Gordon D'Arcy returns to Leinster’s starting 15 as they welcome Cardiff to the RDS on Friday night.

Bath centre Gavin Henson has been named in the Probables squad to prepare for Wales’ senior trial match on May 30.

Cardiff Blues 21 Newport Gwent Dragons 13

Having being omitted from Warren Gatland’s Lions squad, Perpignan fly-half James Hook could line out against the British and Irish outfit, having been named in the provisional Barbarians squad.

The Irish players aren’t the only ones glad to see the back of this season’s Six Nations.

RBS Six Nations: IRELAND V WALES

All-Lions front row helps Wales coach take mind off lengthy list of injuries

Where Cardiff clash will be won and lost

Rory Best today exonerated Matthew Rees of blame for Wales’ ’ballgate’ victory against Ireland in the 2011 RBS 6 Nations by claiming the rules are only a “loose guide” to be followed.

Matthew Rees admits Wales will accept another ball boy scandal to beat Ireland.

Former Wales captain Matthew Rees has played in some big Test matches against Ireland — and this season’s RBS 6 Nations opener is high on the scale.

Former Wales captain Matthew Rees has played in some big Test matches against Ireland – and this season’s RBS 6 Nations opener is high on the scale.

Wales 12 Australia 14

Warren Gatland has made five changes to the Wales team for Saturday’s Millennium Stadium clash against world champions New Zealand.

Shaun Edwards believes Warren Gatland’s absence has hit Wales hard as the head coach returns to take charge following demoralising defeats to Argentina and Samoa.

THERE was an inevitability, according to Leinster manager Guy Easterby, about how the European champions came out of the Heineken Cup pool draw this summer alongside Scarlets, whose new head coach is Simon Easterby.

Leinster captain Leo Cullen is backing fellow lock Devin Toner to make more giant strides in his game over the coming season as the European champions open their RaboDirect Pro12 campaign at Scarlets today (6.30pm).

Former Wales skipper Matthew Rees aims to take out his frustration on the Wallabies in Melbourne this week and use his experience to help Wales earn the southern hemisphere scalp they have been chasing for so long.

Wales will head into the first of their three Tests against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday with 11 of the starting XV that clinched Grand Slam glory against France in March.

Scarlets 20 Munster 20

Munster Academy prop Dave Kilcoyne will make his first competitive start for the province when Tony McGahan’s men take on the Scarlets in tomorrow evening’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting in Llanelli (6.30pm).

Edinburgh 26 Scarlets 23

If evidence was needed to underline the value of youth, you only had to watch the scenes in Cardiff on Saturday when a gaggle of baby-faced assassins from Wales paraded the Six Nations trophy around the Millennium Stadium with the same innocent smiles as kids in a bouncy castle.

Matthew Rees believes France will attempt to “bully” and “irritate” Wales as they attempt to claim the Grand Slam.

Wales 24 Italy 3

Sam Warburton has recovered from injury and will captain Wales when they bid for the Triple Crown against RBS 6 Nations title rivals England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Wales coach Warren Gatland admits the excitement is already building ahead of his side’s Triple Crown tilt against England at Twickenham after completing stage two of a potential sweep of the Home Unions with a 27-13 victory over Scotland in Cardiff yesterday.

Leigh Halfpenny admits his last minute penalty winner in Wales’ opening Six Nations triumph over Ireland laid to rest ghosts of his World Cup heartache. Halfpenny missed a late penalty in Wales’ 9-8 semi-final defeat to France to secure them a first World Cup final appearance but he was a hero in Dublin.

Ireland’s nemesis Mike Phillips aims to return to haunt Declan Kidney’s men at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow.

Wales boss Warren Gatland has dismissed any notion of him taking a double risk with Jamie Roberts and Rhys Priestland for Sunday's RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland.

Flanker Dan Lydiate has been ruled out of Wales’ RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland on Sunday due to an ankle injury, but centre Jamie Roberts and fly-half Rhys Priestland have recovered from knee injuries and will start, the Welsh Rugby Union have announced.

Wales coach Warren Gatland could field a team containing just eight survivors from the World Cup quarter-final win against Ireland in Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations opener.

WALES are continuing to play a waiting game with their injured players ahead of Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin.

Wales are continuing to play a waiting game with their injured players ahead of Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin.

Wales forward Lloyd Burns will miss the entire RBS 6 Nations Championship after being ruled out for three months with a neck injury.

CONTROVERSIAL World Cup official Alain Rolland will receive no special treatment when he returns to Wales to referee the Scarlets’ crunch Heineken Cup encounter with Northampton Saints.

Munster 19 Scarlets 13

RHYS PRIESTLAND is confident the Scarlets can snap their 13-match losing streak against Munster on Sunday.

Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees believes his side can bounce back from their 14-17 home defeat at the hands of Munster and cause an upset in Thomond Park this Sunday.

World Cup skipper Sam Warburton has retained the Wales captaincy for next month’s one-off Test match against Australia in Cardiff.

SAM WARBURTON has admitted he got it wrong and insists there will be no hard feelings towards Alain Rolland after the Irish referee sent him off in the World Cup semi-final.

Wales World Cup captain Sam Warburton admits that the tackle that saw him sent off in their semi-final defeat to France was “uglier” than he had thought, and that referee Alain Rolland was correct to show him a red card.

Scarlets 24 Ulster 17

ANGER over Wales’s controversial try in last season’s Six Nations will not be a motivating factor for Ireland ahead of their World Cup quarter-final on Saturday, backs coach Alan Gaffney has insisted.