Whichever way you viewed Ireland’s Guinness Six Nations opening-round win over Scotland seven days ago, there is little arguing with the verdict that Andy Farrell’s players simply have to do better this afternoon against Wales.

Ireland must win key battles in the contact zone, writes Donal Lenihan.

Tadhg Furlong did not think of himself much as a leader coming into the season.

After 12 years and 151 tests in charge of Wales, Warren Gatland’s Super Rugby coaching career with the Chiefs began with a remarkable comeback victory over the Blues in Auckland.

New Wales defence coach Byron Hayward has told his side to blitz Ireland out of the game as they go in search of their first win in Dublin since 2012.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made two enforced changes to the Ireland team to face Wales in Saturday's Six Nations clash.

If Andy Farrell proves to be nothing more than a lucky general, then Ireland supporters are in for one hell of a ride in the coming years.

Andy Farrell warned his Ireland players they will need to sharpen up if they are going to keep “cock-a-hoop” Wales at bay in Dublin on Saturday.

Stuart Hogg’s cock-up at a crucial moment was in stark contrast to Ireland’s new skipper Johnny Sexton, writes Simon Lewis.

Ronan O'Gara rates the six teams vying for Six Nations glory this spring.

The man known as ‘Rees Lightning’ has landed like a bolt from the blue to star in the Cherry and White of Gloucester.

When Wayne Pivac sat down with his Wales squad to outline his expectations for the 2020 Six Nations this week, he did so with the Championship’s trophy alongside him.

So here we are again, on the cusp of another championship, the first of the decade.

Simon Zebo and Donnacha Ryan will remain central to Racing 92’s bid to strengthen their grip on Pool 4 when they start for the Parisians at home to Ospreys tonight.

An injury doubt over Iain Henderson could open the door for Munster lock Tadhg Beirne to make a surprise Guinness Six Nations debut on Saturday when Ireland play Wales in Cardiff.

Munster go in search of their eighth win in a row this evening when they take on Scarlets at Parcy Scarlets on an occasion to be marked by Rory Scannell’s 100th appearance for the province.

Leinster 40 Scarlets 32

Tries win finals. Most of them anyway.

IT WAS James Lowe who voiced what everyone at Leinster must have been thinking last weekend when, with Munster beaten, he suggested that the stars might be aligning for a fairytale ending with today’s Guinness PRO14 final.

He was never going to sit this one out.

Once bitten... Wayne Pivac has suffered at the hands of Leinster one time too many in a major knockout game at the Aviva Stadium and the Scarlets boss is determined to avoid a repeat in tomorrow’s Guinness PRO14 final.

"You are waking up in bed and the sheets are stuck to your leg about seven times a night."

Tadhg Beirne hopes back-to-back titles with the Scarlets can help him cement his place in the Ireland squad to tour Australia this summer.

Gareth Davies insists the Scarlets are relishing the tag of underdogs ahead of today’s Champions Cup semi-final with Leinster.

If Leinster are to reach the Champions Cup final they will have to do so by overcoming one of European rugby’s most durable players.

Irrespective of how pronounced the home advantage may appear in tomorrow’s semi-final, Leinster know the Scarlets have a habit of turning conventional wisdom to dust, writes Peter Jackson

RHYS Patchell will form part of a confident Scarlets squad travelling to Dublin this weekend determined to reach the Champions Cup final, but not only for themselves.

As far as preparation goes for your biggest game in a decade, a 50-point hammering is not ideal.

It is fascinating from a collisions point of view watching Ma’a Nonu, pictured, and Mathieu Bastareaud. How will Munster check them, asks Ronan O’Gara

Munster are closing in on appointing an American football strength and conditioning coach as head of athletic performance, causing surprise and disappointment within Munster and Irish rugby circles that indigenous candidates have been overlooked again.

The tiny margins that will shape today’s Six Nations clash at the Aviva Stadium.

Leinster 20 Scarlets 13: Leinster landed a significant blow in the scramble for Guinness PRO14 play-off places on Saturday afternoon with a hard-earned and at times entertaining victory against the 2017 league champions in Ballsbridge.

The Scarlets are in Dublin tomorrow for a PRO14 meeting with Leinster. It’s not the real Scarlets, of course. 

Stuart Lancaster has played down the growing hype surrounding the potential St Patrick’s Day Grand Slam showdown between England and Ireland.

Ross Moriarty has revealed the full extent of a horror injury that ended his British and Irish Lions tour and left him unable to climb stairs.

Scarlets have recorded a 14-11 victory over the Cardiff Blues to maintain their position at the top of Conference B in the Guinness PRO14.

Munster have been rocked by the loss of Jaco Taute for virtually the rest of the season after the South African Test centre underwent knee surgery yesterday.