Cross-channel ferry services have reopened following a fresh blockade at the Port of Calais which disrupted the bank holiday journeys of thousands of passengers.

My memory of a lot of things from my career wouldn’t be perfect, but Ireland v England at Croke Park in 2007 is as clear as it gets.

Saracens never made a fuss of it at the time and they’re not about to start now but Munster know how lucky they were to edge past them and reach their last European Cup final in 2008.

Differing contests in so many ways yet equally compelling.

When Jonny Wilkinson won the World Cup for England 10 years ago, Gareth Davies was trying to find his way out of the darker recesses of the Welsh League at Ystrad Mynach.

Former British and Irish Lion Austin Healey believes Australia will jump on the loss of Paul O’Connell as a means of overturning the first Test loss and take the series to an all-or-nothing third meeting in Sydney.

As kids they played together in the same high school soccer and rugby teams in their native Cardiff.

All around Gannon Park in Malahide, the atmosphere is as serene and as low-key as you might expect of a training session for a forgettable pre-season friendly against Serbia.

IRISH rugby chiefs are considering reducing the number of national contracts they offer.

Scientists have deployed Harry Potter-style powers to levitate fruit flies and watch them walk on air.

Shaun Perry was a welder before he came late to professional rugby, but Brive decided he had the tools necessary to make an impact in the Top 14. Alan Good met him in central France to hear his unusual story.

Knee problems forced Ireland’s most capped hockey player out of the international game, but Eimear Cregan told Alan Good the future of the sport is bright.

Worcester have appointed former England scrum-half Richard Hill as head coach on a two-year contract.

THIS Irish rugby squad is fast becoming a victim of its own success with expectation levels at home at an all time high coming into this year’s Six Nations. We have also become a treasured scalp for even the top teams. Nothing illustrated this more than the sight of a French side doing a lap of honour after beating Ireland in Paris.

Lewis Moody has warned England they will need all the “dog, heart and enthusiasm” in their armoury if they are to beat Italy in Rome this Sunday.

ULSTER Rugby have resisted the temptation to appoint from overseas in their search to replace Matt Williams, plumping for home-grown candidate, Brian McLaughlin.

A 15-year-old boy working on a Canadian building site died after he was buried under a mountain of searing-hot asphalt.

Rob Andrew has revealed injured fly-half Danny Cipriani is unlikely to be included in England’s elite player squad for next season.

JAMES Simpson-Daniel is determined to help Gloucester cast off their nearly-men tag and finally savour Guinness Premiership title glory.

Saracens back-row forward Paul Gustard has announced his retirement from professional rugby at the end of this season.

THE IRON man, who has confounded medical science with numerous knee operations, hobbled wearily towards the mixed zone area for his last Heineken Cup post match interview. If yesterday wasn’t the end of Richard Hill’s career, it’s nearing fast as the 34-year-old limps towards retirement.

ALL THE talk in the build-up was of the damage Cobus Visagie and the Saracens scrum could do to Munster and in particular loose-head prop Marcus Horan.

ALAN GAFFNEY believes so strongly that Munster are now a “better balanced” side than when he left the province three years ago, that he plans to have a little wager on them to beat Toulouse in the Heineken Cup final on May 24th.

Munster boss Declan Kidney claimed his team had "got out of jail" after booking their fourth Heineken Cup final appearance in nine seasons.

Saracens 16 Munster 18

Saracens 7 Munster 15

Richard Hill is ready to face his “biggest challenge for Saracens” in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup semi-final showdown against tournament heavyweights Munster.

Alan Gaffney has urged Saracens to seize their moment in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup semi-final showdown against Munster.

Saracens Director of Rugby Alan Gaffney has set out his stall to test Munster's scrum ahead of Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

CHANGING the flight plan from Cardiff to Coventry will be the least of Munster’s concerns as they ponder Saracens’ surprise Heineken Cup quarter-final win over Ospreys.

RICHARD HILL limped up the steps and into the Vicarage Road press room some distance behind his team-mates in order to speak to the media.

England international Andy Farrell faces three months on the sidelines after suffering a shoulder injury in Saracens’ Heineken Cup quarter-final victory over Ospreys.

Saracens 19 Ospreys 10

Alan Gaffney hopes his Saracens side can give the Ospreys food for thought in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup quarter-final showdown at Vicarage Road.

THE Ospreys have been dealt a second injury blow ahead of tomorrow’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Saracens.

RICHARD HILL believes his Bristol team will encounter “a different animal” when they target an unlikely Heineken Cup double against French champions Stade Francais tonight.

Brian Smith is confident London Irish can put a frustrating away day at Welford Road behind them and blow Guinness Premiership form team Sale Sharks off course tomorrow.

England scrum-half Shaun Perry has undergone surgery to repair a fracture to the cartilage in his windpipe.

BRISTOL secured their third win of the season against Harlequins at the Memorial Stadium yesterday to keep the pressure on Cardiff Blues at the top of Heineken Cup Pool Three.

Fabien Pelous hopes Leicester will feel the heat when they take on Toulouse in a crucial Heineken Cup clash tomorrow.

Saracens 71 Viadana 7

DAVID HILL kicked Bristol to the most notable win in their Heineken Cup history as tournament favourites Stade Francais suffered a surprise Pool Three defeat.

Bristol director of rugby Richard Hill has echoed the unifying comments of England captain Phil Vickery after criticising the “disloyalty” of players who air grievances against their coaches in public.

THE English RFU are to slap gagging orders on England players in the wake of the “disgraceful” post-World Cup attacks on Brian Ashton.