CLERMONT’S defeat to Racing Metro in the all-French Pool Two clash on Saturday is good news for Leinster as they prepare for back-to-back clashes with the Auvergnats.

Newport Gwent Dragons 19 Toulouse 42

NORTHAMPTON got their Heineken Cup campaign off to a nervy start with a somewhat fortunate 18-14 Pool One win over a lively Castres side at Franklin’s Gardens.

Newport Gwent Dragons 14 Scarlets 27

Connacht 40 Newport Gwent Dragons 17

CONNACHT’S Euro campaign remains firmly on track. Last evening Connacht proved worthy of their favourites’ tag in this rematch against Worcester Warriors, cementing their place as pool leaders and strengthening their hopes of qualification in this season’s Amlin Challenge Cup.

CONNACHT have gone from underdogs to favourites in just six days to record back-to-back wins over Worcester in tonight's Amlin Challenge Cup fixture at the Galway Sportsground (7pm).

Coach Michael Bradley has gone for the same 15 that inflicted the 26-21 defeat on Worcester for the return match at The Sportsground in the Challenge Cup on Friday night.

Replacement hooker Adrian Flavin has been forced out of the Connacht squad due to illness for the Challenge Cup tie at Worcester Warriors on Saturday.

PLAYERS of the calibre and reputation of Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Ryan Jones, Shane Williams, Mike Phillips and Lee Byrne are among a long list of notable absentees from the Ospreys team to face Munster in the Magners League at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium this evening.

Padraig Harrington will tee-off with defending champion Tiger Woods and 2007 champion Angel Cabrera at this week's US Open at Bethpage, New York.

Steve Borthwick could be confirmed later today as England captain for their demanding autumn Test schedule.

EUROPEAN Rugby Cup have cleared Ulster lock Matt McCullough of two misconduct charges in relation to allegations of racist language towards London Irish winger Delon Armitage last month.

Leinster 38 Ospreys 21

Ospreys 25 Scarlets 13

THE refereeing in last weekend’s opening test in the Fosters International Series will be reviewed at a meeting in Melbourne today between GAA and AFL representatives.

Ospreys 13 Stade Francais 8

Ospreys 18 Connacht 17

Ospreys 18 Connacht 17

Edinburgh 24 Ospreys 18

Celtic League champions the Ospreys bounced back from their horror show in Munster last week with a hard-earned victory over Newport-Gwent Dragons at the New Stadium in Swansea.

Munster 37 Ospreys 10

Some outstanding finishing by Munster saw Celtic League champions Ospreys ripped apart in a 37-10 clash in Cork.

LEINSTER coach Michael Cheika will hope his new charges have shaken off the cobwebs that cost them victory last week in Wales when they take on the Glasgow Warriors in Donnybrook in the Celtic League on Saturday.

Ospreys 22-20 Leinster

Llanelli Scarlets 23 Neath-Swansea Ospreys 15

Andrew Baldock

Neath-Swansea 23 Ulster 16

Internationals David Humphreys and Tyrone Howe return to Ulster's fold for the daunting away trip to Neath-Swansea Ospreys in the Celtic Cup quarter-final on Saturday.

Connacht 13 Neath-Swansea Ospreys 22

THE Ospreys’ coach Lyn Jones is looking to the future ahead of this afternoon’s Heineken Cup Pool Four meeting with Castres at The Gnoll.

AS a portent of things to come, starting the year with a thoroughly deserved victory over a highly talented Leinster side is as good as it gets for Munster.

The Ospreys will look to protect their lead at thr top of the table ahead of second-placed Munster when they visit Musgrave Park on Saturday evening.

MUNSTER are serious about taming the Ospreys in the Celtic League at Musgrave Park tomorrow night even though they meet them again in the Heineken Cup in January.

Harlequins 19 Neath-Swansea Ospreys 46

Gwent Dragons 33 Neath Swansea Ospreys 29

Llanelli 6 Neath-Swansea 23

Neil Clement converted a disputed penalty to earn West Brom their second Premiership scalp and book a place in the last 16 of the FA Cup.

Dave Bassett was given a clear indication of the size of the task ahead of him as Chelsea swept to an convincing 2-0 victory over Leicester at Stamford Bridge.

Leicester will be forced to make two changes from the side which defeated Liverpool as the Foxes aim to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 19 years.

There are nine Premiership matches scheduled for today.

Peter Taylor has insisted that Roberto Mancini is fully committed to Leicester City.

Leicester City manager Peter Taylor nicknamed his team "the grinders" and insisted they have recaptured their famous fighting spirit after the goalless draw with Arsenal.