Ireland captain Paul O’Connell makes his return to Munster colours ahead of schedule tonight having been cleared by the IRFU to face Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

RABODIRECT PRO12: Ulster 31 Dragons 5

Newport Gwent Dragons 14 Connacht 3

Munster 33 Dragons 13

Rob Penney may now have a defeat on his record as Munster head coach, but the New Zealander sends a much-changed team out tonight at Thomond Park (8pm) against Newport Gwent Dragons confident his players are heading in the right direction with a big month coming up in October.

Munster will reunite Peter Stringer and Ronan O’Gara at half-back for the first time in 19 months as head coach Rob Penney shuffles his deck for tomorrow night’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Thomond Park (8pm).

Leinster 45 Newport G’went Dragons

Leinster’s new overseas signing, Quinn Roux, will make his home debut when the Heineken Cup champions take on Newport Gwent Dragons in tonight’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash at the RDS.

Cian Healy will be watching a rerun of the recent Argentina and South Africa clash, a rugged affair in which both sides put physicality before quality.

Team manager Guy Easterby has played down a historic double and warned Leinster they have won nothing yet.

Leinster will have to plan without Luke Fitzgerald for the rest of the season.

Connacht overcame the Newport Gwent Dragons to grab only their second away Rabo Direct Pro 12 victory since their opening day visit to Treviso.

Munster double centurion Mick O’Driscoll reckons Saturday’s victory over Newport Gwent Dragons was crucial to Red Army’s Pro12 hopes.

A Munster career going back to 1998 will be marked tonight when Mick O’Driscoll captains the RaboDirect Pro12 champions in a crucial fixture against Newport Gwent Dragons for what will be his 200th career for the province.

OSPREYS replacement Dan Biggar held his head in his hands as his last-gasp drop-goal to win an enthralling Welsh derby with Newport Gwent Dragons hit the post.

A POWERFUL front-row proved the game-breakers by earning a penalty-try to ease Leinster to a hard-fought win over the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade.

LEINSTER are in an unfamiliar position. Their success over the past three seasons has come with apparent ease, yet tomorrow they find themselves in a must-win scenario.

MUNSTER coach Tony McGahan will give youth its fling in tonight’s Magners League clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park (7.30pm).

CONNACHT bid to end their worst losing run since the game went professional over a decade and a half ago when they take on the Dragons at Rodney Parade this evening. (7.35pm).

A SIXTH win on the trot moved Leinster up into fourth place in the Magners League at the RDS last night as their second string brushed the Dragons aside and picked up a bonus point en route.

CLINT NEWLAND makes his debut for Leinster tonight against the Dragons at the RDS (7.05pm), when the New Zealand Maori prop lines up in a front row which includes Heinke van der Merwe and Richardt Strauss.

ERIC ELWOOD had every reason to be “chuffed” about his side’s unexpected demolition of the Dragons on opening day.

CONNACHT dented the Newport Gwent Dragons’ Magners League play-off hopes with a controlled performance at the Sportsground last evening.

MUNSTER’S worsening away form threatens to scupper their hopes of defending the Magners League title following this latest defeat.

MUNSTER’S prospects of achieving a favourable outcome from Saturday’s Magners League clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons (6.30pm) were given a major boost last night by the news that Ronan O’Gara will line out at out-half.

Ulster 22 Newport-Gwent Dragons 22

SIMON EASTERBY has been ruled out of the remainder of the Scarlets’ Heineken Cup campaign.