Connacht have had to improvise with their mascot in Siberia. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

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• Leinster, Munster and Ulster all named their teams as the Champions Cup gets under way this weekend.
  
• In the Challenge Cup, Connacht coach Pat Lam says his team could play in -22°C temperatures in Siberia on Saturday morning.
• Journalists will be banned from tweeting at future Clare county board meetings.
• Kerry’s Paul Galvin hinted that 2015 may have been his last inter-county season while Tipperary’s Conor O’Mahony did call it a day.
• Cork City set out their intentions for next season by signing Greg Bolger.

Away

Eric Decker is unable to make a catch during Thursday Night Football. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

• Rex Ryan was very happy after his new team, the Bills, beat his old team to move closer to the NFL playoffs.
• Australia announced they’d be visiting Ireland next year as part of their ‘Grand Slam’ tour.
• Ex-Springboks coach Jake White says he’s the man to bring World Cup glory back to England.
• Teddy Sheringham says that LVG is to blame for Wayne Rooney’s current slump in form.

The Best Thing We Shared

Steph Curry is really, really good at basketball.

Where We Were Today

Ben Blake is in Zenica ahead of the Ireland-Bosnia game. The hosts appeared to be a bit confused about who they were playing.

On The Record

“It was something we were very conscious of during the World Cup, to give those guys a chance. A lot of young guys came in, guys who had been playing club up until that point, short-term deals, those guys have added pretty significantly to the environment here and certainly gave us a few more options to work with as well.”

Leo Cullen talks about the importance of keeping the whole Leinster squad happy.

Fixture list

• Connacht take on Yenisey-STM Krasnoyarsk (easy for you to say) in Siberia at 8am tomorrow morning in the Challenge Cup.
• While Ulster (2pm) and Munster (5.15pm) get their Champions Cup campaigns under way.
• Ireland women’s rugby team take on England at The Stoop at 3pm.
• There are two more Euro 2016 playoffs with Ukraine v Slovenia (5pm) and Sweden v Denmark (7.45pm).

Showbiz, Baby!

EMPICS Sport EMPICS Sport

A long lost George Best art film is being revived later this month.

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