Naas, the winners of last season’s AIB League Round Robin series, will begin their return to the Division Three ranks with an away fixture against Queen’s University. The new AIB League fixtures were released today – read on for more.
The new AIB League Division Three campaign kicks off on Saturday, October 27.
Last season’s Division Three final winners Bruff, who beat the promoted Wanderers in the decider, will start the season away to City of Derry, while beaten semi-finalists Instonians are also away from home in their first game, having been pencilled in for a trip to Old Wesley.
County Carlow and Midleton, the two teams who were relegated from Division Two last term, will also begin their campaigns with away games – Carlow will be entertained by Waterpark on the opening day, while Cork side Midleton face a long journey to Ards.
Meanwhile, October 27 will see Rainey Old Boys, who have appointed former Ireland captain Willie Anderson as their new coach, welcoming Banbridge to Hatrick Park for an intriguing Ulster derby.
All of the above teams will be hoping to be in contention when the last two rounds in the division’s regulation phase take place on March 22 and 29. The semi-finals and relegation play-off are down for decision on Saturday, April 12 with the final a week later.
In a letter to the AIB League club’s Honorary Secretaries, Gordon Black, the IRFU’s Rugby Administration Manager, pointed to the following influencing factors when the fixture lists were drawn up:
– Leinster/Lansdowne ground share in the RDS – only 1 match allowed per week
– All Munster Magners League matches will be played at Musgrave Park this season. Dolphin and Sunday’s Well could not have a match against Ulster clubs on a weekend Munster were at home, TV could dictate a Saturday match
– March 29, 2008 – All Cork city clubs away as the Six Nations Schools tournament is being held in Cork
– All fixtures are a reversal of last year’s fixtures
– Limerick sides not to be at home to Ulster clubs weeks 4, 7 and 9 due to potential clashes with Munster & Heineken games
– Bective and Old Wesley sharing Donnybrook – no Sunday matches in February (two rounds), schools have primacy of venue
– The Rugby World Cup means a later start to AIB League season by two weeks, thereby compressing dates
– Extension of AIB Cup to 48 clubs
2007/08 AIB LEAGUE DIVISION THREE FIXTURES:
Saturday, October 27 –
Ards v Midleton
City of Derry v Bruff
Nenagh Ormond v Corinthians
Old Wesley v Instonians
Queen’s University v Naas
Rainey Old Boys v Banbridge
Sunday’s Well v Connemara
Waterpark v County Carlow
Sunday, October 28 –
To be confirmed
Saturday, November 3 –
Banbridge v Ards
Bruff v Sunday’s Well
City of Derry v Naas
County Carlow v Queen’s University
Connemara v Old Wesley
Corinthians v Waterpark
Instonians v Rainey Old Boys
Midleton v Nenagh Ormond
Saturday, November 3 –
Ards v Instonians
Naas v County Carlow
Nenagh Ormond v Banbridge
Old Wesley v Bruff
Queen’s University v Corinthians
Rainey Old Boys v Connemara
Sunday’s Well v City of Derry
Waterpark v Midleton
Saturday, November 17 –
Banbridge v Naas
Bruff v Nenagh Ormond
City of Derry v Corinthians
Connemara v Waterpark
Instonians v Queen’s University
Midleton v County Carlow
Old Wesley v Rainey Old Boys
Sunday’s Well v Ards
Sunday, November 18 –
To be confirmed
Saturday, December 1 –
Ards v Old Wesley
County Carlow v Banbridge
Corinthians v Midleton
Naas v Instonians
Nenagh Ormond v Sunday’s Well
Queen’s University v Connemara
Rainey Old Boys v City of Derry
Waterpark v Bruff
Saturday, December 8 –
Banbridge v Waterpark
Bruff v Rainey Old Boys
City of Derry v County Carlow
Connemara v Ards
Corinthians v Naas
Instonians v Nenagh Ormond
Midleton v Queen’s University
Sunday’s Well v Old Wesley
Saturday, December 15 –
Ards v Nenagh Ormond
Bruff v County Carlow
City of Derry v Banbridge
Connemara v Corinthians
Instonians v Midleton
Old Wesley v Queen’s University
Rainey Old Boys v Waterpark
Sunday’s Well v Naas
Sunday, December 16 –
To be confirmed
Saturday, January 12 –
Banbridge v Instonians
County Carlow v Sunday’s Well
Corinthians v Bruff
Midleton v Connemara
Naas v Old Wesley
Nenagh Ormond v City of Derry
Queen’s University v Rainey Old Boys
Waterpark v Ards
Saturday, January 19 –
Ards v Queen’s University
City of Derry v Instonians
Connemara v Banbridge
Rainey Old Boys v Naas
Sunday’s Well v Corinthians
Sunday, January 20 –
Bruff v Midleton
Nenagh Ormond v Waterpark
Old Wesley v County Carlow
Saturday, January 26 –
Banbridge v Old Wesley
County Carlow v Nenagh Ormond
Connemara v Bruff
Corinthians v Ards
Instonians v Sunday’s Well
Midleton v Rainey Old Boys
Naas v Waterpark
Queen’s University v City of Derry
Saturday, February 9 –
Ards v County Carlow
Bruff v Instonians
Naas v Midleton
Nenagh Ormond v Connemara
Old Wesley v City of Derry
Rainey Old Boys v Corinthians
Sunday’s Well v Banbridge
Waterpark v Queen’s University
Sunday, February 10 –
To be confirmed
Saturday, February 16 –
Ards v Bruff
City of Derry v Connemara
County Carlow v Corinthians
Nenagh Ormond v Naas
Old Wesley v Midleton
Queen’s University v Banbridge
Rainey Old Boys v Sunday’s Well
Waterpark v Instonians
Saturday, March 1 –
Banbridge v Corinthians
Bruff v Queen’s University
City of Derry v Midleton
Connemara v Naas
Instonians v County Carlow
Rainey Old Boys v Ards
Sunday, March 2 –
Old Wesley v Nenagh Ormond
Sunday’s Well v Waterpark
Saturday, March 22 –
Ards v City of Derry
County Carlow v Connemara
Corinthians v Instonians
Midleton v Banbridge
Naas v Bruff
Nenagh Ormond v Rainey Old Boys
Queen’s University v Sunday’s Well
Waterpark v Old Wesley
Saturday, March 29 –
Banbridge v Bruff
County Carlow v Rainey Old Boys
Corinthians v Old Wesley
Instonians v Connemara
Midleton v Sunday’s Well
Naas v Ards
Queen’s University v Nenagh Ormond
Waterpark v City of Derry
Saturday, April 12 –
Semi-Finals and Relegation Play-Off
Saturday, April 19 –
Final
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