Benetton Treviso 14 - Ulster 21: Andrew Trimble scored two first-half tries as Ulster held on to beat Benetton Treviso 21-14 at the Stadio Monigo for their second straight Guinness PRO14 win.

Gloucester 17 Stade Francais 25: Gloucester let an early 10-point lead slip to go down to Stade Francais at BT Murrayfield as they failed to impose themselves in the European Challenge Cup final.

“The quarter-final is set for the first weekend in April, with the semi-final three weeks later.” It’s been a while since I came across such bullish confidence from a bunch of Munster supporters, but that was the thrust of the conversation I overheard between a few diehards last Friday morning at Shannon Airport in advance of boarding the plane for Munster’s pool- defining trip to Glasgow.

Leinster coach Leo Cullen admitted the first-half sending off of Montpellier fly-half Frans Steyn significantly altered the course of the game in their 57-3 European Champions Cup clash at the RDS.

New Zealand overcame the absence of suspended half-back Aaron Smith to seal a clean sweep in the Rugby Championship with a nine-try, 57-15 victory over South Africa in Durban.

It’s not just heavy smokers who need to be aware of lung cancer symptoms, says Abi Jackson.

Munster 26 Stade Francais 13: The smiles have returned to the faces of the Thomond Park faithful after a miserable winter of discontent but Anthony Foley knows there is still a way to go before the sun will shine once more on this Munster side.

Munster crashed out of Europe for the second season in succession as they went down to 14-man Stade Francais in the French capital tonight.

Leicester Tigers 33 Stade Francais 20: Leicester Tigers got their European Rugby Champions Cup campaign off to a flying start with a four-try demolition of French champions Stade Francais.

South Africa 64 USA 0: Heyneke Meyer paid tribute to Bryan Habana after the wing equalled the Rugby World Cup try-scoring record as his South Africa side confirmed their quarter-final spot with a comprehensive 10-try victory over USA.

If the London Olympics of four years ago is the yardstick by which the Rugby World Cup is to be judged then the tournament organisers have set themselves an incredibly high standard.

GUINNESS PRO12:

Rugby Championship: Rob Horne scored a late try, converted by Bernard Foley, to give Australia a 24-23 win over South Africa in their Rugby Championship game in Perth.

Australia 24 South Africa 23

South Africa 38 Wales 16

Wales’ long wait to claim the major southern hemisphere scalp they crave continues – but only after an heroic display in a ferocious Test match of brutal intensity at the Millennium Stadium.

South Africa 27 New Zealand 38

Argentina 17 South Africa 22

It is not just the Irish taking a step into the unknown tomorrow night at the Aviva Stadium.

Argentina 16 South Africa 16

South Africa 27 Argentina 6

South Africa 14 England 14

Northern Barbarians 31 England 57

South Africa 36 England 27

England head coach Stuart Lancaster claims his players already have their minds set on revenge after their narrow first Test loss to South Africa.

South Africa 22 England 17

James O’Connor: Taking on difficult kicks lowered his kicking success statistics.

Cardiff Blues 36 Racing Metro 30

PHIL GODMAN kicked a last-minute drop-goal for Edinburgh last night to clinch victory over Racing Metro and keep them at the top of Pool 2 in the Heineken Cup.

South Africa 9 Australia 11

South Africa 87 Namibia 0

HT: South Africa 31 Namibia 0

South Africa 18 New Zealand 5

South Africa 9 Australia 14

Australia 39 South Africa 20

Saracens 21 Racing Metro 24