Ulster bounced back from defeat with a 31-15 victory over French Top 14 leaders Racing 92 at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday.
England out-half Marcus Smith is set to play his first rugby in seven weeks after being chosen to start for Harlequins this Sunday at Racing 92, the day before new Test-level boss Steve Borthwick names his Guinness Six Nations squad.
Manu Tuilagi has been recalled to the Sale XV for their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final away to Racing on Sunday but he won’t be clashing with Virimi Vakatawa in the midfield as the French club’s backline powerhouse has been benched.
Ex-Wallabies hooker Tolu Latu is set to leave Stade Francais after a suspension for his latest red card reportedly prompted a stinging outburst from club owner Hans-Peter Wild.
Tolu Latu of Stade Francais has been suspended for eleven weeks for his latest Heineken Champions Cup red card brandished last Saturday less than three months after he escaped with a one-match ban for abusive language directed at referee Wayne Barnes.
European rugby officials have arranged six disciplinary hearings following last weekend's Champions and Challenge Cup action - four for red cards with the other two covering citing complaints, including an investigation into the yellow card for Leinster scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park.
Racing 92 took a significant step towards claiming a place in the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals by toppling Stade Francais 22-9.
Talisman Finn Russell has been restored to a star-studded Racing 92 line-up for Friday's Champions Cup opener away to Northampton Saints.
Racing 92 are looking to become the 12th club to inscribe their name on the trophy when they clash with Munster Rugby in the Champions Cup for the fifth time in two seasons.