Unchanged French side slightly unnerving for Ireland

First France coach to name the same team for successive Tests since 2012

France stick with the same team that beat Scotland

Jacques Brunel has retained the same French matchday 23 for the trip to Dublin

No shortage of advice for Brunel as he juggles his options again

Critics claim France coach’s chopping and changing means he is unsure of his best backline

Rugby stats: sequence of fixtures has let Wales rotate and build

Coaches are juggling between being competitive in the Six Nations and planning for Japan

Ireland’s impressive frontrunners struggle when chasing a game

Since 2014 on all 10 times Ireland trailed at the interval, they went on to lose the game

Gerry Thornley: Soul searching needed in England after European failings

Strength of Irish provinces bodes well with the start of the Six Nations fast approaching

Leinster hit the high notes of champions

Toulouse succumb to home side’s remorseless carrying and recycling

Leinster back in control of their own destiny

Leinster will top Pool 1 in Champions Cup with a win over Wasps next weekend

Gerry Thornley: Toulouse have found what they were looking for

Former stalwarts like ex-Bandon RFC coach Sonnes helping club reclaim its old identity

Leinster facing a colossal stress test in terms of squad depth

Champions’ missing big guns tilts the balance towards confident Toulouse

How they stand: Gerry Thornley’s Champions Cup pools guide

Leinster and Munster best placed of the Irish provinces heading into pivotal rounds

Gordon D’Arcy: The days of rugby's physical enforcer might be numbered

World Rugby need to be sure about which problem they are trying to solve

EPCR pull the plug on Bath hopes of Toulouse replay

Champions Cup organisers clear up discrepancy over TV and stadium clock

Gerry Thornley: Big-hearted Simon Zebo deserves a break

Bad losers Bath in danger of losing the run of themselves with replay ‘appeal’

Seán Cronin hopes defeat will cause a Leinster reaction

‘Seanie was talking after the game and saying that we need to move on and build on this’

Wasteful Leinster brought rudely back down to earth

Champions falter in Toulouse while three serious injuries mar Munster’s victory

The Offload: Owens takes Zebo to task for finger-pointing

Former Munster man apologetic following try-scoring gesture in win over Ulster

Toulouse are back but the aristocratic aura is gone

Despite their history, famous club no longer enjoy the inherent advantages of yore

Leinster now holding the whiphand as masters face off

Formidable champions unlikely to be daunted these days by a trip to Toulouse

Bath to make unprecedented request for Toulouse game to be replayed

Club say whistle was blown early and also believe French side should have been down to 13 men

Gerry Thornley: unbeaten start for provinces but things to get tougher

Munster’s 10-10 draw in Sandy Park against Exeter was the best result for the Irish sides

TV View: Burns Bath gaffe leaves everyone bamboozled

O’Gara and Jennings have little sympathy for outhalf as O’Callaghan dons red-tinted specs

Burns’s blunders help Toulouse take the points against Bath

Fullback misses kick and try opportunity late on as French side win at The Rec

Coping with injuries the key for All Blacks and France

Jacques Brunel and Steve Hansen in World Cup planning mode ahead of Test clash

Late, late shows: Looking back at five of Ireland’s most dramatic finishes

Ireland are no strangers to late euphoria – and late heartbreak – when the clock runs out

Ireland face the unknown in Six Nations opener with France

Brunel's wunderkind Matthieu Jalibert could cause an upset against Schmidt’s side

Robbie Henshaw heads for Paris with a spring in his step

Centre hoping to bring Leinster form to Test arena in opener against France

Gerry Thornley: History suggests Ireland's odds are far from generous

Back-to-back champions England entitled to be favourites to retain the trophy

Munster prove irresistible as Thomond plays its part to perfection

Umbilical link between team and supporters has made province extremely tough to beat

Well-primed Munster face down veteran French gunslingers

Aging Toulouse may have one last face off left in them as corral of Thomond Park awaits

Toulouse are titans of French rugby but risk becoming also-rans

Munster’s opponents have found status diminished as money floods into Top 14

Ian Madigan warns Munster of danger posed by ‘powerful’ Toulouse

Bordeaux-Begles outhalf says recent poor results fail to reflect French outfit’s ability

Vincent Clerc: France will relish the role of the underdog

Ireland’s tormentor-in-chief believes old boss Guy Noves can deliver success for Les Bleus

Tadhg Furlong ready for unusual challenge of French scrum

Ireland tighthead rejects talk of feeling the pressure ahead of make-or-break match

Johnny Sexton: Numbers game not stacking up for injured Ireland outhalf

Outhalf has completed just one match for Ireland and Leinster this season and five in the last 12 months

Gordon D’Arcy: Red cards inevitable until new tackle laws bed in

Zero tolerance on new law will have drawbacks but high tackle needs to be consigned to history

Gerry Thornley: Merchants of doom wide of mark in 2016

Season turned on Connacht’s daring and unlikely success and will go down in history

Connacht run the hell out of everything, including Toulouse

Thrilling Sportsground encounter sees Pat Lam’s side take down superpowers

Irish ready to give nouveau riche French a run for their money

Provinces will have to punch above weight when they face financial behemoths of Top14

Gordon D’Arcy: Leinster v Munster derby needs to get back to its roots

Leinster versus Munster has become sanitised. Too much about rugby.

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