Edinburgh will look to give Scottish rugby a timely boost when they entertain Heineken Cup opponents Racing Metro tonight.

Ronan O’Gara will miss Munster’s Heineken Cup game with Edinburgh on Sunday (Thomond Park, 12.45pm).

Racing Metro 22 Munster 17

Racing Metro’s 22-17 win over Munster in Paris will never go down as one of the more glorious examples of ‘le beau jeu’ or the beautiful game but it seems a win is a win as far the French sporting press are concerned.

Racing Metro 22 Munster 17

Tackling one of the most expensively compiled sides in France without a third of your first choice team in the intimidating surrounds of the Stade de France in this afternoon’s opening game of the new Heineken Cup campaign may well seem a bridge too far for a Munster team in transition.

As a goal-kicking Test fly-half, it is little wonder Racing-Metro head coach Gonzalo Quesada should give a nod to the most prolific number 10 in Heineken Cup history.

By Ian Cusack

Munster head coach Rob Penney has received the best possible antidote to the province’s injury woes after Paul O’Connell declared himself fit to face Racing Metro at Stade de France tomorrow.

Although Simon Mannix was shown the door by his Racing Metro paymasters last year, the new Munster backs coach doesn’t care a whit for exacting revenge in this Saturday’s Heineken Cup opener at Stade des France.

Bath 23 Glasgow 18

Montpellier 24 Bath 22

Leinster 52 Bath 27

Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt believes there’s room for improvement despite his side’s hard fought 13-18 victory over Bath at the Recreation Ground yesterday.

THE European champions can win these games the hard way too, you know.

Bath 13 Leinster 18

MARTIN JOHNSON believes any one of seven teams can win the Rugby World Cup — and he places England right at the heart of the pack.

Toby Flood will start at inside centre alongside fly-half Jonny Wilkinson in England’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France.

Biarritz 26 Bath 19

LONDON IRISH boss Toby Booth struggled to mask his frustration after Bath’s late show at the Madejski Stadium consigned the Exiles to a ninth successive defeat.

ULSTER head coach Brian McLaughlin has warned his side must not lose focus ahead of their Pool Four showdown with Biarritz next month after their epic 26-22 Heineken Cup weekend victory at Bath.

IT was nail-biting stuff on Saturday as Ulster drew first blood in dispatching Bath at Ravenhill.

Ulster 22 Bath 18

Johann Muller will captain Ulster for Saturday’s Heineken Cup game with Bath at Ravenhill (kick-off 1.30pm).

Olly Barkley accepts that Bath have reached the make-or-break stage in their Heineken Cup campaign.

Aironi 6 Bath 22

BATH boss Steve Meehan claimed his team needed to “grow up” after their Heineken Cup campaign began in frustrating fashion against Biarritz at the Recreation Ground.

Ulster 14 Bath 26

Springbok Luke Watson has been immediately installed as Bath captain for their pre-season match against Heineken Cup group rivals Ulster at Ravenhill this evening (K.O. 7.30pm).

MARTIN JOHNSON put a brave face on another flawed performance after England scraped to their first victory of their tour of Australia and New Zealand yesterday.

Australian Barbarians 9 England 15

Australian Barbarians 28 England 28

England 35 Barbarians 26

MARTIN JOHNSON fired a warning to Australia that England will head Down Under next month with the strongest touring team since he lifted the Rugby World Cup on their shores in 2003.

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

England manager Martin Johnson has named an unchanged team to play Scotland in Saturday's Calcutta Cup showdown despite injury concerns over fly-half Toby Flood and flanker Joe Worsley.

STEVE BORTHWICK has defended his captaincy of the England team despite their woeful disciplinary record since he has been in charge.

Centre Shane Geraghty has been ruled out of the rest of England’s RBS 6 Nations campaign and Gloucester’s Olly Barkley has been called up as his replacement.

Gloucester 12 Cardiff Blues 16

Ben Foden’s blistering form for Northampton has been rewarded with a call-up to the elite England squad.

Gloucester 48 Calvisano 5

England manager Martin Johnson appeared to provide an early glimpse into his thinking ahead of a demanding autumn Test campaign by making eight players available for EDF Energy Cup action this weekend.

CARDIFF BLUES won a seven-try Heineken Cup thriller at the Millennium Stadium to take charge of their qualifying group.

Cardiff Blues 37 Gloucester 24