Tommy Bowe will help the Ospreys kick-off the defence of their Magners League title with a trip to familiar territory when the Welsh region open the tournament's 10th anniversary campaign against Ulster at Ravenhill on the weekend of 4 September.

There will be plenty of new faces appearing in the Magners League this season, and not just with the two new Italian clubs, Benetton Treviso and Aironi Rugby.

Scotland team manager Guy Richardson will leave his role next month after more than six years in the post.

Edinburgh head coach Rob Moffat has confirmed his 40-player squad for the 2010/11 season and believes the Scottish outfit have struck the right balance between youth and experience in their summer transfer activity.

Mike Blair's Edinburgh side will warm-up for the new Magners League season by tackling two of the English Premiership's Heineken Cup teams, Bath and London Irish.

Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat has moved quickly to plug the hole left by the departure of Jim Hamilton by signing Argentinean international lock Esteban Lazada.

Scotland gave Celtic Rugby something to smile about as they completed a 2-0 series victory over the mighty Pumas with a 13-9 second Test victory over the Argentineans in Mar del Plata.

Glasgow Warriors scrum half Chris Cusiter has returned home from Argentina and will miss the second Test against the Pumas in Mar del Plata on Saturday.

Glasgow Warriors skipper Ali Kellock will lead Scotland for the first time when they take on the Pumas in the first of their two Tests in Argentina on Saturday.

Edinburgh prop Kyle Traynor has been called into the Scotland squad for the two Test tour of Argentina.

Edinburgh's brave bid to squeeze into the Magners League play-offs was defied by a superb late surge from Leinster in a thrilling eight-try contest at the RDS on Sunday.

Leinster beat Edinburgh 21-19 at Murrayfield in round 4, and have never yet managed to achieve a league double over the Scotsmen in the same season.

Edinburgh suffered a huge blow in their bid to qualify for the Magners League play-offs as Ulster rose to the occasion by scoring five tries for a thrilling 37-25 win over their Murrayfield hosts.

Ulster's most recent win on Edinburgh soil was 31-23 on 17 February 2006.

The Newport Gwent Dragons were in rampant form at Rodney Parade as they stayed in the hunt for a Magners League play-off place courtesy of a bonus point win over fellow challengers Edinburgh.

Dragons beat Edinburgh 9-8 at Murrayfield in round 7 of the Magners League but have not achieved a league double over the Scotsmen since season 2003/04.

New Zealander Miah Nikora kicked a late penalty as Connacht, the Magners League's bottom side, edged out high-flying Edinburgh in an absorbing encounter at the Sportsground on Friday.

The two sides also met on Good Friday two season's ago with Edinburgh winning 38-8 at Murrayfield.

Tries from ever-ready back rower Roddy Grant and winger Tim Visser, the Magners League's leading try scorer this season, helped Edinburgh see off the Scarlets for their fourth successive win at Murrayfield in all competitions.

Edinburgh's only defeat to Scarlets in their last five meetings was 6-13 at Parc y Scarlets on 8 March 2009, whilst Scarlets have never won on Edinburgh soil.