CHAMPIONS CUP: YOUR TEAM-BY-TEAM WEEKEND GUIDE

England have selected Brad Barritt and Jonathan Joseph as their centre pairing for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up game against Ireland at Twickenham.

England head coach Stuart Lancaster has admitted to shedding tears over the selection of his 31-man World Cup squad.

Ireland squad manager Mick Kearney insists Cian Healy’s recovery from neck surgery is “coming on fine”.

Dylan Hartley believes Northampton are better equipped than ever to win European club rugby’s biggest prize – but now must prove it.

Stuart Lancaster has urged Twickenham to will England to victory tomorrow evening as he prepares to order his RBS 6 Nations title hopefuls to carry the game to France.

Stuart Lancaster has pledged to "make it absolutely crystal clear" to Dylan Hartley that any more lapses in discipline could blow England’s Six Nations chances.

Danny Cipriani and Nick Easter have the chance to reignite their Test careers in England’s 34-man Six Nations training squad, with Sam Burgess also handed World Cup lift-off.

England head coach Stuart Lancaster has backed Owen Farrell to make an impact from the bench against Australia at Twickenham tomorrow after dropping him from his starting XV for the first time since June 2012.

Stuart Lancaster has no qualms about picking Anthony Watson on the right wing for tomorrow’s QBE International against South Africa and believes he is ready for his first Test start.

AMLIN CHALLENGE CUP FINAL:

England have selected David Wilson at tighthead prop and named uncapped fly-half George Ford on the bench for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match against Ireland.

The Bath playmaker has not been picked on the bench for either of England’s opening two Six Nations games but will be named as Owen Farrell’s understudy by Stuart Lancaster tomorrow.

Scotland 0 England 20

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.

Courtney Lawes is ready to strike fear into the French ‘bully boys’ when he is unleashed from the England back row for the first time.

Wasps flanker James Haskell will make his first RBS 6 Nations start in nearly two years when England tackle Ireland in Dublin on Sunday.

Ulster 9 Northampton Saints 10

John Afoa is adamant the three components of Ulster’s recent good form must be repeated if the northerners are to achieve the double over Premiership giants Northampton at Ravenhill this evening.

Ulster’s Rory Best remembers the last Heineken Cup clash with Northampton extremely well and wants to wipe away the memory of defeat in the best possible way.

Owen Farrell will start opposite fellow world player of the year nominee Dan Carter after being confirmed as England’s starting fly-half against New Zealand.

Robbie Deans has brushed aside comments by David Campese that he has “destroyed Australian rugby,” but admitted he understands criticism of his regime.

Chris Ashton is back to play Australia after being recalled to the England side for Saturday’s Cook Cup showdown at Twickenham.

Leinster manager Guy Easterby expects his side to get back on track next weekend away to Sale Sharks after an experimental team were out to the sword at Franklin’s Gardens on Saturday.

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.

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.

ULSTER have grown used to the pain of defeat in the Heineken Cup over the last 12 years, but this quarter-final loss will be excruciating.

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.

JULIEN BONNAIRE has promised there will be no fear in the France ranks when Marc Lievremont’s troops run out at Twickenham tomorrow.

Lewis Moody’s hopes of captaining England against France at Twickenham on Saturday have been wrecked by a recurrence of his knee injury.

England manager Martin Johnson has named an unchanged team for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations clash with Italy at Twickenham.

NORTHAMPTON maintained their perfect Heineken Cup Pool 1 record in a thriller at the Cardiff City Stadium after the Blues were hit by the second-half dismissal of Xavier Rush.

MICHAEL BRADLEY reckons Paddy Wallace is ready to reclaim his Ireland centre jersey in the Six Nations opener against Italy.

DANNY Cipriani has withdrawn from the England Saxons squad ahead of Sunday’s game against Ireland A after suffering a family bereavement.

CONNACHT have gone from underdogs to favourites in just six days to record back-to-back wins over Worcester in tonight's Amlin Challenge Cup fixture at the Galway Sportsground (7pm).

Coach Michael Bradley has gone for the same 15 that inflicted the 26-21 defeat on Worcester for the return match at The Sportsground in the Challenge Cup on Friday night.

AWAY victories are a rare commodity for Connacht; even more scarce are wins against English Premiership sides.

Replacement hooker Adrian Flavin has been forced out of the Connacht squad due to illness for the Challenge Cup tie at Worcester Warriors on Saturday.

Worcester Warriors 3 Ulster 25