Ireland's five-match unbeaten run against France came to a punishing end as Guy Noves' side edged home a tight Six Nations encounter at Stade de France today.

Saracens travel to Racing Metro for their Champions Cup quarter-final tie tomorrow (Stade Yves-Du-Manoir, 12.45pm) full of confidence on the back of five straight wins.

Guinness Pro12

Leigh Halfpenny says Wales will carry their Twickenham "hurt" of last season into tomorrow night’s RBS 6 Nations opener against England.

Italy will have four new faces in their squad when they face Ireland in their RBS 6 Nations Championship opener in Rome next month.

GUINNESS PRO12:

Connacht 14 Newport Gwent Dragons 11

Cardiff Blues 38 Aironi 0

WALES captain Sam Warburton will return to action when the Cardiff Blues launch their Heineken Cup campaign in Paris tonight.

Former Munster prop Timmy Ryan has made the replacements bench on the Toulon squad to play Cardiff Blues in the Amlin Challenge Cup final in Marseilles tomorrow.

CARDIFF BLUES moved above the Scarlets in the Magners League table with a victory over bottom side Connacht which hinged on two tries in a six-minute spell by Tom James.

CARDIFF BLUES will complete a triumphant march into the Heineken Cup quarter-finals tonight, but head coach David Young insists: “There is still work to be done.”

Teams for Western Australia v Lions, the WACA, Perth, Friday, 11.30am (Irish time).