Italy 24 Romania 18

France launched the 2007 Rugby World Cup tonight amid huge expectancy levels in coach Bernard Laporte’s final assignment before he takes up a French ministerial post.

CHRIS WHITE, who was involved in the controversial conclusion to the Italy-Wales clash during this season’s Six Nations, will referee Ireland’s Rugby World Cup game against hosts France on September 21.

England face a France side gunning for the Grand Slam, after they followed up away victories over Italy and Ireland with a come-from-behind 32-21 win over Wales at the Stade de France on Saturday.

Wales were looking to upset the form book in their RBS 6 Nations Championship clash with France tonight.

Toulouse have launched a robust defence of Trevor Brennan following his alleged assault on an Ulster supporter on Sunday.

Furious Ulster coach Mark McCall laid the blame for today's Heineken Cup loss to Toulouse squarely at the feet of English referee Tony Spreadbury.

FIVE points down with 15 minutes left In dark and deepest France, few people would have given Leinster much hope of securing their first away win of the Heineken Cup campaign.

NEW ZEALANDER Steve Walsh will referee the first rugby Test match to be played at Croke Park.

Leicester 35 Sale 23

Scotland forward Jon Petrie is ready to commit the rest of his career to rugby north of the border.

South Africa 29 Scotland 15

Teams for the 11th Heineken Cup final:

CHRIS WHITE will become the first referee to take charge of three Heineken Cup finals when he controls Munster’s match with Biarritz Olympique at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on Saturday, May 20 (3pm).

LONDON IRISH held their nerve to win a sensational game of 14 tries, guaranteeing a place in the end-of-season play-offs and destroying Wasps’ 16-month unbeaten home league record.

France 37 Italy 12

Bourgoin 30 Leinster 28

The Australian Rugby Union will launch an immediate review of the Wallabies’ dismal European tour as speculation mounts that Eddie Jones’ days as head coach are numbered.

Llanelli 15 Edinburgh Gunners 13

Ospreys 13 Stade Francais 8

England and Lions prop Julian White is counting the cost of his latest brush with rugby authority – an eight-week ban.

INSPIRATIONAL Stade Francais scrum-half Agustin Pichot said his side never gave up hope in Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final - despite trailing to Biarritz until deep into injury-time.

Stade Francais 20 Biarritz 17

IRISH referee Alain Rolland will take charge of the Heineken Cup semi-final between Leicester and Toulouse at the Walkers Stadium on April 24.

Irish referee Alain Rolland will take charge of the Heineken Cup semi-final between Leicester and Toulouse at the Walkers Stadium on April 24.

EVEN in the professional era, with international players well remunerated for their efforts, the driving force for anyone worth his salt is the quest for trophies.

FRANCE centre Benoit Baby has been cited by independent match commissioner Bill Scott, following an alleged head-butting incident on Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll during Saturday’s Six Nations clash at Lansdowne Road.

France lead Ireland by 18 points to nine after two excellent tries and a textbook conversion followed opening scores.

IRELAND coach Eddie O'Sullivan has cranked up the tension ahead of today's crunch RBS 6 Nations showdown with France by accusing opposite number Bernard Laporte of playing mind games.

CHANCES are that a swirling wind will blow all over Lansdowne Road this afternoon. And they are just the conditions Ireland and France would gladly do without in a match that will play a major part in deciding the destination of the RBS 6 Nations Championship for 2005.

Ireland boss Eddie O’Sullivan has cranked up the tension ahead of tomorrow’s crunch RBS 6 Nations showdown with France by accusing opposite number Bernard Laporte of playing mind games.

Neath-Swansea 20 Castres 11

THE Ospreys’ coach Lyn Jones is looking to the future ahead of this afternoon’s Heineken Cup Pool Four meeting with Castres at The Gnoll.

London Irish 21 Northampton 22

Ireland 21 Argentina 19

ARGENTINEAN players alleged to have gouged six different Irish opponents in Saturday’s Lansdowne Road cliffhanger will not face any disciplinary action.

PUMAS captain Augustin Pichot was hardly sitting behind the top table in the old Lansdowne Road pavilion after Saturday’s gripping encounter when he launched into an amazing attack on the Irish team.

Ireland have accused Argentina of gouging while the Pumas have accused the Irish of unsporting behaviour after the sides' gripping Test match at Lansdowne Road.

Controversy surrounded the conduct of Ireland’s players during the narrow 21-19 win against Argentina today at Lansdowne Road.

Cardiff Blues 15 Stade Francais 38

South Africa 31 Ireland 17

Ireland boss Eddie O'Sullivan is fielding a strong team for today's Test against the Springboks in South Africa.