Irish rugby’s “two-pronged assault” on Europe’s big honours gets under way this evening in Bilbao, Ulster taking on Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final before Leinster square up to Bordeaux in tomorrow’s Champions Cup decider. And as our man in Bilbao, Gerry Thornley, tells us, heat might well be a factor in both games – it’ll be 27 degrees when Ulster kick-off at 9pm local time (8pm Irish time) tonight against the form team in Europe. Gerry previews the game in which Ulster will seek silverware for the first time since their 2006 Celtic League success.Nathan Johns analyses their chances of prevailing, the abilities of wingers Robert Baloucoune and Zac Ward offering them plenty of hope, although he has a notion that Nathan Doak will be their key man this evening. Matt Williams, meanwhile, looks ahead to Leinster’s challenge, one that will require a “warrior attitude” from each and every one of their players. Because “almost every aspect of analysis points to Bordeaux winning and getting a second star on their chest”. As Matt puts it, Leinster “carry four soul-deep lacerations from being good enough to reach the final, but falling so tantalisingly close to lifting the trophy”. But as Jamison Gibson-Park tells John O’Sullivan, “the past is the past, we have to be rid of that”. Donegal (almost) put last year’s 10-point All-Ireland defeat to Kerry behind them when they hammered the Kingdom in March’s league final, Ciarán Kirk previewing their meeting tomorrow in the first round of the All-Ireland series. Warning: he’s not expecting a classic. Incidentally, if you’re confused by the new format for the football championship, we explain all – and we promise, “it’s actually fairly straightforward”. The same couldn’t be said for the Kilkenny hurlers’ season so far, but based on his own experience playing them down the years, Joe Canning is reluctant to write them off. He looks ahead to their meeting with Dublin on Sunday, as well as the Kildare v Offaly and Wexford v Galway games. Next up for Cork are Clare is Sunday’s last Munster SHC round-robin tie, Paul Keane talking to Brian Hayes about Cork’s development since their “ruination” at the hands of Tipperary in last year’s All-Ireland final. Thursday brought the sad news of the death of Liz Howard, Gordon Manning reminding us of the “trailblazing” achievements of the former president of the Camogie Association, among them being the first woman analyst on The Sunday Game.Gavin Cummiskey previews the latest round of League of Ireland action, the next week possibly presenting Shamrock Rovers’ rivals with a chance to hurt their hopes of a sixth title in seven seasons, international call-ups leaving them three men short. Ian O’Riordan reviews “as compelling as any 50 minutes of television you’ll see all year”, the Uncharted with Ray Goggins episode featuring Ciara Mageean and Michael Darragh MacAuley, and we have an explainer on the somewhat unedifying Enhanced Games which take place in Las Vegas this weekend. In cycling, Shane Stokes has the latest on the Rás Tailteann, David Gorman has news of a fine opening round by Séamus Power at CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and in racing, Brian O’Connor reckons it’s time for more “freebies” to be dished out to encourage an increase in attendances at meetings.TV Watch: The pick of the night is rugby’s Challenge Cup final between Ulster and Montpellier (Premier Sports 1 & ITV4, 8pm), although north-eastern football fans are likely to be considerably more interested in the League of Ireland meeting of Drogheda United and Dundalk (Virgin Media Two, 8pm).