Joe Schmidt hadn’t a word of French when he pitched up in the Massif Central town of Clermont-Ferrand back in 2007, but the Kiwi coach was a quick learner and he’s still known for dropping the odd peu de Francais into his vocabulary on those weeks when the opposition is of a Gallic flavour.

The drama and uncertainty surrounding the make up of the Heineken Cup quarter-finals extended through to the final game of round six in Clermont-Ferrand.

It was around midnight on Saturday when the first of the cars, horns blaring and flags flying, pulled off the A75 and headed towards the centre of Clermont-Ferrand.

Munster are a team who have often faced — and overcome — huge hurdles in the Heineken Cup. Tomorrow, in the south of France, they face another of those seemingly impossible challenges.

The journey from Clermont-Ferrand to Montpellier takes just over three hours on the A75. It is a fairly spectacular drive, across the Massif Central, down into valleys and rising sharply over the next mountains in a landscape shaped by volcanoes.

FLYING to your family holiday destination may have its advantages in terms of speed, but there’s a lot to be said for taking the scenic route by car.

FLYING to your family holiday destination may have its advantages in terms of speed, but there’s a lot to be said for taking the scenic route by car.

MUNSTER’S Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final opponents, Brive, eased their Top 14 relegation worries with a 26-9 win over La Rochelle at Stade Amédée-Domenech on Saturday.

FOUR suspected members of Basque separatist group ETA were arrested in Portugal and France, including one who was allegedly driving a van loaded with explosives, officials said yesterday.

MUNSTER flanker Alan Quinlan hopes his side will have recovered mentally and physically for Saturday’s must-win Heineken Cup showdown with London Wasps (Thomond Park, 5.35pm, Sky Sports).

THE Munster rugby battlecry of Stand Up and Fight will ring out with renewed vigour in central France this weekend as the province faces a vital Heineken European Cup clash against ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Mark McDermott's Ireland outfit have been draw to play hosts France, Argentina and Georgia in the pool stages of the 2006 Under-21 Rugby World Cup.

Safety fears could cause a mass boycott of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis, it emerged today.

Former England manager Glenn Hoddle looks to be out of the running to be France coach.

Former World Rally Champion Colin McRae acquitted himself well on his first taste of the Dakar Rally – but he expects matters to get much harder when the event hits Africa.

Colin McRae made a creditable start to his first-ever Dakar Rally by posting the 28th quickest time on today’s first stage.

Irish low fares airline Ryanair today threatened to cut some under-performing new routes, leaving uncertainty hanging over holidays and second home owners in France.

RYANAIR has denied it is using a little-known, Isle of Man-based company as a vehicle to circumvent an EU ban on regional and State aid.

After a two-week campaign that mobilised France, conservative President Jacques Chirac today appeared likely to win his re-election bid against far-right contender Jean-Marie Le Pen.