Covering the Wales rugby side is never dull, but the start of the team’s World Cup campaign in Japan saw them breach already lofty standards of controversy.

Brooding, disconnected, an ever-present sense of dread and paranoia ... it’s not too hard to imagine why Luca Guadagnino, the Italian director behind the new remake of 1977 horror classic Suspiria, was so set on having Thom Yorke write the music for him, writes Stephen Jones.

The Scarlets are in Dublin tomorrow for a PRO14 meeting with Leinster. It’s not the real Scarlets, of course. 

Stuart Lancaster has played down the growing hype surrounding the potential St Patrick’s Day Grand Slam showdown between England and Ireland.

Not going on a Lions tour is a substantial miss on the CV of any international rugby player, writes Ronan O’Gara. 

Jonathan Sexton wasn’t in the mood to give much away.

Regan King is used to leaving defenders not knowing where to look, but Leinster could tonight be forgiven for thinking they were suffering double vision.

On days like this, we must spare a thought for great men like Eddie Butt.

Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has been ruled out of the World Cup after suffering knee ligament damage on Saturday.

THERE is something about Roy. It’s nearly a decade since Roy Keane last kicked a ball in professional football. Still, he holds our attention.

Since rescuing Wasps from the knacker’s yard 18 months ago, Derek Richardson has sent them to Coventry and increased support from 5,000 to almost 30,000 virtually overnight

Brian O’Driscoll has outlined how being overlooked for the 2009 IRB Player of the Year was one of the biggest disappointments of his career, while the Grand Slam win that year was one of the highlights.

What has made Stones in His Pockets such an enduring success is its appeal to the imagination of audiences, says director, Ian McElhinney, who is married to its author, Marie Jones.

Welsh rugby has had more peaks and troughs than a roller-coaster ride in recent years. The only saving grace being that the peaks have been pretty constant and extremely rewarding.

Hands up, I’ve been labelling Thomas Hitzlsperger for years.

Hats off to British milliner Stephen Jones whose 27-piece ‘Top Hat’ collection for Debenhams has topped the style set’s wish list.

Sam Warburton became the youngest Lions captain in nearly 60 years and admitted he would be silly to ignore the experience of his two immediate predecessors Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll during this summer’s tour to Australia.

Wasps 28 Leinster 48

Wales 30 Barbarians 21

Scarlets 20 Munster 20

Paul O’Connell is back to boost Munster’s prospects of defeating Llanelli Scarlets in Wales tonight and keep his side ahead of the posse in the race for a RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final place.

Munster Academy prop Dave Kilcoyne will make his first competitive start for the province when Tony McGahan’s men take on the Scarlets in tomorrow evening’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting in Llanelli (6.30pm).

Edinburgh 26 Scarlets 23

Scarlets 38 Connacht 10

Fergus McFadden was the last-gasp hero for Leinster last night as he secured a tremendously hard-fought victory by nailing a long-distance penalty with the final kick of the game.

Leinster 16 Scarlets 13

With a combined total of nine internationals released to them from Six Nations camps this week, both Leinster and Scarlets will be boosted by a plethora of faces keen to make an impression on international coaches at the RDS tonight.

Wales boss Warren Gatland has dismissed any notion of him taking a double risk with Jamie Roberts and Rhys Priestland for Sunday's RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland.

Wales have called veteran fly-half Stephen Jones into their RBS 6 Nations training squad.

GAVIN HENSON could be in line for a first RBS 6 Nations appearance since 2009 after being included in head coach Warren Gatland’s 35-man training squad.

Gavin Henson could be in line for a first RBS 6 Nations appearance since 2009 after being included in head coach Warren Gatland's 35-man training squad.

Scarlets 17 Northampton 29

All the evidence may point to Castres running up the white flag in Limerick today but Munster have plenty of reasons to expect yet another tough challenge on a crucial afternoon of Heineken Cup rugby at Thomond Park.

Scarlets 16 Glasgow 14

At least three people have been killed in the US after a small plane heading for Georgia crashed on one of the New York City area’s busiest highways.

FRUSTRATING, sloppy, tight and an uncomfortable finish — and those are the words of the winning captain.

Munster 19 Scarlets 13

WHAT’S not to like about the shape Munster are in heading into tomorrow’s home Heineken Cup pool game with Scarlets?

I NCONSISTENCY surrounding the issuing of yellow cards is fast becoming an issue in the Heineken Cup and impacting on the performance and results of teams across the board.

MUCH has changed since Munster last contested a Heineken Cup pool clash in this part of Wales.

Paul O'Connell warned against Scarlets backlash at Thomond Park next weekend after Munster snatched another vital away win in Europe yesterday evening.