LONDON IRISH boss Toby Booth struggled to mask his frustration after Bath’s late show at the Madejski Stadium consigned the Exiles to a ninth successive defeat.

Wasps have tied down winger Tom Varndell and back row Dan Ward-Smith to new contracts.

Fit-again Sean O'Brien will captain Leinster against London Wasps in Friday's pre-season friendly in Donnybrook (KO: 7pm).

IN THE final game of the 2002 Six Nations championship, Ireland faced France. It was Eddie O’Sullivan’s first year as head of Ireland’s coaching team and spirits were high.

MUNSTER and Leinster might have their own domestic duties to focus on today, but they will keeping one eye on the action across the water, as their respective Heineken Cup pool rivals meet in the Guinness Premiership.

ENGLAND lock Simon Shaw believes the drive for rugby players to become bigger and stronger has seen skill sacrificed and “gym monkeys” emerge.

Heineken Cup winners Rocky Elsom and Gordon D'Arcy will start for the Barbarians against England in Twickenham on Saturday.

Leinster back-row Rocky Elsom has been named in the Barbarians squad to face England at Twickenham in May.

Wasps 19 Leinster 12

There is uncertainty over the fitness of Leinster's two first choice props CJ van der Linde and Stan Wright ahead of their crucial Pool 2 Heineken Cup encounter with London Wasps at Twickenham on Saturday.

WASPS flanker Tom Rees will miss the start of England’s RBS 6 Nations campaign after it was confirmed he had suffered ligament damage in his left knee.

Director of rugby Ian McGeechan has named an unchanged starting line up for London Wasps clash with Leinster at the RDS on Saturday.

He may not have been everybody’s choice to lead the France national team into a new era, particularly given the calibre of candidates running against him, but none could provide the continuity offered in the appointment of Lievremont.

Three home wins is the least beleaguered Irish coach Eddie O’Sullivan requires from the Six Nations.

MUNSTER assistant coach Jim Williams was last night linked with a bid to return to Australia as assistant coach to new Wallaby coach Robbie Deans.

MARC LIEVREMONT didn’t take long to usher in a new dawn in French rugby yesterday by naming six uncapped players in a much-changed squad for the Six Nations Championship opener against Scotland.

New France coach Marc Lievremont has made sweeping changes in his first squad selection ahead of the RBS 6 Nations Championship clash against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 3.

France flanker Serge Betsen has confirmed he will retire from rugby at the end of the season.

Saracens 45 Biarritz 16

Lionel Nallet admitted it came as a “massive surprise” to be appointed the new captain of France.

FRANCE flanker Serge Betsen has dubbed Jonny Wilkinson “an example of professionalism and perseverance” as he prepares to renew hostilities with his old England rival in tonight’s World Cup semi-final.

France head coach Bernard Laporte has expressed his admiration for the English mentality ahead of the World Cup semi-final against Brian Ashton’s men on Saturday.

ENGLAND boss Brian Ashton has led the tributes to “remarkable” Jason Robinson, after handing him his 50th cap in a World Cup semi-final.

France have named an unchanged team for the World Cup semi-final against England in Paris on Saturday.

FRANCE captain Raphael Ibanez believes this Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against England is “a bigger challenge” than their last-eight clash with the tournament favourites New Zealand.

France are set to have a fully-fit squad available for their World Cup semi-final against England this weekend.

SEBASTIEN CHABAL believes the forthcoming World Cup semi-final between France and England has restored credibility to Six Nations rugby.

New Zealand 18 France 20

SERGE BETSEN has warned France they must possess “a war-like spirit” in tonight’s World Cup quarter-final with only their best good enough to topple New Zealand.

France have retained Lionel Beauxis at fly-half for Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand in Cardiff.

France 64 Georgia 7

FRANCE have made nine changes to their starting line-up to take on Georgia in their final World Cup Group D match at Marseille on Sunday.

France 25 Ireland 3

ALL THINGS considered, it’s been a pretty fraught few days in France for Ireland. Early in the week, there were allegations in the French press about Ronan O’Gara, not to mention the rumours of Geordan Murphy’s wish to leave the camp.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN’S neck — not to mention his job — is not necessarily on the line at the Stade de France tonight. But his stature as Ireland’s most successful coach will take a battering if his team fails to hugely improve on recent performances, all the more so should the gamble of pairing the untried Eoin Reddan with an out of sorts Ronan O’Gara at half-back prove a failure.

Sebastien Chabal is adamant his iconic status off the pitch will not affect his performance on it when he lines up for France in the make-or-break World Cup clash against Ireland in Paris.

FRANCE coach Bernard Laporte named his side yesterday to face Ireland in tomorrow’s crunch Rugby World Cup clash in the Stade de France, and there were a number of surprises.

French coach Bernard Laporte has named his team to face Ireland this Friday in their crucial World Cup pool game.

France launched the 2007 Rugby World Cup tonight amid huge expectancy levels in coach Bernard Laporte’s final assignment before he takes up a French ministerial post.

IMAGINE for one moment that Ireland were drawn to open their Pool D campaign against France at Stade de France this evening.

SO there I am, strolling through Paris a couple of evenings ago, having collected my accreditation — a slight steam rising from my person, as happens with the well-fleshed Irish male in any continental city — when a sign catches my eye: mojitos available at a swanky Cuban-themed bar on Rue Tilsitt.

GARETH JENKINS admitted Wales were taught a lesson in finishing by France as they signed off ahead of the World Cup with a 34-7 defeat at the Millennium Stadium.

France will give more of their squad players a chance to impress ahead of the World Cup when they take on Wales in Cardiff on Sunday.

Serge Betsen will captain France in their World Cup warm-up match against Wales in Cardiff on Sunday.