With an impressive tally of 225 points from 18 games at provincial level, the 2014/15 campaign has certainly been a productive one for Ian Madigan.

Matt Banahan insists there will be no mental hangover for Bath’s England quartet as they return to the Aviva Stadium five weeks after their Grand Slam hopes went up in smoke.

Champions Cup

Last Saturday’s victory in Cardiff was a moment and a spectacle to savour for Irish rugby but the stakes will be even higher in the Aviva on Sunday, a win and Ireland will not only be favourites for the championship but can dream of another Grand Slam.

England’s interim head coach Stuart Lancaster will name at least eight uncapped players in his 22-man squad to face Scotland in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown.

If Declan Kidney was hoping his Irish Wolfhounds would upset the established order ahead of his RBS 6 Nations squad announcement today, he will have left Exeter on Saturday night slightly disappointed.

Munster hat-trick hero Simon Zebo has been given a chance to stake a senior international claim after being selected for the Ireland Wolfhounds in the A international against England Saxons in Exeter tomorrow (5pm).

Montpellier 24 Bath 22

JOE SCHMIDT may have been frustrated by Leinster’s missed opportunities but at least he left Bath with a valuable Heineken Cup victory. His opposite number, Ian McGeechan, was equally vexed and had nothing but a losing bonus point to show for his developing side’s efforts on home soil.

Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt believes there’s room for improvement despite his side’s hard fought 13-18 victory over Bath at the Recreation Ground yesterday.

THE European champions can win these games the hard way too, you know.

Bath 13 Leinster 18

JOE SCHMIDT has expressed his confidence in Sean O’Brien, whose form this season has been steady rather than spectacular.

Glasgow Warriors 26 Bath 21

France 19 England 12

Toby Flood will start at inside centre alongside fly-half Jonny Wilkinson in England’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France.

Delon Armitage has been banned from England’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France.

Delon Armitage will start on the left wing for England in place of Mark Cueto in Saturday’s decisive Rugby World Cup Pool B showdown with Scotland.

Wales 19 England 9

Chris Ashton was today ruled out of England’s World Cup warm-up international against Wales with an ankle injury.

Leicester centre Manu Tuilagi will make his England debut in Saturday’s Investec international against Wales at Twickenham.

Matt Stevens’ return from the ignominy of a drugs ban continued today when he was confirmed in England’s 45-man Rugby World Cup training squad.

England 32 Barbarians 38

Donal Lenihan on where the three Irish teams can prosper

AFTER a performance like Ireland’s on Saturday at the Aviva Stadium, it’s difficult not to look back and wonder what might have been.

England stood on the brink of completing their first Grand Slam since 2003, with Ireland the final obstacle between themselves and European rugby’s most treasured prize.

England's day of Grand Slam reckoning has arrived and fly-half Toby Flood declared: "There's not a single guy who believes we can't win."

ENGLAND have always been a team that prides itself on doing the rugby basics well.

DECLAN KIDNEY has rung the changes in the back-line.

GORDON D’ARCY has vowed he won’t be beaten in a one-on-one defensive scenario for the remainder of his rugby career, as he consigns the painful memories of the French defeat to the past.

We assess the pivotal battles in key areas of the pitch in tomorrow's Six Nations game between Ireland and England at the Aviva Stadium.

IT’s become a YouTube classic, with over 350,000 hits, but England’s Martin Johnson has never explained his version of the notorious red carpet ‘snub’ to President, Mary McAleese at Lansdowne Road eight years ago.

Nick Easter will captain England against Ireland in Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash after Mike Tindall was ruled out with an ankle ligament strain.

IRISH skipper Brian O’Driscoll has defended his under pressure midfield colleague Gordon D’Arcy as one of the top two or three defenders in world rugby.

England captain Mike Tindall has been referred to an ankle specialist to determine whether he will be available for Saturday's Grand Slam showdown with Ireland.

England manager Martin Johnson will discover today whether he has captain Mike Tindall and Matt Banahan available for this weekend’s Grand Slam showdown with Ireland.

Martin Johnson has no intention of banning the phrase ’Grand Slam’ from the England camp this week as they build up to Saturday’s decisive showdown in Ireland.

Back-row forward Kelly Brown was said to be in good spirits after being forced off with a head knock at Twickenham, and will be assessed daily until the visit of Italy.

Max Evans was left to reflect on yet another try in a losing cause for Scotland after England’s Calcutta Cup victory at Twickenham today.

Martin Johnson admitted his England side would have to improve significantly to clinch an RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam next weekend against Ireland.

Louis Deacon has been recalled to the England squad for the RBS 6 Nations as a replacement for banned Gloucester lock Dave Attwood.

ULSTER head coach Brian McLaughlin has warned his side must not lose focus ahead of their Pool Four showdown with Biarritz next month after their epic 26-22 Heineken Cup weekend victory at Bath.

Bath 22 Ulster 26