Ulster's international wing Andrew Trimble has been ruled out of at least the first month of the Magners League season after undergoing surgery on his left hand.

Ulster's international wing Andrew Trimble has been ruled out of at least the first month of the Magners League season after undergoing surgery on his left hand.

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.

Ulster prop BJ Botha has been included in the Springboks' 28 man squad to launch the defence of their Tri-Nations title next month.

Ulster No 8 Chris Henry will win his first cap when he packs down in a new look Irish back row against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.

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.

A number of fringe players in the Ireland squad have been handed a chance to press their claims for further international recognition this weekend.

Celtic Rugby is pleased to announce that it has secured a new television deal that will see terrestrial broadcasters BBC ALBA, BBC Northern Ireland, RTE and TG4 join its established partners BBC Wales and S4C in televising Magners League games next season.

Munster's Ronan O'Gara will wear the Ireland No10 shirt ahead of Leinster's Jonathan Sexton for the mouth-watering clash with the All Blacks this weekend.

Michael Bradley's final match in charge of Connacht ended in disappointment as Ulster outscored their provincial rivals by 29 points in the second half of Friday's derby clash at Ravenhill.

The Warriors have not won outside of Scotland since 4 December, however the Warriors have won their last four fixtures against Scarlets.

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.

Connacht beat Scarlets 16-10 at the Sportsground in round seven and are going for a first ever season's double over the West Walians.

Dan Parks' deadly right boot did the business for Glasgow Warriors as they claimed a 25-18 victory over Ulster at Firhill Stadium, with the result maintaining the Scottish side's challenge for the Magners League play-offs.

The Ospreys recovered from their European heartbreak to record a vital win in the Magners League. Tommy Bowe's late try secured a hard-earned bonus point for the Ospreys at Ravenhill and took a losing bonus point away from his former side Ulster.

Cardiff Blues have never beaten Scarlets in Llanelli in the Magners League.

New Zealanders Casey Laulala and Xavier Rush touched down in the opening half and replacement centre Dafydd Hewitt added a third try as the Cardiff Blues beat Ulster for the second time in eight days.

Ospreys have won their last three matches against Scarlets, whilst the West Walians have won just twice in six previous games on Ospreys soil.

Replacement flanker Ma'ama Molitika scored the only try as the Cardiff Blues beat Ulster to move above the Irish province in the Magners League standings and boost their chances of qualifying for next season's Heineken Cup.