Warren Gatland knows there will be tougher days than the one his British & Irish Lions faced in Western Australia yesterday, starting this Saturday in Brisbane, yet you could not blame the head coach for feeling a little pleased with the ruthless way his team dispatched their opponents.

Ireland centre Brian O’Driscoll will captain the British and Irish Lions in Wednesday’s clash against Western Force in Perth.

Toulon 21 Leicester Tigers 15

Joe Launchbury has passed a late fitness test and will start for England in their Grand Slam showdown with Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

David Strettle has returned to the England team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations finale against Ireland in place of Charlie Sharples after recovering from a sternum injury.

England captain Chris Robshaw and full-back Ben Foden last night endorsed Stuart Lancaster’s bid to become the team’s full-time coach after a remarkable RBS 6 Nations triumph over France.

Ben Foden will always be indebted to France coach Philippe Saint-Andre for spotting his potential as an international full-back.

Superstitious Wales skipper Sam Warburton has banned himself from talking about the Grand Slam his World Cup semi-finalists are now favourites to achieve next month.

Mike Phillips believes Wales must shut out the external hype and hysteria surrounding their Triple Crown bid today — or risk blowing hopes of a rare Twickenham win.

Owen Farrell will start at fly-half for England in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations game against Wales after Charlie Hodgson failed to recover from a finger injury.

The 20-year-old landed four penalties and a tough conversion, following Charlie Hodgson’s second charge-down try in as many weeks, as England rallied from 15-6 down to claim their second win of the championship.

The temperatures in Rome may have plummeted but England captain Chris Robshaw has warned Italy his men will be prepared to fight fire with fire in today’s RBS 6 Nations clash.

Chris Robshaw will captain an unchanged England team into Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.

Stuart Lancaster confirmed he has applied for the full-time England coach’s job after joining his players in shedding blood in a physical Calcutta Cup win over Scotland on Saturday.

Owen Farrell, Brad Barritt and Phil Dowson will make their Test debuts in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland as part of a new-look and inexperienced England team.

England’s interim head coach Stuart Lancaster will name at least eight uncapped players in his 22-man squad to face Scotland in Saturday’s Calcutta Cup showdown.

ULSTER could not breach Leicester’s tryline at Welford Road on Saturday as the home side dug out an important win over a determined Ulster at Welford Road.

MARTIN JOHNSON believes any one of seven teams can win the Rugby World Cup — and he places England right at the heart of the pack.

Toby Flood will start at inside centre alongside fly-half Jonny Wilkinson in England’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France.

MARTIN JOHNSON has demanded England treat tomorrow’s showdown with Scotland as a winner-takes-all battle for Rugby World Cup survival.

Delon Armitage will start on the left wing for England in place of Mark Cueto in Saturday’s decisive Rugby World Cup Pool B showdown with Scotland.

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson insists he would not start locking his team in their hotel following reports about a night out in Queenstown.

Lewis Moody has returned from injury to captain an England team featuring nine changes for Sunday’s Rugby World Cup appointment against Georgia.

ARGENTINA hooker Mario Ledesma believes England are under-estimating the Pumas ahead of today’s Rugby World Cup clash in Dunedin.

England’s back row resources have been stretched before they even depart for the World Cup after Tom Wood was forced to pull out of tomorrow’s final warm-up international against Ireland.

Martin Johnson has named a new-look midfield of Jonny Wilkinson, Mike Tindall and Manu Tuilagi for England’s final World Cup warm-up international against Ireland on Saturday.

Nick Easter will captain England against Ireland in Saturday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash after Mike Tindall was ruled out with an ankle ligament strain.

BEN YOUNGS declared England’s RBS 6 Nations campaign would be rendered a “shambles” if they lose to Scotland today.

England manager Martin Johnson has made one change for Sunday’s Calcutta Cup game against Scotland, with Alex Corbisiero replacing the injured Andrew Sheridan at loose-head prop.

England 11 South Africa 21

NICK EASTER will captain England in Saturday’s Investec Test against Samoa after manager Martin Johnson made four changes to the team that beat Australia.

IF ever Martin Johnson was going to dash down the touchline, punching the air in celebration like Jose Mourinho it was at Twickenham on Saturday.

Andrew Sheridan will return to the England front row after a 20-month absence for Saturday’s showdown with New Zealand after recovering from shoulder surger

ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson did not once seriously consider his position despite criticism prior to Saturday’s win over Australia in Sydney.

FURIOUS Nick Easter warned heads will roll if England fail to beat Australia in Sydney next Saturday.

AUSTRALIA scrum-half star Will Genia gets the chance today (11.05am Irish time) to do what he loves doing best – beating England.

Ayoola Erinle will make his first England start after replacing Shane Geraghty at inside centre in the team to play New Zealand at Twickenham on Saturday.

MARTIN JOHNSON has warned that England will be in “big trouble” if they fail to improve before New Zealand arrive at Twickenham for the final Investec Challenge clash of the autumn next Saturday.

IT IS usually wise to downplay the opposition before a huge Test match, but Australia captain Rocky Elsom has a simple message for his side ahead of their visit to Croke Park next Sunday: this is the best team in Ireland’s history.

Martin Johnson will name one of the most inexperienced England teams in memory to face Australia at Twickenham on Saturday – and that is despite the return of Jonny Wilkinson.

British and Irish Lions boss Ian McGeechan has made wholesale changes for Saturday's final Test against world champions South Africa.

The Lions coaching staff have named seven Irish players in the starting 15 for Saturday's second test against South Africa in Pretoria.

IRELAND full-back Rob Kearney, who realised a lifetime ambition when coming on for the Lions at Kings Park on Saturday, believes a Test series victory is still possible.

Brian O’Driscoll and Jamie Roberts will reprise their destructive centre partnership when the Lions tackle the Sharks in Durban on Wednesday.