“I was only in second gear,” joked Cian O’Connor yesterday after he got Ireland off to a winning start at the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show, before Bertram Allen, made it two-in-a-row for the home side in the second international class.

Twenty-one-year-old Ospreys winger Hanno Dirksen is relishing the challenge of locking horns with European champions Leinster in Sunday’s RaboDirect PRO12 final at the RDS (4pm).

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has told his 30-man Rugby World Cup squad to now seize a place in his starting XV.

ANOTHER back-three speedster will miss the World Cup after it emerged Scotland wing Nikki Walker’s knee injury suffered against Italy on Saturday will rule him out of the tournament.

Scotland 23 Italy 12

Scotland 10 Ireland 6

Munster coach Tony McGahan has made nine changes, two of those positional, from the side that defeated Connacht last weekend for Saturday’s Magners League semi-final match against the Ospreys at Thomond Park Stadium, kick-off 6.30pm.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named his side for tomorrow night’s Magners League clash with the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea, kick-off 6.30pm.

Scotland 21 Italy 8

Scotland 21 Italy 8

Scotland were today aiming to avoid the RBS 6 Nations wooden spoon in their clash with Italy at Murrayfield.

Scotland have made four changes for this Sunday’s Calcutta Cup clash with England at Twickenham.

Treviso 18 Ospreys 34

HEAD coach Andy Robinson has urged his Scotland players to seize their second opportunity after naming an unchanged side for the visit of Wales to Murrayfield in the RBS 6 Nations on Saturday.

Scotland head coach Andy Robinson has named an unchanged starting XV for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Wales at Murrayfield.

France 34 Scotland 21

Ospreys 29 Toulon 17

Uncapped trio Jon Welsh, Rob Harley and Jack Cuthbert have been named in the Scotland squad for the RBS 6 Nations Championship, head coach Andy Robinson announced today.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has named his side for Friday’s Magners League clash with the Ospreys at the RDS. (kick-of 7.35pm)

REWIND, replay, repeat. Aside from Paul O’Connell’s momentary lapse in judgement at Thomond Park last Sunday, the manner of that home win over Ospreys will be precisely what Munster coach Tony McGahan will be looking for when he sends the same starting XV out at the Liberty Stadium today (3.30pm).

THE Ospreys may boast an embarrassment of riches but Adam Jones admits there is growing sense of frustration within the Liberty Stadium at their under-achieving in Europe.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named the same starting line-up that faced Ospreys in Limerick for Saturday’s Heineken Cup game at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea. (kick-off 3.30pm)

Ospreys openside Marty Holah has been cleared to play in Sunday’s Heineken Cup game against Munster at Thomond Park following a decision last night of the WRU Professional Disciplinary Panel to uphold his appeal against a two-week suspension.

Ospreys 33 Edinburgh 16

Scotland 19 Samoa 16

Scotland 19 Samoa 16

Leinster coach Josef Schmidt has named an inexperienced line-up for Sunday’s Magners League clash with the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea. (kick-off 5pm)

SOUTH AFRICA hope that a turbulent week, which began with two players being sent home for failing drugs tests, will end with their Grand Slam mission three-quarters complete later today.

Uncapped Northampton centre Joe Ansbro will replace the injured Max Evans in Scotland’s team to meet South Africa in the second autumn Test at Murrayfield tomorrow.

Scotland 3 New Zealand 49

Glasgow 31 Ospreys 23

Glasgow 31 Ospreys 23

Ospreys 27 London Irish 16

Ireland’s Tommy Bowe will start in the centre for The Ospreys against Munster in the Magner's League at Thomond Park tomorrow eveniing.

Ospreys 32 Benetton Treviso 16

NIALL O’CONNOR booted Ulster to victory as they downed the Ospreys in a tense Magners League opener at Ravenhill last night.

Ulster 27 Ospreys 26

Jerry Collins will start for the champions The Ospreys in their Magners League opener at Ulster this Friday.

Ireland and Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe has been named player of the season at the Magners League Awards for his efforts in helping the Welsh side win the 2009/10 title.

The Ospreys go with the same side that got them through the semi-final for Saturday's Magners League Grand Final against Leinster in Dublin.

Ospreys 42 Dragons 10

Munster coach Tony McGahan has selected his strongest possible side for Saturday's crucial Magners League clash with Ospreys at Thomond Park Stadium (6.30pm).

Tommy Bowe will not play for The Ospreys against Leinster in the Magner’s League at The RDS on Friday night.