Brian O’Driscoll’s vintage sleight of hand conjured Ireland’s seven-try, 46-7 RBS 6 Nations victory over Italy on the stalwart centre’s final international appearance in Dublin.

Brian O’Driscoll is to set a new all-time Test appearances record of 140 caps in his penultimate international bow today, easing past former Australia scrum-half George Gregan’s tally.

Connacht 20 Zebre 3

Connacht 20 Zebre 3

Zebre 14 Treviso 12

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

Ulster 13 Zebre 6

Zebre 6 Connacht 33

It was an interesting night in the Rabo Direct Pro 12 last night where we saw the good, the bad and the ugly, writes Daniel Pitcher…

Zebre 21 Munster 41

Zebre 21 Munster 43

Connacht 25 Zebre 16

Italy 22 Ireland 15

Italy 22 Ireland 15

Brian O’Driscoll has emerged for potentially his final RBS 6 Nations match as Ireland meet Italy at the Stadio Flaminio with his future beyond the summer undecided.

I have become extremely wary of Irish performances in the second of back-to-back internationals and the fact that today’s outing is against Italy offers no significant comfort.

Italy will be without prop Martin Castrogiovanni for their RBS 6 Nations clash with Ireland after he failed to recover from a thigh injury.

England 18 Italy 11

Scotland 34 Italy 10

Scotland 34 Italy 10

Italy 23 France 18

Italy 23 France 18

Zebre 10 Connacht 19

Glasgow Warriors 22 Zebre 19

Zebre 17 Connacht 30

Connacht 19 Aironi 16

Scarlets, who play Munster next weekend, kept their hopes of a place in the RaboDirect Pro12 play-offs alive with a hard-fought victory over bottom side Aironi in Viadana yesterday.

Ulster will have an anxious wait before knowing whether explosive flanker Stephen Ferris will be available for next Sunday’s European shoot-out with Munster at Thomond Park.

Glasgow 29 Aironi 6

A COUPLE of months ago Connacht were relishing the prospect of playing French aristocrats Toulouse in the Heineken Cup; this week they head there in a different frame of mind.

Aironi 20 Connacht 6

LUCIANO ORQUERA kicked all of Aironi’s points as they won their all-Italian meeting with Treviso in the RaboDirect PRO12.

Aironi 20 Ulster 46

CLERMONT AUVERGNE picked up their first win of this season’s Heineken Cup in some style as they put Aironi to the sword in a one-sided clash at Stade Marcel Michelin last night.

Aironi 12 Leicester 28

RONAN O’GARA does not get that many opportunities these days to display his skills at Musgrave Park, but he treated the crowd of almost 7,000 last night to a superb display of kicking in appalling conditions.

Munster 18 Aironi 6

Paul O’Connell has come through Ireland’s final team session this morning and has been declared fit for Sunday’s crucial World Cup Pool C match against Italy in Dunedin.

IRELAND may be preparing for the mother of all confrontations on the rugby pitch on Sunday against Italy but there was a distinct reticence yesterday to engage in the verbal jousting started by Azzurri coach Nick Mallett the previous evening.

Italy 27 USA 10

Italy 27 United States 10

SUPPORTERS of Leinster and Munster who think their teams will have a comfortable draw in next year’s Heineken Cup just because they are among the top seeds should think again.

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