John O'Sullivan

Richie Murphy’s side show guts and resilience but are very much second best against a powerful and free flowing French team

Opening match of summer series to take place tonight, with England and South Africa also in the pool

Pat Collins’s early mistake will haunt him but profligate Cork’s defeat had a thousand fathers

Head coach Richie Murphy has called up 10 Under-19 players in a squad that will face France, South Africa and England in Verona

Leinster’s new signing has overcome severe concussion and injuries but always bounced back

Brad Weber and Tyrel Lomax the other experienced New Zealand internationals in the 28-man squad

An intimate look at a World Series tournament from inside the squads as they competed in France Sevens

Fergus McFadden takes Wanderers coaching role; lukewarm French reaction to South African sides in Europe

Analysis of Brian Cody and Henry Shefflin’s perfunctory handshake after Leinster hurling final proves almost as interesting as the match

Leo Cullen makes seven changes and two positional switches to the team that lost to La Rochelle

O’Mahony, De Allende, Coombes and Archer return for Munster but Ulster fullback Lowry misses out

Ireland coach Andy Farrell will use game to clarify a number of selection decisions for New Zealand tour

Michael Lowry notable absentee as Stewart Moore replaces him

Skills coach will be part of Graham Rowntree’s new coaching team at Munster next season

Richie Murphy will be without a handful of his Grand Slam-winning side