Joey Carbery may not be happy to take the late hits but if it frees up a teammate then he will continue to endure the pain for the Munster cause.

Ulster 35 Ospreys 17: So after a season where more headlines were made off the pitch rather than on it, Ulster, the 1999 Heineken Cup kingpins and forerunners of Ireland’s glorious history in the competition, will still have a place at the top table of European rugby next season.

The loss of inspirational skipper Rory Best for tomorrow afternoon’s PRO14 shoot-out against the Ospreys at the Kingspan Stadium (kick-off, 3.05pm) will hit Ulster hard, particularly with Ireland lock Iain Henderson also sidelined.

Ulster start rookie tight-head Ross Kane against a fired-up Ospreys at the Kingspan Stadium this evening.

Connacht’s slim Champions Cup qualification hopes were ended in Swansea as Kieran Keane’s side were beaten 39-10 by the Ospreys.

OSPREYS 32 LEINSTER 18: Leinster limped back into Dublin late on Saturday night having fluffed their lines in their dress-rehearsal for the Champions Cup quarter-final with Saracens and licking their wounds after a mauling by the Ospreys.

If Leinster could be forgiven for straining one eye forward to next week’s appointment with Saracens, then their hosts today will bring a one-track mind to proceedings as they seek to rescue their season.

Wales are determined to begin a two-year World Cup countdown today by ending their dismal run of defeats against Australia.

Munster face their first serious test of the new season when they travel to Swansea’s Liberty Stadium todayto face the Ospreys in the third round of the Guinness PRO14.

Just one week after proving to all of Europe how dangerous he is in the No 15 shirt, Joey Carbery is back to orchestrate another Leinster victory, only this time he will be wearing number 10.

Here’s the lowdown on four big games across Europe...

Ulster 9 Ospreys 7: Ulster’s Director of Rugby Les Kiss praised his side’s resilience and character as they clipped the Ospreys wings at the death of an extremely, absorbing Guinness PRO12 top-of-the-table contest at the Kingspan Stadium on Saturday evening.

Leinster 31 Ospreys 19: Watching Leinster sure ain’t dull this season.

Only once before have Connacht lost their opening two league matches at the Sportsground but Pat Lam appreciates they must show significant improvement to prevent that happening again when Ospreys come to Galway this evening (7.35pm).

Westmeath 1-9 Offaly 0-9: Westmeath maintained their Division 3 status for another week at least with this hard-earned three-point victory over Offaly in Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Leinster 19 Ospreys 16: The view from the Leinster coaching box was this margin of victory should never have been so tight, but such is the strength of the Guinness PRO12 right now they can expect much of the same from here on in.

Jonathan Sexton won his fly-half battle with Dan Biggar to help send Leinster to the top of the Guinness Pro12 table with victory over the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium.

Munster head coach Anthony Foley will unleash his southern hemisphere imports on the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium tomorrow, naming Aussie second row Mark Chisholm and New Zealand backs Tyler Bleyendaal and Francis Saili in the side for a crucial Guinness Pro12 clash.

Sometimes being given more questions than answers from an exercise can be a good thing.

Warren Gatland rarely fails to take an opportunity to rile Ireland and even before a so-called warm-up game — and the mischievous side in him could still play a trick or two on Wales’ rivals.

Wales have announced the team to face Ireland in Saturday’s World Cup warm-up Test at the Millennium Stadium.

Brian Whelahan has shown remarkable faith in his Offaly team for tomorrow’s crunch All-Ireland hurling qualifier with Clare in Ennis.

Waterford 1-7 Offaly 1-20: This we expected. Tom McGlinchey’s letter, read out at last Monday night’s County Board meeting, had us forewarned.

Colin Walshe replaces Drew Wylie in the only change to the Monaghan side for Sunday’s Ulster SFC semi-final with Fermanagh in Kingspan Breffni Park (4pm). Walshe came on as a sub in the win over Cavan in the quarter-final, scoring a point.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland has named nine uncapped players in a 47-man training squad for the Rugby World Cup.

Longford 0-16 Offaly 0-13: In a streaky game where both sides thrived on confidence, ultimately Offaly’s lack of self-belief cost them when they saw the finishing line.

GUINNESS PRO12

Longford’s survival instincts served them well as they came from seven points adrift to oust Offaly in a keenly contested Leinster SFC clash at O’Connor Park in Tullamore.

In a big day for Irish teams in the Guinness Pro12, Connacht’s needs are probably greater than the rest.

Tyrone goalkeeper Niall Morgan has failed to overcome a groin injury and will sit out their Ulster football championship preliminary round clash away to Donegal on Sunday.

Offaly had way too much firepower for Longford and it was their more clinical finishing of better chances created that earned them the new Division 4 silverware.

Offaly 1-13 Antrim 1-07: “We do things the hard way here by the looks of things.” That was the verdict of Offaly manager Pat Flanagan after the Faithful County secured their promotion out of Division 4 with a win over Antrim at O’Connor Park yesterday afternoon.

Offaly 2-13 Leitrim 1-16