Ulster 18 Connacht 6

TOMMY BOWE today faces 10 Welshmen who’ll become team-mates next season at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea.

EVEN GUEST speaker Alex Ferguson couldn’t help but smile when James Sandford stood alongside him in the Mansion House yesterday, remarking with a smile that the 6ft 5 inch UUJ student “might do a job” for him in the centre of the Manchester United defence!

Ulster 38 Dragons 13

LIKE many torn reputations that emerged from the car-wreck of the Rugby World Cup, Andrew Trimble’s was one in need of some repair.

SIX days before Ireland flew out to their Rugby World Cup base in Bordeaux, Malcolm O’Kelly was surveying the future.

LIONS duo Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy will form the centre partnership for Leinster in their Celtic Cup quarter-final clash with Glasgow on Friday night, (Lansdowne Road, 7.30pm).

Former Scotland stand-off Gregor Townsend has confirmed he is ready to return to the international fold if required by the next national coach.

Scotland lock Nathan Hines claims Matt Williams’ side will have to cope with Wales’ boundless passion if the Scots are to have any chance of winning Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations Championship encounter at Murrayfield.

DAVID GRAY has a lot to answer for. The Welsh warbler’s huge popularity in the late 1990s led to his White Ladder album becoming de rigeur at middle-class dinner parties.

Scotland back-row forward Allister Hogg is looking to put the lingering disappointment of his RBS 6 Nations debut against Wales in Cardiff last year behind him when he faces up to the Welsh once again.

SCOTLAND forward Simon Taylor was pleased with his side’s opening RBS Six Nations victory - despite a disappointing overall performance.

Scotland lock Scott Murray insists the team have cocooned themselves away from the pressure of trying to avoid yet another RBS 6 Nations Championship whitewash.

Scotland international Simon Taylor is hoping his first start in a year for Edinburgh Gunners can catapult him into Matt Williams’ team for the RBS 6 Nations game against Italy next week.

Eddie O’Sullivan is confident his dynamic midfield duo of Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy will be fit to play in the third leg of his side’s attempt to win their second Grand Slam against England in Dublin.

Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan insists the forthcoming showdown with England could not come quickly enough for his super-confident side after this latest win.

Scotland 13 Ireland 40

Scotland captain Gordon Bulloch has declared he is desperate to repay coach Matt Williams’ faith in him.

France coach Bernard Laporte believes the 2005 RBS 6 Nations will be the most fiercely contested championship for years – and considers Ireland serious title contenders.

Scotland star Chris Paterson is convinced Matt Williams’ position as coach will not be affected by the current crisis which has ripped apart the Scottish Rugby Union.

Scotland 17 Australia 31

The Scottish Rugby Union are considering playing Scotland RBS 6 Nations home matches away from Murrayfield if the autumn Test games at McDiarmid Park and Hampden Park prove successful.

International rugby latest:

Scotland were looking to end their Australasian tour and a 16-Test international season with an unlikely victory over the Wallabies at Sydney’s Telstra Stadium.

Scotland’s development tour officially ended yesterday when eight players were sent home and Matt Williams’ trimmed down Test squad began fierce preparations for the first Hopetoun Cup Test match against Australia on Sunday.

Scotland’s development tour officially ended today when eight players were sent home and Matt Williams’ trimmed down Test squad began fierce preparations for the first Hopetoun Cup Test match against Australia on Sunday.

Scotland arrived in windy Wellington today chasing their first Test win of the year as they take on Samoa.

Scotland have added a match against Australian Super 12 side Queensland Reds to their summer tour schedule.

Ireland 37 Scotland 16

TRIPLE CROWN winners are a small and illustrious cartel. With six titles in the vault, the last in 1985, the current membership figures don’t venture into the treble digits.

Ireland coach Eddie O’Sullivan believes winning a first Triple Crown since 1985 will be a fitting reward for the side’s progress in the RBS 6 Nations.

Italy 20 Scotland 14

Scotland scrum-half Mike Blair insists the team are feeling no pressure despite two successive defeats in their opening RBS 6 Nations games.

Wales 23 Scotland 10

Simon Cross has been cleared to play for Scotland – even though his tartan roots can only be traced to a great, great grandfather.

SWANSEA centre Mark Taylor has a score to settle at Donnybrook this evening (7.35pm).

MUNSTER captain Jim Williams is to return for the crunch Celtic League game against Neath in Wales on Saturday.

Alan Gaffney is reportedly planning to part company with Leinster to take up the role of head coach at provincial rivals Munster.