier on for one more season with the province.

The Leinster management have reported no fresh injury concerns after Saturday’s convincing 32-5 victory over Scarlets in the RDS.

Clontarf 32 Shannon 17

Leinster management have said thay they are confident Brian O’Driscoll will be available for Saturday’s crunch Heineken Cup meeting with Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park Stadium, despite picking up an ankle knock against the Scarlets over the weekend.

The Leinster management have received a boost with the news that several key players look set to return to the fray ahead of the province’s RaboDirect PRO12 showdown with Edinburgh in Murrayfield on Friday night (7.35pm).

If reports from New Zealand this week are accurate, then 38-year-old Brad Thorn will be following up his three-month stint with Leinster earlier this year with a swansong of a season back on home soil with the Highlanders.

Joe Schmidt would be “flattered” if offered a coaching role for the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia but the Leinster chief doesn’t expect such a call from his Kiwi compatriot Warren Gatland.

The Leinster medical team reported no major fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 opener away to the Scarlets in Parc y Scarlets (6.30pm).

An impressive show of beef animals at Cappamore Show saw William R Gubbins of Kilfinane, Co Limerick winning both the GVM All Ireland€ 2,500 Commercial Beef Championship and the commercial championship of the show.

Luke Fitzgerald has finally signed a deal to keep him at Heineken Cup champions Leinster despite not having his contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union renewed.

Good times for Leinster on and off the pitch.

Leinster have today announces details of 18 contract extensions and two new signings.

Barry O’Mahony has been plucked from the relative obscurity of club rugby to fill the number seven position for Munster A in the British and Irish Cup semi-final clash with Leinster at the RDS this evening (6pm).

Munster have called David Wallace into their 41-man Heineken Cup squad for their quarter-final clash with Ulster.

All Black World Cup winner Brad Thorn will make his first appearance in Leinster colours in today’s ‘A’ interprovincial clash with Connacht at Old Belvedere (3pm).

Reigning European champions Leinster have announced the signing of New Zealand World Cup winner Brad Thorn on a three-month contract.

Shane Jennings will lead a Leinster team with plenty of youth behind the scrum against the Glasgow Warriors in Saturday evening's RaboDirect PRO12 clash in Firhill (6pm).

Dubliner Colm O’Shea will make his debut for Leinster in Thursday night’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Benetton Treviso in the RDS. (KO: 7.05pm)

Leinster should know within a matter of days whether they have been successful in their attempt to secure the signature of former All Black and World Cup winner Brad Thorn on an emergency short-term contract.

DUNCAN WEIR is sitting in the canteen at Scotstoun when the call comes through from Ireland.

A number of players are set to return to the Leinster panel for Sunday’s Round 5 Heineken Cup encounter against Glasgow Warriors in Firhill (kick off: 12.45pm) after missing the 23-19 victory in Cardiff on Saturday.

LEINSTER added more substance to the sporting truism that the very best teams can play well within themselves and find a way to chisel out a victory against durable opponents, like they did on Saturday night.

Rhys Ruddock will captain a Leinster side bearing little resemblance to that which overhauled Northampton in last season’s Heineken Cup final when the province take on the Ospreys in their first RaboDirectPRO 12 match tomorrow night.

Luke Fitzgerald will start for Leinster in tomorrow night's pre-season friendly against Northampton Saints , just days after being left out of Ireland's 30-man World Cup squad.

In the absence of his senior international players, Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has named a young side to face the Melbourne Rebels in tomorrow night’s opening fixture of the Bank of Ireland Series in Donnybrook, kick-off 7pm.

THE royal wedding guests will celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton in one of the most opulent buildings in the world — Buckingham Palace.

CLERIHAN PADDY, bred and owned locally by Paddy Flannery, won the Munster Open Cup at Knockgraffon yesterday.

NOTHING Bruff achieve these days ranks as a surprise and certainly UCD won’t land at Kilballyowen Park tomorrow with any expectations.