Donal Lenihan looks at three key areas the Lions must address.

Steve Hansen has reacted angrily to Warren Gatland’s demand that referees clamp down on New Zealand’s “dangerous” targeting of Conor Murray by phoning a radio station to call him “desperate”.

Steve Hansen took a swipe at the British and Irish Lions' bid to become the world's best forward pack after the All Blacks' muscular first Test victory.

Warren Gatland has put his British & Irish Lions hopefuls on notice that there will be more to selection for next summer’s showdown with the All Blacks than pure playing ability.

Former England internationals Andy Farrell and Steve Borthwick look set to be among the assistant coaches announced today for next summer’s British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

Eddie Jones has responded to Michael Cheika’s claim he has damaged his legacy in Australia by declaring opinions mean nothing to him.

Conor O’Shea says he is “honoured, humbled, and excited” to have been appointed Italy’s new head coach on a four-year contract that will incorporate the 2019 World Cup.

ENGLAND:

Saracens lock Maro Itoje could make his first England start after Joe Launchbury was ruled out of Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland with a hamstring problem.

Bristol maintain no agreement is yet in place to allow Steve Borthwick to join Eddie Jones’ England coaching team.

England’s decision to axe assistant coach Andy Farrell was sparked by heavy criticism from senior players in the post-World Cup review.

Three days later and the shock waves from Japan’s win against South Africa continue to ripple far beyond the shores of the genteel and chic coastal town of Brighton which now finds itself enshrined in rugby folklore.

Ayumu Goramaru survived one Japanese earthquake four weeks before his international debut ten years ago and another four days afterwards. It taught him all about seismic shifts and the Richter Scale which measured the first at 6.6, the second at 5.8.

Maro Itoje will sit his biggest rugby exam yet with England Saxons on Friday night, but only if he meets his university coursework deadline first.

It’s been so long since Wasps carried a truly venomous sting in their tail it seems slightly surreal to recall the soon-to-be Coventry club remain the last English winners of European rugby’s biggest prize.

Jonny Wilkinson will play his final game on British shores this weekend lauded as a "once-in-a-generation" talent.

Steve Borthwick’s ’significant pectoral injury’ could deny the Saracens captain the chance to close a decorated career with back-to-back Heineken Cup and Aviva Premiership finals.

Rod Nawn rates the Ulster men in a Payne-less game.

HEINEKEN CUP POOL THREE:

Connacht 17 Saracens 23

Wales are expected to provide more than a third of this summer's British and Irish Lions tour squad when the 38-man group is unveiled today.

Saracens 27 Ulster 16

Irish players must take responsibility against Saracens

Saracens boss Mark McCall has targeted an across-the-board improvement from his team in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup clash against Munster.

Saracens forward coach Paul Gustard believes his big-name players are ready to stand up and be counted as they look to end Munster’s Heineken Cup dream this weekend.

Saracens flanker Andy Saull says the Thomond Park crowd was the loudest he has ever played in front of and has admitted the noise from the stands disrupted the visitors’ game plan.

Munster 15 Saracens 9

Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall has organised a forwards-only video session today and it is unlikely to be a pleasant experience for any of the invitees.

Saracens 28 Gloucester 23

England full-back Alex Goode described Charlie Hodgson as the best fly-half in the Premiership after watching him orchestrate Saracens’ 30-13 Heineken Cup victory over Racing Metro on Saturday.

English clubs are instinctively divided, but there is one topic that unites them all; their dislike of Saracens.

Saracens rugby director Mark McCall is hoping his side can push on from the quarter-finals and become one of Europe’s elite clubs.

Leigh Halfpenny wants Cardiff Blues to take a leaf out of Wales’ book when they face mission improbable against Heineken Cup holders Leinster tomorrow.

FRENCH star Dimitri Yachvili is mystified fellow scrum-half Peter Stringer is no longer part of the Ireland set-up.

IRELAND have had to absorb painful lessons over the course of the last four weeks and it remains to be seen if recent events will sharpen their World Cup appetite for battle or kill their enthusiasm for the fight.

IT is not all it seems in Pool 2 of the Heineken Cup, and an eight-point difference between leaders Leinster and bottom team Saracens doesn’t necessarily tell the whole story of this particular four-team campaign.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt has named his team for Saturday’s Heineken Cup clash with Saracens at the RDS, kick-off 1.30pm.