Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend says Chris Harris has earned his place in the starting line-up of their NatWest 6 Nations opener in Cardiff.

Peter Jackson gives his progress report on the best and worst teams, players and moments of the Autumn Internationals.

Jonathan Joseph was included in the Lions squad for New Zealand after Warren Gatland decided a player who has caused Wales so much torment on his watch could not be overlooked.

Given all the other challenges Warren Gatland faces, getting the balance to the squad right is one of the few totally within his control, writes Donal Lenihan.

You would have thought Connacht’s bid to get their first points of the season would be the primary focus of this encounter, but the surprise midweek departure of Edinburgh coach Alan Solomons has changed the dynamic of this clash.

Connacht coach Pat Lam expects to face a much stronger Edinburgh team this Friday than the one Munster beat in Thomond Park last weekend.

Munster 28 Edinburgh 14: “The performance was really, really average”. 

Edinburgh isn’t exactly the scene of last week’s crime but it should be close enough to concentrate minds as Leinster seek to atone for the manner in which they coughed up a winning lead down the M8 in Glasgow last time out.

Tommy O’Donnell has boiled tomorrow night’s Guinness Pro12 showdown with Edinburgh in Cork down to its essence: Take what the visitors have.

For a small town, Enniskillen has given birth to more than its share of international sportsmen, amongst them Olympic gold medal sprinter Robert Kerr, champion heavyweight boxer Gordon Ferris and ex-Celtic goalkeeper Michael McGovern.

Edinburgh 14 Munster 16

Munster return to a happy hunting ground this afternoon when they will hope to bring this block of Pro12 games to a successful conclusion in Edinburgh before turning their attention to the Champions Cup next weekend.

South Africa 34 Scotland 16: Stand-off Duncan Weir hopes his stunning second-half burst against South Africa on Saturday will help seal his place in coach Vern Cotter’s plans as Scotland look to book their place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

Munster back-row duo CJ Stander and Tommy O’Donnell are among a seven-strong contingent from the Irish provinces to have been voted onto the Guinness Pro12 Dream Team for this season but there is no representation from outgoing champions Leinster.

Edinburgh 3 Munster 34: Edinburgh scarcely represented Munster’s biggest hurdle in their march towards the knockout stages of the Guinness Pro12 league but nevertheless the visitors were in ruthless form in Scotland on Saturday afternoon.

Anthony Foley has wasted no time in recalling Ireland’s Six Nations heroes as the province continue to seek the victories required to help them to a top two Guinness Pro12 finish.

Guiness Pro12

Edinburgh 17 Ulster 20

Edinburgh 13 Connacht 14

The return of Ireland international Robbie Henshaw is one of three changes to Connacht’s starting XV for this evening’s Guinness Pro 12 fixture with Edinburgh at Murrayfield (7.35pm).

Munster 13 Edinburgh 14

Ian Keatley will start at out-half for Munster in their Guinness PRO12 opener at home to Edinburgh tonight (KO: 7.35pm) nursing the same injury he had to manage throughout the last campaign.

Munster coach Anthony Foley has included three debutants as he named his starting side for their opening PRO12 fixture.

Leinster 15 Edinburgh 13

Connacht take on Edinburgh this evening desperate to break a losing run of seven RaboDirect Pro 12 fixtures.

Ulster 41 Edinburgh 17

The fact that Edinburgh will be missing their main play-maker and most lethal finisher tonight will delight Munster as they prepare for the opening round of the RaboDirect Pro 12 at Musgrave Park (7.15pm).

You know the landscape is changing when Munster have to employ every marketing strategy in the book to fill Thomond Park for a Heineken Cup pool game.

Leinster 22 Edinburgh 16