The Ireland skipper missed the captain's run at the Stadio Olimpico today.

JOE Schmidt has challenged Ireland to emerge from any professional-era comfort blanket to set their RBS 6 Nations campaign back on track in Italy.

ALL eyes will be on Ulster’s marquee signing Marcell Coetzee when he makes his long-awaited debut in the PRO12 clash with Edinburgh at the Kingspan Stadium, but director of rugby Less Kiss will be more concerned with securing a win over the Scottish side.

RORY Best has called for an end to "fantasy" comparisons between Brian O'Driscoll and Garry Ringrose to let Ireland's young gun centre realise his rich Test potential.

Conor O'Shea is "tailor-made" for the all-encompassing job of revitalising Italian rugby, according to Danny Care.

Sean O'Brien has predicted a brutal review session on Monday when Ireland will pick apart the problems of their 27-22 RBS 6 Nations loss to Scotland in Edinburgh.

Scotland and Ireland will open the 2017 RBS 6 Nations championship at Murrayfield today.

Rory Best has backed Conor Murray to thrive amid the pressure of facing Scotland with a target on his back.

It’s blunt force trauma to the auricle.

Owens also told us he would’ve “given more red cards in the Premier League this season than I have in the past 20 years”.

A look back at sporting events in The Irish News on this date 20 years ago...

Johnny Sexton has been ruled out of Ireland's RBS 6 Nations opener against Scotland

JOE Schmidt insists Johnny Sexton will be fit for Ireland's RBS 6 Nations opener in Scotland despite the fly-half still carrying a calf injury.

Johnny Sexton should be named in Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations squad despite facing a race against time to be fit for the tournament opener against Scotland.

Ulster director of rugby Les Kiss admitted his team were feeling the pressure after their final European Champions Cup pool game ended in a 26-22 home defeat to Bordeaux-Begles on Saturday.

ULSTER director of rugby Les Kiss admitted his team were feeling the pressure after their final European Champions Cup pool game ended in a 26-22 home defeat to Bordeaux-Begles.

JOHN Muldoon made his European debut for Connacht back in 2004 in a Challenge Cup game with Narbonne on the south coast of France.

ONE small step from the very definition of a dead rubber, Bordeaux travel to Belfast with both sides’ hopes of qualification exceptionally slim.

RORY Best insists Dylan Hartley still has plenty of time to state a compelling case for the British and Irish Lions' captaincy.

STUART Lancaster says the chance of being at home in the European Champions Cup quarter-finals is "a big driver" for Leinster.