"Pete's been absolutely sensational since I gave him the news yesterday."

The coaching group have also named four development players who will train with the squad.

Johann van Graan backed his players to make the right on-pitch decisions after Munster missed a chance to rescue a losing bonus point in a 15-6 defeat at Saracens today.

Having missed most of last season through injury, it is starting to look like Jack O’Donoghue has the spring back in his step.

One man’s setback appears to be an opportunity for a couple of his team-mates as Johnny Sexton’s likely absence from the start of the Six Nations seems to have opened the door for a pair of Munster stars to take centre-stage with Ireland in the coming weeks.

It was obvious in Wexford last week, when Fine Gael displayed Clinton-grade hubris.

Iain Henderson will start against the All Blacks for the first time today, a testament that good things come to those that wait.

James Ryan has no doubt but that Ireland's lineout can be a source of real strength for the team as their World Cup opener against Scotland approaches.

Joe Schmidt has urged his players not to go into their shells when Ireland get their chance to atone for their Twickenham nightmare against Wales tomorrow.

With large crowds about to descend on Body & Soul, which is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary this weekend, Pat Fitzpatrick introduces five Boho types who come out of the woodwork every summer.

Sean McDonnell is the singer with Cork based ska/punk band Pontious Pilate and The Naildrivers (“Yes we know we’ve spelled Pontious wrong!”).

As Leinster and Munster discovered to their cost in Europe this past month, knowing the threat that is coming your way and being able to deal with it are different matters entirely.

Glasgow will have the benefit of home advantage at Celtic Park after romping past Ulster 50-20 to claim a place in the Guinness PRO14 Grand Final.

It will be Andy Farrell’s choice who captains Ireland in next year’s Six Nations, but James Ryan believes he has a gem in Peter O’Mahony.

It’s been a busy month for Irish sports stars.

Forewarned is forearmed, as the proverb goes. Chris Farrell’s one-week release from Ireland camp back to Munster during the Six Nations has given the centre confidence that he and his fellow internationals will be on the same page with their provincial teammates by kick-off time at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Karen Brown, the 31-year-old partner of Katie Taylor’s father, Pete, yesterday settled a €60,000 damages claim against a motorist who, it was claimed, rear-ended them two years ago.

It is a recurring theme in a coach’s lexicon when discussing the loss of players to both injury or poor form that one player’s misfortune is another’s opportunity.

A single tackle in a rugby match has rarely generated such debate and controversy as the one the virtually unknown Fineen Wycherley rocked World Player of the Year Johnny Sexton with in the opening minutes of the Munster-Leinster Guinness PRO14 game at Thomond Park in December.

Munster skipper Peter O’Mahony will be given “every opportunity” to pass fit for this Saturday’s crunch Heineken Champions Cup pool showdown with Exeter Chiefs, head coach Johann van Graan said on Monday.

Aching limbs and sore muscles mingled with broad smiles at Munster’s high-performance centre in UL yesterday, as all involved with Saturday’s win over Leinster reflected on an occasion that will live long in the memory.

Peter O’Mahony’s pain as he rose from the bench to celebrate Ireland’s victory was as excruciating as the preceding minutes had been for those in the Aviva Stadium to watch on Saturday night.

What a tour, what a season, what does it all mean?

Michael Cheika made two changes to Australia’s starting side for the final game of the series with Ireland as he announced his Wallabies matchday squad on his old stomping ground at Randwick yesterday.

Tadhg Beirne spent the first two weeks of this tour cramming for exams like a Leaving Cert student but his reward made the effort well worth the hard work and now Ireland’s newest international is hungry for more.

"Irish sensation Katie Taylor returns to The O2 to defend her WBA and IBF world titles."

Ireland scrum coach Greg Feek believes there is plenty of leadership within the current squad that can make up for the absence of veteran captain Rory Best.

Here are all the latest headlines this lunchtime.

At 24, Rory Scannell has not been on the Munster scene long enough to bear the pain of the province’s long wait for silverware. 

Ireland’s bid for Grand Slam glory is acting as a motivational tool for Billy Holland who leads Munster in Friday night’s rearranged Guinness PRO14 game against Edinburgh.

He joins fit-again Richie Gray in the 40-man squad heading into the Ireland game.

With a newly inked contract in his back pocket and a pep talk from Andy Farrell fresh in the mind, Sam Arnold was in a perfect position to reboot his season in the bonus-point win over Zebre at the weekend.

A five star hotel in Kerry has been named the best in Ireland.

It doesn’t take Marcus Horan long to highlight the most notable contrasts between his playing days and the current crop of men proudly wearing the red of Munster.

It says much about Munster’s growing confidence and maturity as a squad that Ian Keatley could share a laugh with his captain after committing two knock-ons inside a minute.

Johann van Graan toasted captain Peter O’Mahony last night as the flanker marked his new three-year contract with a man of the match performance that helped sink Leicester at Welford Road.

Simon Zebo may be leaving Munster for France at the end of the season, but the man with the X factor is hoping the door to his home province is not shut behind him.

Conor Murray insists the speculation over Peter O'Mahony's future will not disrupt Munster's preparations for the upcoming Champions Cup games against Leicester.

Munster captain Peter O’Mahony will put province before personal business while his future is being decided over the next few weeks, writes Simon Lewis.

New Munster head coach Johann van Graan has pledged to do everything he can to persuade Peter O'Mahony his future lies in his native province, despite reports linking the club captain with a move away from Ireland.

Joe Schmidt insists this evening’s match with Argentina has nothing to do with revenge, but he does not deny that the 2015 World Cup quarter-final defeat has informed the Ireland boss’s approach to this Guinness Series finale.