Clermont Auvergne 36 Montpellier 14

Clermont Auvergne 46 Exeter 3

Ask a Kiwi, Aussie or Springbok to talk about Ireland and the response is guaranteed to mention Brian O’Driscoll and/or that hoary old nod to passion. Beyond that, the well of platitudes tends to dry up.

Andrew Trimble hopes JP Pietersen will be only too aware of his name by the end of Saturday’s Guinness Series opener between Ireland and South Africa.

As Ulster adapt to being favourites for a Heineken Cup semi-final, champions Leinster face the sternest test in the defence of their title and an all-Irish final hangs in the balance.

Clermont Auvergne’s French international out-half, David Skrela, will miss Sunday’s Heineken Cupsemi-final against Leinster.

Leinster flanker, Shane Jennings, has dismissed suggestions that the European Champions are invincible.

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall put English rugby’s European failure down to the gulf in the salary cap between the Aviva Premiership and the rest.

Saracens 3 Clermont Auvergne 22

ULSTER boss Brian McLaughlin was a man of mixed emotions on Saturday.

Leicester 23 Clermont Auvergne 19

ULSTER coach Brian McLaughlin admitted he was totally exhausted and mentally drained after his side came back from the dead to get their Heineken Cup challenge off to awinning start.

Fly-half Ian Humphreys was left to thank his forwards despite scoring all the points in Ulster’s 16-11 victory over Clermont Auvergne to open their Heineken Cup campaign.

Ulster 16 Clermont-Auvergne 11

ENGLAND prop Andrew Sheridan and French fly-half David Skrela hobbled home from the World Cup just as Samoa entered the fray with a resounding win and New Zealanders fretted about the back of prized asset Dan Carter.

France fly-half David Skrela has joined England prop Andrew Sheridan in being ruled out of the Rugby World Cup with a shoulder injury.

France 47 Japan 21

FRANCE coach Marc Lièvremont has thrown down the gauntlet to his players ahead of Saturday’s World Cup warm-up with Ireland in Bordeaux by declaring that Les Bleus are now in “competition mode”.

Biarritz forward Raphael Lakafia will make his France debut against Ireland in Bordeaux on Saturday.

Leinster 32 Toulouse 23

HEINEKEN Cup champions Toulouse booked a semi-final date with 2009 winners Leinster in Dublin after a thrilling 27-20 extra-time victory over Biarritz at Estadio Anoeta yesterday.

Biarritz 20 Toulouse 27

Wasps 21 Toulouse 16

GLASGOW WARRIORS’ French misery continued as their European dreams were shattered following a 36-10 loss to Toulouse last night.

Toulouse 36 Glasgow Warriors 10

Glasgow Warriors 16 Toulouse 28

CLERMONT’S defeat to Racing Metro in the all-French Pool Two clash on Saturday is good news for Leinster as they prepare for back-to-back clashes with the Auvergnats.

Newport Gwent Dragons 19 Toulouse 42

WASPS head coach Tony Hanks was proud of his players after the London club came close to pulling off a shock victory at the reigning Heineken Cup champions.

HE may have looked strangely subdued come the final whistle in Paris on Saturday, but Toulouse coach Guy Noves livened up somewhat when praising his team after they recorded a record fourth Heineken Cup triumph.

Biarritz 19 Toulouse 21

France coach Marc Lievremont has rested a handful of his senior players due to their “weariness” for their tour to South Africa and Argentina.

IT was billed as a meeting between two of Europe’s heavyweights but some pugilists pack a harder punch than others and that was true down by the banks of the River Garonne on Saturday.

Toulouse 26 Leinster 16

FORMER Toulouse and France legend Jean-Claude Skrela will have different reasons for an attack of nerves before this afternoon’s Heineken Cup semi final against Leinster at Le Stadium.

Toulouse coach Guy Noves has decided to go with David Skrela at out-half against Leinster in the Heineken Cup semi-final on Saturday.

BYRON KELLEHER has warned three-time Heineken Cup champions Toulouse to raise their level of performance despite a crushing 42-16 quarter-final win over rivals Stade Francais at Le Stadium yesterday.

Toulouse 42 Stade Francais 16

Cardiff Blues 15 Toulouse 9

Cardiff Blues 9 Toulouse 6

DAVID SKRELA will miss Toulouse’s make-or-break Heineken Cup clash against Bath on Sunday.

FRANCE head coach Marc Lievremont defended David Skrela after the fly-half’s kicking horror show gifted Australia victory in Paris.

Glasgow 16 Toulouse 22

BUTCH JAMES insists Bath will learn from their last-gasp Heineken Cup defeat away to Toulouse yesterday.