Leo Cullen has braced his players for an altogether more challenging Friday night at the RDS tonight (kick-off 7.35pm), a week on from their eight-try hammering of Ospreys.

Edinburgh You could feel the frustration in Richard Cockerill’s voice as the Edinburgh head coach delivered his post-match verdict at Murrayfield on Saturday. The phrase “tiny, tiny margins” recurred throughout his answers to the media and no one could argue that was all that separated these two sides after an absorbing 83 minutes of knockout rugby.

By their very nature, European semi-finals should be difficult to reach, something Munster and Leinster would surely attest to after both were stretched to the absolute limit to secure a passage through to the last four once again.

Johann van Graan praised his side’s character as they edged past Edinburgh in a gripping Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final at Murrayfield today.

Two tries from Keith Earls and a brilliant defensive effort kept Edinburgh at bay and helped Munster book a place in the Heineken Champions Cup semi-finals in a close-fought tussle at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Munster touched down in the Scottish capital yesterday ready to make their European pedigree tell against a talented, up-and-coming team lacking their experience of closing out big games such as today’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final.

Head coach Richard Cockerill has reinstalled hooker and captain Stuart McInally to the side in one of four changes to the starting line-up which defeated Leinster in last week’s round of the PRO14.

Scott Johnson started work yesterday, as the Australian Rugby Union’s director of rugby, charged with overseeing Wallabies’ coach Michael Cheika and helping to restore the sport and its national team to former glories in an increasingly difficult sporting landscape for the code Down Under.

A stranger perusing the team sheets in advance of this afternoon’s opening Champions Cup quarter-final might be forgiven for thinking that a Currie Cup fixture has been transported from Cape Town to Edinburgh.

Between the idle chatter about France and the build-up to the weekend’s nicely poised Champions Cup quarter-finals, one of the most important rugby stories slipped through unnoticed this week.

Joey Carbery has been named in the Munster team for tomorrow's Champions Cup quarter-final against Edinburgh at Murrayfield.

Peter O’Mahony has drawn a line under Ireland’s defeat to Wales a fortnight ago, so as to focus on Munster’s biggest game of the season, Saturday’s Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Edinburgh at Murrayfield.

This week represents a step back in time for some of Ireland’s senior players.

Munster fans may watch tonight’s PRO14 clash between Edinburgh and Leinster with more intensity than supporters of the visiting side at Murrayfield.

Richard Cockerill found out a long time ago that when one door opened another was always liable to smash him in the face.

A Keith Earls hat-trick inside seven minutes during a six-try opening half helped Munster wrap up maximum points against a weak Edinburgh outfit in Cork last night.

Rival coaches Johann van Graan and Richard Cockerill have adopted contrasting strategies in choosing their teams for tonight’s (7.35pm) Guinness PRO14 encounter at Musgrave Park.

Ulster coach Dan McFarland is hoping that Premiership side Leicester’s record at Ravenhill continues in the same vein when the two cross swords when the Heineken Cup kicks off this weekend.

Ulster’s new will-o’-the-wisp fly-half Billy Burns is in ebullient mood ahead of tomorrow’s PRO14 clash with Edinburgh, one of only two teams that chalked up a victory at the Kingspan Stadium last season.

Ireland’s Jordi Murphy will make his long-awaited Ulster debut in Friday’s PRO14 clash with Edinburgh at the Kingspan Stadium following his switch from Leinster in the summer.

"You are waking up in bed and the sheets are stuck to your leg about seven times a night."

On a day of farewells at Thomond Park, the last thing Munster need this afternoon when Edinburgh come calling is to kiss goodbye to their season.

Johann van Graan has put his Munster players on alert that a Guinness PRO14 semi-final with Leinster in two weeks is no foregone conclusion.

Duhan van der Merwe crossed twice as Edinburgh saw off Munster on their return to Murrayfield.

It took a back-to-basics approach for Munster to rebound from their Cardiff Blues no-show to get the show on the road again last weekend and Jean Kleyn believes the squad will be similarly focused ahead of tomorrow’s tricky league trip to Edinburgh.

For all the good news coming out of Munster in the past couple of days, the appearance of centres Matt Toomua and Manu Tuilagi on the Leicester Tigers teamsheet yesterday lunchtime will have offered a sobering counterpoint ahead of tomorrow’s Champions Cup re-match at Welford Road.

The understandably grumpy figure cut by Leicester captain Tom Youngs at Thomond Park on Saturday night was neatly representative of the English mood in general after a terrible weekend of Champions Cup results for Premiership clubs.

Withover 70 Test appearances for England under his belt and a further 200 racked up in a Leicester Tigers shirt, Ben Youngs has experienced a range of atmospheres during his career.

Peter O’Mahony has urged Munster supporters to forget last year’s 38-0 European drubbing of Leicester at Thomond Park and brace for impact when the Tigers return to Limerick on Saturday.

Dragons 32 Ulster 32: Australian international Christian Lealifano salvaged a 32-32 draw for Ulster with a last minute try against the Dragons at Rodney Parade.

LEINSTER 21 - EDINBURGH 13: A late shot of whiskey helped Leinster to a narrow win over Edinburgh with Jamison Gibson-Park’s try coming as last orders were being called at the RDS last night.

Johnny Sexton will skipper Leinster tonight as four of the province’s British & Irish Lions return to action for the first time this season. 

Head coach Mike Ford has left Toulon by mutual agreement, with Richard Cockerill taking charge of the first team, the French side have announced.

Glasgow cruised into the European Champions Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history after humiliating Leicester 43-0 at Welford Road.

The clock may be ticking but there is still no definite news on whether South African centre Jaco Taute will be available to Munster in 2017. His temporary contract comes to an end on January 1st so a decision as to whether his stay with Munster can be extended must be made imminently.

Leicester Tigers 18 Munster 16: Not so much a setback as a pause by the roadside, a little air leaked out of Munster’s tyres in Leicester, but as far as Rassie Erasmus is concerned the problem is easily remedied.

Leicester Tigers boss Richard Cockerill savoured his team’s reversal of fortunes against Munster on Saturday.

It perhaps should not be surprising that, given the digital age in which we live, Leicester Tigers’ plan to get revenge over Munster this weekend first took shape on WhatsApp.

Rassie Erasmus may not remember whether he played at Welford Road during his Springboks days but the Munster boss is canny enough to acknowledge his players cannot afford to turn up there today feeling in any way complacent.