Clermont Auvergne 16 Munster 10

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.

“Sizzled, suffered, then won” – that was how L’Equipe chose to set the tone for what was a day of high drama at the Stade de la Mosson on Saturday.

If Ronan O’Gara still has some sleeping to do on the matter of his plans for next season, Munster head coach Rob Penney must be praying that the fly-half’s dreams are all of his glory days in red.

Clermont 16 Munster 10

Heineken Cup semi-final

Clermont Auvergne coach Vern Cotter yesterday played down the loss of his captain Aurelien Rougerie and flanker Gerhard Vosloo for today’s Heineken Cup semi-final.

Munster centre believes he can get his team on the front foot against Clermont

Another gripping weekend of European rugby knockout games is upon us.

Munster star Paul O’Connell is hoping the province’s Red Army can lift the side to another famous Heineken Cup victory in Montpellier today as a contingent of 7,000 supporters descend on the French city ahead of the semi-final clash with Clermont Auvergne, which kicks off at 5pm Irish time).

The inclusion of a fit-again Keith Earls represents Rob Penney’s only change to his starting XV for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Clermont Auvergne at the Stade de la Mosson (6pm).

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.

Nobody has done it now for almost three-and-a-half years, not since a Frenchman who just happens to be appearing in Dublin this weekend on European semi-final business.

He speaks of a new adversary in glowing terms, but Munster’s Peter O’Mahony hopes not to yield an inch of ground to Clermont Auvergne’s experienced flanker Julien Bonnaire.

Munster’s players can expect a hostile reception when they take the field at Stade de la Mosson this weekend.

Clermont Auvergne coach Vern Cotter has cranked up the heat ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final by claiming Paul O’Connell was protected by officials over the incident with Dave Kearney.

Munster skipper Doug Howlett remains “very doubtful” for Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final against competition favourites Clermont Auvergne as head coach Rob Penney assesses a mixed bag of injury news before finalising his team selection.

Munster will sell naming rights to Thomond Park if the right offer is tabled — but at the moment, the commercial arm of the operation if putting all its efforts into securing a shirt sponsor for next season.

Another opportunity for Munster rugby fans to enhance their reputation for canniness in travel and ticket arrangements has arisen following the province’s victory over Harlequins in the Heineken Cup at the weekend.

Within minutes of Jérôme Garcès’s final whistle on Sunday, Munster fans began furiously scouring the internet searching for low-cost deals to Montpellier for the April 27 Heineken Cup semi-final showdown with Clermont Auvergne.

Clermont Auvergne 36 Montpellier 14

European Rugby Cup have confirmed the venues for this season’s Heineken Cup semi-finals.

Assistant boss Steve Bould maintains Arsenal can head to Manchester City full of confidence after opening their Champions League campaign with a battling 2-1 victory in Montpellier.

Montpellier 1 Arsenal 2

DECLAN KIDNEY has consistently deflected the ongoing debate about who should wear the Ireland no 10 jersey by stressing his good fortune at having two such talented players from which to choose.

THE visit of Glasgow Warriors to the RDS hasn’t usually been a cue to circle the wagons but Joe Schmidt is playing up the challenge of the Scots following their last-gasp win over Bath in the opening round of the Heineken Cup.

Montpellier 16 Leinster 16

A GAME of firsts, this one.

Leinster will take on Montpellier Hérault without influential prop Cian Healy when the sides meet in tomorrow's Heineken Cup encounter in Stade de la Mosson (KO: 2.30pm local time, 1.30pm Irish time).

WHATEVER about the final score against New Zealand a few weeks ago, the 2011 World Cup will go down as a personal disappointment for Montpellier’s Fulgence Ouedraogo.

HE’S a powerful back-row and an explosive runner who has become a cult figure among his supporters and the subject of tribute videos on the internet.

KEVIN McLAUGHLIN hasn’t exactly got a wealth of experience when it comes to playing rugby in France but he has enough to know what to expect in Montpellier this Saturday.

They may be newcomers to the tournament, but Leo Cullen expects Montpellier to prove worthy adversaries when the two sides meet at the Stade de la Mosson on Saturday (2.30pm).

A BOD-less Leinster will kick off their defence of the Heineken Cup title with a challenging trip to Stade de la Mosson to take on Montpellier on Saturday afternoon with no other injury concerns following Friday night’s league victory over Munster.

FORMER Leinster coach Michael Cheika has been fined €20,000, half of it suspended until June 2013, for his conduct on the night of the Amlin Challenge final when his Stade Francais side was defeated by Harlequins.

Leinster begin their defence of the Heineken Cup on Saturday, November 12 against Montpellier Hérault in the Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier (KO: 1.30pm Irish time), it was announced today.

If Munster can negotiate the huge obstacle that Gloucester respresent in the Heineken Cup quarter-final on Saturday they will either play The Ospreys at The Millennium Stadium or Saracens at The Ricoh Arena on the semi-finals weekend of April 26-27.

South Africa 64 United States 15

BAYERN MUNICH’S German international goalkeeper Oliver Kahn has insisted he is ready for a move abroad despite the Bundesliga giants’ determination to hold on to him.