NOTHING has changed in the land of the long white cloud.

DECLAN KIDNEY last night plucked a rookie back row all the way from Argentina after suspension and injury depleted a squad still dazed from Saturday’s dispiriting defeat to the All Blacks in New Plymouth.

AT home in New Zealand they were contemporaries, made their All-Black debuts together in 2000, played together against France and Italy that year.

FOR a team reportedly reeling from the trauma of a third successive loss to arch-rivals Leinster, it was the day to stand up and fight.

IF ONLY we could have rugby like this every weekend.

Munster 33 Northampton 19

Stephen Myler has received a vote of confidence from coach Jim Mallinder to play ahead of Shane Geraghty at out-half for Northampton Saints against Munster in the Heineken Cup quarter-final at Thomond Park on Saturday.

THOMOND PARK holds no fears for Neil Best – and the Irish international is adamant his Northampton Saints team-mates can draw strength from their recent experiences there for Saturday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final.

Ireland flanker Neil Best has agreed a two-year deal to move to Worcester Warriors at the end of this season.

THE return of Marcus Horan and Rory Best to international competition at the Recreation Ground, Bath, on Sunday (2pm) is a timely boost to Ireland’s hopes of another successful RBS Six Nations Championship.

AN OCCASION that every player dreams of! Ben Foden may be on the brink of a long and distinguished career as the England full-back but the star of Northampton’s victory over Perpignan last Sunday has only one thought in his mind right now – to be a member of the Saints side that beats Munster in tonight’s crunch Heineken Cup Pool One decider at Thomond Park.

Northampton 34 Perpignan 0

Benetton Treviso 18 Northampton Saints 21

THE cynics and the knockers said Declan Kidney hadn’t the guts or the inclination to drop Ronan O’Gara. But yesterday he proved them wrong, just as he did back in the spring of 2006. Very few saw it coming when he dropped Peter Stringer and Shaun Payne from the Munster team to play Gloucester in a Heineken Cup quarter-final at Kingsholm.

MAKING eight changes from his last selection and handing out international caps wouldn’t normally be Declan Kidney’s way but few will argue with the side he has chosen for Saturday’s clash with Fiji at the RDS.

DECLAN KIDNEY is the type of rugby man who would have taken almost as much satisfaction from Ireland’s victory in the Churchill Cup in the USA as he did from the Grand Slam heroics in the Six Nations Championships.

IRELAND’S shadow team overpowered Tonga last night by seven tries to three in an hugely entertaining and open game of rugby at Belfast’s Ravenhill stadium.

Ireland 'A' hooker John Fogarty has been recalled to the Ireland camp and will not play in tonight's A game against Tonga in Ravenhill.

Leinster hooker John Fogarty will start for the Ireland A side to play Tonga at Ravenhill on Friday evening.

IRELAND A coach Michael Bradley has named an experienced side for Friday night’s international against Tonga (Ravenhill, 7.35pm).

The Ireland 'A' Team to play Tonga in Ravenhill on Friday night will be captained by Shane Horgan.

The two Ireland squads for next weekend's internationals against Tonga and Australia have been named today.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has included nine uncapped players in his 39 strong-squad for the upcoming Guinness Series of internationals in November against Australia, Fiji and South Africa.

Perpignan 29 Northampton Saints 13

NOT a single member of the Munster squad or management was prepared to say a derogatory word about French referee Christophe Berdos or criticise the IRFU for keeping their key players in cotton wool almost up to the eve of Saturday’s crucial Heineken Cup tie against Northampton Saints.

THE majority of the Munster team that under-performed so disappointingly against Leinster last week have an opportunity to redeem themselves in this evening’s Heineken Cup opener against Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens.

Northampton Saints have selected three Irishmen in centre James Downey, flanker Neil Best and number eight Roger Wilson in their side to play Munster in the Heineken Cup at Franklins Gardens on Saturday.

PADDY WALLACE has backed up Neil Best’s criticisms of the Ulster set-up in years gone by but insists that standards off the field have improved immeasurably since the flanker’s departure.

IRISH international back row Neil Best has hit out at his former employers in Ulster, describing facilities for players in the North as “a joke” and expressing regret that he didn’t leave the province earlier.

A 37-man panel has been announced for the next Ireland camp which is due to take place in Limerick from August 16-19.

MUNSTER’S Heineken Cup Pool One fourth-round clash with Perpignan will go ahead at the French club’s Stade Aimé Giral, and not in Barcelona.

DECLAN KIDNEY’S aim of building a panel towards the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand continues after the Ireland head coach announced a 36-man squad for his first national camp this season.

FELIX JONES gave a virtuoso performance than suggested Leinster’s loss may be Munster’s gain as Ireland A produced a shock maiden Churchill Cup victory in some style last night.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney will challenge his 'A' players to give everything they have got to win the Churchill Cup final for the first time against the England Saxons, who are looking for their third straight win in the competition tonight (K.O. 9.30pm Irish time).

There are seven changes to the Ireland A team that will play England Saxons this Sunday in the final of the Churchill Cup (kick off: 9.30pm Irish time) from the side that won last time out in the tournament against Georgia.

DECLAN KIDNEY believes Sunday’s Churchill Cup final against England Saxons will provide a valuable learning experience for his young Ireland A side.

Georgia 5 Ireland A 40

Ireland coach Declan Kidney will look for his players to improve against Georgia on Sunday from their win over Canada in order to qualify for the Churchill Cup final, where the England Saxons will be waiting.

DECLAN KIDNEY’S trophy-laden season at the helm of Irish rugby is set to continue after his Ireland A side’s bonus-point victory over Canada in Colorado put them in a strong position to claim a first-ever Churchill Cup title.

LEINSTER’S Heineken Cup hero, Jonathan Sexton, is a notable absentee from the Ireland A side that faces Canada in the 2009 Churchill Cup at Denver, Colorado tomorrow (4.30pm local time, 11.30pm Irish time).

Ulster's Isaac Boss will lead Ireland A team into their opening game of the Churchill Cup against Canada in Denver, Colorado on Wednesday.

NORTHAMPTON were crowned Challenge Cup champions after surviving a ferocious assault from French bruisers Bourgoin at Twickenham Stoop last night.

Northampton 15 Bourgoin 3

Irishmen James Downey and Neil Best will start for Northampton Saints against Bourgoin in the European Challenge Cup final at the Stoop on Friday evening.