IN a return to RaboDirect action, the challenge facing Connacht does not get any easier with the visit of the Ospreys to the Galway Sportsground this evening.

THE Ospreys travel to Thomond Park tonight in search of their second win over Munster in 18 months – a victory that would see them become the first team to beat all four Irish provinces in the one half of the regulated two part RaboDirect Pro12 (formerly Magners League) season.

FLY-HALF Ian Humphreys has been given a further 24 hours to prove his fitness by Ulster ahead of tomorrow’s RaboDirect Pro12 League clash against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium (4.30pm).

EUROPEAN kings Leinster made a nightmare start to the RaboDirect Pro12 after being blown away by the Ospreys in Swansea last night.

TONY MCGAHAN could not have asked for better preparation for Munster’s Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final than this dramatic victory at the Ospreys.

ANDREW TRIMBLE has not been released by Ireland for Ulster’s Magners League trip to face the Ospreys at Swansea tomorrow (5.10 pm).

Tomás O’Leary will partner Ronan O’Gara at half-back for Munster’s Heineken Cup game with the Ospreys at Thomond Parks on Sunday. (kick-off 1pm)

Ospreys 19 Leinster 15

CONNACHT were denied their second home victory of the Magners League season when the Ospreys struck for a match-winning try in the 78th minute at the Galway Sportsground last night.

NIALL O’CONNOR booted Ulster to victory as they downed the Ospreys in a tense Magners League opener at Ravenhill last night.

IRELAND wing Tommy Bowe broke the hearts of his former colleagues when he scored the Ospreys’ bonus-point fourth try near the end of a pulsating Magners League clash to deny Ulster a bonus point.

MICHAEL BRADLEY will hope his Connacht side can continue their successful European Amlin Challenge Cup form when they return to Magners League action against the Ospreys at Liberty Stadium tomorrow.

Ospreys 26 Cardiff Blues 0

OSPREYS coach Scott Johnson is keen for his side to get into a positive frame of mind ahead of a month that will shape their season.

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan wasted no time in launching a staunch defence of Ronan O’Gara after his penalty misses proved costly against the Ospreys on Saturday night.

CONNACHT could not have wished for a tougher Magners League opening than the Ospreys when the two sides meet at the Galway Sportsground this evening (7pm).

WHEN sights were set on the highest peak, the substitute Magners League title might be construed as scant consolation after relinquishing a European crown; except somebody forgot to tell the loyal fans of Munster, close to 20,000 of them at Thomond Park last night.

MUNSTER, who roll out the big guns at Thomond Park tonight, will be led by Paul O’Connell as the champions wrap-up their Magners League programme against the Ospreys (7.45pm).

THE Ospreys are considered the glamour boys of Welsh rugby but assistant coach Jonathan Humphreys admits he will take an ‘ugly’ win against Munster in the Heineken Cup on Sunday.

NIALL O’CONNOR gets a chance to redeem himself for Ulster after being named at fly-half in place of Ian Humphreys for tonight’s Magners League clash against the Ospreys at Ravenhill.

THE Magners League came down to a two-horse race as defending champions Leinster overtook Munster with a gutsy second-half display against the Ospreys.

The Ospreys will have their strength in depth tested to the limit for the visit of Magners League champions Leinster to The Liberty Stadium on Friday.

GORDON D’ARCY will again audition for a Six Nations starting berth this Friday when Leinster go to the Ospreys’ Liberty Stadium in search of a second successive Magners League win in Wales.

THE Ospreys maintained their pressure on Munster and Leinster at the top of the Magners League table with comfortable, victory over Connacht at Liberty Stadium yesterday.

The Ospreys will be without Ireland’s Tommy Bowe for their home tie against Munster at The Liberty Stadium on Friday night.

LEINSTER will continue their early-season rotation policy against the Ospreys at the RDS this evening (7.35pm) with Michael Cheika having made five changes to the side that swamped Edinburgh in Dublin last week.

Table-toppers The Ospreys coach Sean Holley will look to exploit Leinster in the Magners League on Friday at The RDS.

Injury-hit Wales will face world champions South Africa and one of the most powerful back rows in Test rugby without a specialist open-side flanker.

JAMES HOOK has been given the responsibility of guiding Wales to Grand Slam glory after reclaiming the fly-half jersey for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations showdown with France in Cardiff.

James Hook has reclaimed the fly-half jersey from Stephen Jones for Wales’ RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam showdown with France at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Stephen Jones has won the race to start at fly-half in Wales’ Triple Crown showdown with Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.

Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel will start in the half-backs against Italy a week on Saturday after Wales head coach Warren Gatland made six changes to the side that beat Scotland.

Ulster 8-16 Ospreys

CARETAKER coach Steve Williams has made six changes and one positional switch as Ulster attempt to gain some respectability from a wretched season in tonight’s Heineken Cup clash against the Ospreys at Ravenhill (8pm).

ANOTHER long, hard night at the office for Ulster and another defeat.

ULSTER’S Andrew Trimble links up again with Kiwi Paul Steinmetz for tonight’s Heineken Cup trip to the Liberty Stadium as caretaker coach Steve Williams makes two changes and a positional switch to face the big-spending Ospreys.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN’S odds on being the British and Irish Lions coach for the 2009 tour to South Africa drifted further yesterday after an admission by Lions bosses that the coach may not be from the four home nations.

Gavin Henson will make his first Test start for more than a year when Wales tackle world champions South Africa at the Millennium Stadium this weekend.

ROB ANDREW has hailed “an English solution for the English game” after the Twickenham unveiling of a new detailed agreement governing professional rugby in England.

Gavin Henson has been recalled by Wales to the preliminary squad for their one-off Test against world champions South Africa this month.

DECLAN KIDNEY insists his Munster side failed to grab their opportunities in yesterday’s dismal 16-3 defeat to the Ospreys.

Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins has recalled experienced trio Stephen Jones, Gareth Thomas and Colin Charvis for Saturday’s pivotal World Cup clash with Australia in Cardiff.

Shane Williams has returned to the Wales side after recovering from elbow surgery and will start on the wing against France in Sunday’s final pre-World Cup Test.