NEXT weekend three Irish teams play three English teams in the European Champions’ Cup. Ulster travel to London to play Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop, Leinster go to Sandy Park to play the Exeter Chiefs and Munster will again welcome Leicester Tigers at Thomond Park.

Women’s International

The Ireland Women’s rugby squad to play England women in a historic first Autumn International match has been named.

Eoin Reddan has warned his Leinster team-mates that the consequences of their final two Guinness Pro12 games could haunt them for all of next season.

Edinburgh 13  Gloucester 19

Leo Cullen believes Leinster’s surprise defeat of Munster in the classic 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final at Croke Park can serve as a template as the province contemplates the prospect of facing Toulon at the same stage in Marseille.

The last time Nick Easter walked onto the pitch at the Aviva Stadium was in 2011, and England looked on the cusp of a first Six Nations Grand Slam for eight years.

Conor O’Shea has told his Harlequins to prepare themselves for ‘war’ as they face Leinster in another crucial European encounter on Saturday.

England captain Chris Robshaw has been ruled out of Harlequins’ European Rugby Champions Cup match against Leinster on Saturday and will see a specialist to examine his shoulder injury.

Harlequins 24 Leinster 18

Leinster will be without Fergus McFadden for this Sunday’s trip to Harlequins in the European Champions Cup.

Leinster’s scrum coach Marco Caputo says a massive step up is needed this week in the European Champions Cup.

Leinster 18 Ospreys 12

Twickenham has been chosen to host the inaugural final of the European Rugby Champions Cup on May 2, European Professional Club Rugby has announced.

Geordan Murphy still togs out, of course. The former Ireland full back is a familiar sight on the training fields at Leicester, where he coaches now.

Harlequins 17 Racing Metro 3

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).

As May beckons Munster and Leinster prepare for a French test. At the end of contrasting seasons, and facing a different calibre of opponent, the Red Army travel in hope, the blues wait in expectation.

Warren Gatland has put the brakes on the Paul O’Connell Lions bandwagon but will be in Limerick this evening for the Munster and Leinster derby to run the rule over Ireland’s hopefuls for his squad.

Harlequins have launched an investigation after claiming “many” of their supporters sold tickets to rival Munster fans for last Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final at the Twickenham Stoop.

Leinster scrum coach Greg Feek knows his team will have to try and curb the influence of Munster second row Paul O’Connell when the two provinces go head to head in Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 clash at Thomond Park (6.30pm).

By Ian Cusack

Paul O’Connell knows that a 100% performance improvement is required if Munster are going to progress to the semi-final of the Heineken European Cup.

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O’Shea has politely distanced himself from speculation linking him to the job of Ireland’s head coach and laughed off further rumours he could move to assist Stuart Lancaster at England.

Munster say that they will wait until later in the week to make a decision on whether or not Simon Zebo will be fit for Saturday's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Harlequins.

Harlequins familiar home venue, the Twickenham Stoop, will stage their Heineken Cup quarter-final clash with Munster on Sunday, April 7 (2pm).

Harlequins are poised to become this season’s first Heineken Cup quarter-finalists tomorrow - if they can see off the Connacht challenge.

From schools rugby last season to Heineken Cup fare today, Connacht full-back Robbie Henshaw has enjoyed a meteoric rise in his career.

Johnny O’Connor is one of several Connacht players who have recovered from injury in time to stake a claim for a place in Eric Elwood’s starting XV for Saturday’s Heineken Cup game against Harlequins at the Twickenham Stoop (1.35pm).

Connacht head coach Eric Elwood was delighted to see his charges return to winning ways against the Dragons in the RaboDirect PRO12 ahead of their Heineken Cup Pool 3 meeting with Harlequins next weekend.

Harlequins 40 Biarritz 13

New Zealander Brad Thorn could create rugby history in tomorrow’s Heineken Cup final between Leinster and Ulster at Twickenham.

Dublin is to get a major economic boost following a decision by European rugby chiefs to stage both their major cup finals in the capital on the same weekend in 2013.

Harlequins orchestrated the biggest upset so far in this season’s Heineken Cup with a 24-31 over Toulouse at Le Stadium yesterday but head coach Conor O’Shea isn’t prepared to dwell on the achievement.

Wales star Rhys Priestland believes the Scarlets will need to recreate intensity levels of their stunning victory over Northampton when they host European heavyweights Munster tomorrow.

Conor O'Shea has no doubt about the size of unbeaten Harlequins’ Heineken Cup task against French giants Toulouse tomorrow night.

ENGLAND centre Riki Flutey admits Wasps are “hurting” ahead of tonight’s Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final clash against London rivals Harlequins.

Conor O’Shea believes his Harlequins team will face the standard-bearers for English club rugby tomorrow.

Mike Ross is ready to rally Ireland’s retreating scrum when they open their RBS 6 Nations against Italy on Saturday.

WITH Connacht’s European hopes all but over for this season, coach Eric Elwood is looking for a much-needed victory to restore some confidence in his side.