Hugo Auradou and Oscar Jegou have both been included in France's matchday squad to face Wales in the first game of the Six Nations tournament next week.

Leinster are unbeaten in the Champions Cup and United Rugby Championship this season Investec Champions Cup Pool 2 La Rochelle (6) 14 Try: Leyds Pens: Hastoy (3) Leinster: (10) 16 Try: McCarthy ...

In December, the case against the 21-year-olds was dropped after the two forwards had faced accusations in July. Read more at straitstimes.com.

France head coach Fabien Galthie said on Tuesday he and his coaches take "complete responsibility" for including two players in his Six Nations squad who were investigated for rape in Argentina before the case was dismissed.

Dennis Busher of The Daily Herald claimed after the icy sleet had settled ‘international rugby is in its death throes as a spectator sport’. Wales won 6-0 but a crisis of confidence in the northern hemisphere game was now the central topic of conversation. As Daily Express correspondent Pat Marshall concluded:

Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle and its glorious setting on the Atlantic Coast await in April but Munster’s most pressing concern are the rather less salubrious surrounds of Rodney Parade this Saturday

Justin Tipuric returns to captain Ospreys for Friday's United Rugby Championship (URC) game against Benetton in Swansea.

Morse is brought down just short of the line but the damage has been done and Dan Edwards is able to walk over the line for a try. Minutes later Morse bursts through the middle of the Pau defence with his explosive power and pace knocking defenders aside to lay the platform for scrum-half Luke Davies to score the winner.

In 57 matches over seven years, only three teams have beaten Leinster: La Rochelle (two finals, one semi-final), Toulouse (one final, one pool match), Saracens (one final, one quarter-final).

Following the Six Nations squad announcements and with the action closing in fast, our focus turn to those players set to miss part or in some cases all of the Championship.

France face their trickier biennial Six Nations itinerary in oddly numbered years, with England in Twickenham and Ireland in the Aviva Stadium. Of their six titles since the expansion to the Six Nations, France have won only one championship in odd years.

Darge knows Scotland need a winning start to be serious challengers this year but is wary of the Italian rugby renaissance under Gonzalo Quesada. Aside from beating Scotland last season, the Argentina coach led them to a win over Wales in Cardiff and a draw with France in Paris. In truth, they should also have beaten England.