THE inactivity caused by the big freeze of recent weeks showed in Leinster’s lacklustre performance for much of this Heineken Cup clash against Brive on Saturday night before the champions upped gears to secure a bonus point victory.

NORMAL business resumes for Heineken Cup champions Leinster at the RDS tonight (6 pm) with the return of Jonathan Sexton and Shane Jennings to face Pool Six whipping boys Brive.

Iain Balshaw looks set to become the latest England international who will ply his trade in French club rugby next season.

JAMIE NOON has answered England’s latest injury SOS and will start against Italy in the RBS 6 Nations opener at Twickenham today after Mike Tindall was ruled out with a back injury.

Jamie Noon is ready to answer England’s latest injury SOS and replace Mike Tindall in the team to play Italy at Twickenham tomorrow.

RONAN O’GARA’S first game as Irish captain was a massive disappointment for a player who had great expectations but discovered his team simply wasn’t up to the mark.

England 13 Ireland 10

Frank Hadden’s men regained the Calcutta Cup with a 15-9 triumph at Murrayfield by virtue of a terrific defensive display reminiscent of the win against England in 2006.

England arrive in Paris seeking a first Six Nations victory at Stade de France for eight years today.

JONNY WILKINSON clocked up 1,000 points for England as he guided the World Cup finalists through a hazardous Italian job and revived their RBS Six Nations campaign.

Italy 19 England 23

Jonny Wilkinson has avoided the axe for England’s RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Italy in Rome on Sunday.

Newcastle 25 Brive 19

England centre Jamie Noon has been ruled out of the remainder of the World Cup due to a knee ligament injury.

England could suffer a double World Cup injury setback during the next 24 hours. Full-back Jason Robinson and centre Jamie Noon are both battling to play any further part in the tournament.

THE agonising waiting game for England’s World Cup hopefuls could be over sooner than expected.

England 15 France 21

Alistair Darling will address the UK's House of Commons today over claims that nuclear workers who died in the 1960s and 70s had body parts removed without their families’ knowledge.

ENGLAND’S record Twickenham crowd of 82,000 witnessed a record-breaking occasion — but for all the wrong reasons as New Zealand underlined their credentials as overwhelming World Cup favourites.

MATHEW TAIT has become England’s latest injury casualty ahead of their Twickenham appointment with World Cup favourites New Zealand on November 5.

European Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals teamsheets

FORGET about the rugby, this was pure theatre. When Andy Goode slotted a penalty to put England three points ahead with five minutes remaining at Twickenham, Ireland’s Triple Crown aspirations looked dead and buried.

DEFIANT England boss Andy Robinson is confident he can put his ailing world champions back on track despite another season of underachievement in the Six Nations.

JAMIE NOON scored a hat-trick against Scotland at Twickenham last year, but the Newcastle centre believes victory at Murrayfield today could herald the dawning of a first England Grand Slam in three years - and confirmation that the World Cup hangover has passed.

England 47 Wales 13

England 47 Wales 13

ENGLAND head coach Andy Robinson has no doubts about the self control of Lewis Moody - despite the firebrand flanker getting sent off at Twickenham 10 weeks ago.

Middlesbrough 5 Nuneaton Borough 2

England will put an emphasis on attack against Samoa at Twickenham tomorrow - and head coach Andy Robinson wants a “more ruthless edge” to the world champions’ finishing ability.

Worcester flanker Pat Sanderson will captain England in Saturday’s clash with the Barbarians at Twickenham.

England 43 Scotland 22

England 39 Italy 7

JAMIE NOON yesterday backed Wales to have the edge on Ireland if their Six Nations clash later this month becomes a Grand Slam showdown.

ENGLAND centre, Jamie Noon has tipped Wales to win the Grand Slam unless Ireland up their performances in the remaining two games.

Leicester fly-half Andy Goode has been called into England’s 30-man training squad ahead of the RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland in Dublin on February 27.

Scrum-half Matt Dawson today gave England their latest injury scare ahead of next Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship opener against Wales in Cardiff.

Newcastle 25 Newport-Gwent 17

Newcastle were tonight counting the cost of a damaging trip to Perpignan that has rocked their Heineken Cup quarter-final hopes.

Neath-Swansea Ospreys 24 Harlequins 7

THE International Rugby Board has put in place a global “Out of Competition” testing programme in a further effort to keep rugby free from drugs.

Leicester prop Colin Noon has been banned for six months after he was found guilty of deliberately stamping on an opposition player’s head.

Newcastle Falcons recorded a magnificent 19-14 win over French visitors Perpignan thanks to a dominant first-half forward display.