"I've got no idea what the future holds for Brian Ashton but hopefully it'll continue with rugby."

- Brain Ashton ponders an uncertain future after the announcement of his resignation.

"My main objective is that we have to earn respect again. We have lost that."

- The new man, Warren Gatland, sets the bar for the early part of his reign.

"We must learn from this defeat, and perhaps we have to accept that we are in the Five Nations second division alongside Scotland and Ireland."

- Wales captain Robert Howley.

"We play the hand we're dealt: five points down, down to 14 men, we just had to go and play football."

- Erin's Isle captain Ken Spratt after last weekend's controversial defeat of Castlehaven in Thurles.

"I said to David that I thought it was ideal that I'm the one going out playing like an idiot all these times and he gets all the blame."

- Tim Henman on coach David Felgate.