Four games into the Champions Cup for the Irish provinces and just a solitary win to show for our efforts. Even that was achieved at home by Munster against the tournament’s basement side Treviso. 

At some point next year, work will start on the new main stand at the RDS.

Dave Kearney and Eoin Reddan are likely to miss the start of Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations title defence after suffering injuries as Leinster squeaked through to the Champions Cup quarter-finals at Wasps.

Sam Burgess says his high-profile, six-figure switch of rugby codes was based on "the challenge" that will await him — and not next year’s World Cup in England.

Peter Stringer still hankers after the big Heineken Cup days at Thomond Park.

Tournament organisers have announced the dates and kick-off times for this season’s Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-finals.

JOE SCHMIDT takes his Leinster team back to the Aviva Stadium tonight looking for a similar return against pool rivals Bath (6pm) as they achieved at the same stage last season against Clermont Auvergne.

JOE SCHMIDT may have been frustrated by Leinster’s missed opportunities but at least he left Bath with a valuable Heineken Cup victory. His opposite number, Ian McGeechan, was equally vexed and had nothing but a losing bonus point to show for his developing side’s efforts on home soil.

The team may be in transition but the squad still contains considerable strength in depth with the likes of Springboks BJ Botha and Wian du Preez along with Irish internationals Donncha O’Callaghan and Denis Leamy.

Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt believes there’s room for improvement despite his side’s hard fought 13-18 victory over Bath at the Recreation Ground yesterday.

THE European champions can win these games the hard way too, you know.

LEINSTER head coach Joe Schmidt is demanding his players get the basics spot on Saturday at the Aviva Stadium if the Heineken Cup champions are to avoid “suffocating” themselves in their rematch with Bath.

LIKE most professionals, Leo Cullen is prepared to make all sorts of sacrifices to play the game he loves but he draws the line at pasta for breakfast.

Ireland internationals Sean Cronin, Cian Healy, Shane Jennings, Eoin Reddan and Devin Toner have all been named on a strong bench for Leinster’s Heineken Cup Pool 3 Round 3 encounter in The Recreation Ground (12.45pm) on Sunday.

The Leinster squad trained in UCD this afternoon for the first on-field pitch session of the week ahead of Sunday's Heineken Cup Round 3 encounter against Bath in The Recreation Ground (12.45pm).

IAN McGeechan believes the English RFU should take its time in appointing Martin Johnson’s successor as England manager.

A COUPLE of weeks ago, Joe Schmidt talked about the process of reintegrating his massive World Cup contingent and pointed out that it had taken three games for the kinks to be ironed out when his stars returned from a late summer break the season before.

ULSTER coach Brian McLaughlin has targeted victory in their three remaining Heineken Cup pool games as the province bid to make the last eight in Europe.

DESPITE Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Wales being six weeks away, Warren Gatland has already started the mind games by claiming that Croke Park is not as intimidating as everyone seems to believe.

LESS than a year ago, Andrew Trimble was facing into the unknown; he could be forgiven for thinking his future in international rugby was in serious jeopardy after 25 Irish caps and eight tries.

DANNY Cipriani has withdrawn from the England Saxons squad ahead of Sunday’s game against Ireland A after suffering a family bereavement.

Bath 10 Ulster 28

MUNSTER Rugby chiefs are ‘extremely disappointed’ at the scheduling of their crucial Heineken Cup Pool One game against Northampton Saints at Thomond Park for Friday, January 22 (8pm).

STEVE MEEHAN admits it will take “a really good effort” for Bath to reach this season’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals following their shattering defeat against French giants Stade Francais.

Bath 27 Stade Francais 29

ENGLAND rugby coach Martin Johnson has denied rugby has a drug culture and claimed players are aware of the consequences if they take prohibited substances.

ANDREW TRIMBLE will miss Ulster’s Magners League clash with Connacht at the Sportsground (7pm) on Friday as Paddy Wallace fights for fitness.

Bath 3 Toulouse 3

BATH boss Steve Meehan has thrown down the gauntlet to French giants Toulouse ahead of tomorrow’s s Heineken Cup showdown, declaring: “They should be very concerned.”

DAVID SKRELA will miss Toulouse’s make-or-break Heineken Cup clash against Bath on Sunday.

Bath say they feel “let down” by their England star Matt Stevens following his public confession that he failed a drugs test.

THREE provincial players have been cited for foul play in their respective Magners League games over the weekend.

Bath 35 Glasgow 31

Bath head coach Steve Meehan is hoping Newport Gwent Dragons can prove a major stumbling block to rivals Toulouse in Pool Five of the Heineken Cup.

Sale Sharks could appeal centre Lee Thomas’ 14-week ban imposed by Rugby Football Union disciplinary chiefs.

RETIRED England centre Mike Catt believes coach Brian Ashton still has a role to play with the national side, despite making some unflattering comments about the coach’s tenure in the aftermath of the World Cup.

Germany Under-21 international Kevin-Prince Boateng scored on his Tottenham debut in a 3-2 friendly win at 10-man Grays Athletic.

Bath have completed the signing of Springboks fly-half Butch James on a two-year contract.

Connacht failed to halt stop Bath’s European Challenge Cup run with a 36-24 win at the Sportsgrounds in Galway tonight.

Weather began to play havoc with the festive sporting fixtures tonight as the Magners League clash between Llanelli Scarlets and Newport Gwent Dragons was postponed due to thick fog.

London Irish coach Brian Smith insisted Mike Catt was the man to solve England’s problematic inside-centre position after his side’s 30-18 win over Saracens at the Madejski Stadium.

Leicester 12 Bath 15

Michael Foley is to leave Bath and return to Australia after being appointed an assistant coach in John Connolly’s new-look Wallabies management team.