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.

Leo Cullen vented his anger last week at what he perceived as suggestions in some media outlets that Jonathan Sexton had been ‘dropped’ for the semi-final win over Munster. He need not have bothered as Sexton’s selection for today’s decider was always going to refute such spin.

Munster and Leinster have named their teams for tomorrow’s Guinness PRO14 semi-final at the RDS Arena.

A fifth win for Leinster tomorrow will make them the most successful side in the history of the competition.

For years, the power and impact of Munster’s heroic exploits in Europe haunted Leinster.

An injury to Jamison Gibson-Park has handed James Lowe the opportunity to start on the wing for Leinster against Toulouse on Sunday.

PRO 14 Scoreboard here with this one Leo Cullen said Sunday’s Champions Cup semi-final will be a litmus test for him and his coaching team’s player management system.

Leo Cullen saw this coming.

If the Cheetahs thought they might get an easy run out against Leinster during the Six Nations, the South Africans were sadly mistaken.

Ultan Dillane, Caolin Blade, Jack Carty and Tom Farrell will line-out for Connacht after their Ireland call-ups.

So, no Jonathan Sexton to set the tone and dictate the tune.

Tonight will tell Stuart Lancaster a lot.

OSPREYS 32 LEINSTER 18: Leinster limped back into Dublin late on Saturday night having fluffed their lines in their dress-rehearsal for the Champions Cup quarter-final with Saracens and licking their wounds after a mauling by the Ospreys.

The chances of Sean O’Brien featuring in the run-in to Ireland’s Six Nations campaign are veering towards slim.

A game badly compromised by the absence of almost two dozen Six Nations stars was rescued by another star turn from Leinster’s James Lowe who continued to entertain long after the final whistle on Saturday afternoon.

Leinster 20 Scarlets 13: Leinster landed a significant blow in the scramble for Guinness PRO14 play-off places on Saturday afternoon with a hard-earned and at times entertaining victory against the 2017 league champions in Ballsbridge.

Jack McGrath became the latest victim of the painful Lions hangover when he was dropped by Joe Schmidt for Ireland’s autumn clashes with South Africa and Argentina.

A stunning 60-metre try from Academy star Jordan Larmour sealed a bonus-point win for Leinster to hand Johann van Graan his first defeat as Munster head coach at Thomond Park last night.

Keith Earls’ admiration for the next generation of Irish talent was obvious when he sat down to chat prior to Ireland’s latest trio of November internationals.

Leinster Head Coach Leo Cullen has handed a first start to Josh Murphy in tonight’s Guinness PRO14 clash with the Dragons at the RDS Arena (7.35pm).

Jamie Heaslip was once renowned as the rugby player who could not be broken.

Leinster 23 Munster 17: To listen to Rassie Erasmus on Saturday evening in the aftermath of a fourth Aviva Stadium defeat in 12 months, you might have thought it was Leinster rather than Munster with plenty to put right heading into next week’s Champions Cup pool stages.

To think we used to worry about the lack of depth at out-half in Ireland.

The great sporting occasions have always seen their attendances inflated over time, with fans falsely claiming presence at an historic event with the vigour of great grandfathers discussing their role in the GPO.

Rory O’Loughlin: Ireland international.

You’d imagine the Irish management will be hoping for a tougher test from Japan in the concluding test in Tokyo next Saturday as there will be little to be gained from another landslide win.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt admits this two-match tour to Japan is proving hugely beneficial in their preparations for the World Cup.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said jet lag and humidity has made preparations for the opening test against Japan on Saturday quite difficult.

The Irish squad and management are in Japan preparing for Saturday’s opening test against the national team.

John Ryan may only have made his first start for Ireland on Saturday, but as one of the oldest members of the squad on the summer tour, it’s inevitable he is being sought out for advice.

This may have been Ireland’s biggest win over the USA in 13 years and the fourth largest in history, but coach Joe Schmidt knows it is difficult to assess the impact of so many young players against a side operating at a notch or two below them.

Ireland have settled in to their team base in New Jersey ahead of Saturday’s clash with the USA when Joe Schmidt’s men will aim to extend their eight-match winning sequence against the Eagles.

Joe Schmidt has thrown the gauntlet down to Ireland’s World Cup 2019 hopefuls to cope with Japan’s unique rugby conditions and also challenged a string of second-row forwards to fill the remaining vacancy on next month’s tour.

Leinster 31 Glasgow Warriers 30: A youthful Leinster side had to deal with a second-half Glasgow power surge and a floodlight failure, the latter coming only 90 seconds out from the final whistle, before securing a 10th straight Guinness PRO12 win last night.

Just one week after proving to all of Europe how dangerous he is in the No 15 shirt, Joey Carbery is back to orchestrate another Leinster victory, only this time he will be wearing number 10.

Isa Nacewa has overcome his recent injury concern to captain Leinster for the visit of Cardiff to the RDS.