Bradley Luney, Ballynahinch's current captain, is pictured scoring a try against UCD at Ballymacarn Park last season ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Division 1A’s new leaders Ballynahinch have successive home matches to look forward, entertaining UCD first up. Reigning champions Cork Constitution meet St. Mary’s College for the first time since the sides traded two-point wins during the 2017/18 season.
Saturday, November 16
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Ballynahinch: WLWWWW; UCD: LLLWLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Ballynahinch: Points: Conor Rankin 35; Tries: Aaron Sexton, Claytan Milligan 4 each; UCD: Points: James Tarrant 30; Tries: Evan Moynihan, Ruben Moloney 3 each
Preview: Ballynahinch head coach Adam Craig has warned ‘nothing is won in November’ as his team begin the second third of the regular season at the top of the table. Aaron Sexton and Claytan Milligan notched their fourth tries of the campaign in last week’s bonus point win at Lansdowne.
There are four changes to the ‘Hinch back-line for the visit of UCD, including starts on the wing for Ulster’s Ben Moxham and Ethan Graham, while John Dickson and Kyle Gill come in up front. The students were well beaten at Ballymacarn Park last January, losing by 27 points.
However, their last two away trips have resulted in victories over City of Armagh and Garryowen, so Emmet MacMahon’s youngsters are performing well on the road. The start of the ‘A’ Interprovincial Championship brings some enforced changes, with Bobby Sheehan captaining them from number 8.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 2, 2023: UCD 17 Ballynahinch 31, UCD Bowl; Saturday, January 27, 2024: Ballynahinch 40 UCD 13, Ballymacarn Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Ballynahinch to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Cork Constitution: LWWLLW; St. Mary’s College: LWLWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Cork Constitution: Points: James Taylor 46; Tries: Scott Buckley 4; St. Mary’s College: Points: Mick O’Gara 31; Tries: Mark Fogarty, Myles Carey, Leandro Ramirez 3 each
Preview: Former captain Aidan Moynihan leads the Cork Constitution back-line, alongside Adam Maher, as they host St. Mary’s College for the first time in seven years. Billy Crowley swaps in at full-back for Jonny Holland’s men, and prop Charlie Connolly completes the changes.
There is a good deal of impact on the Cork Con bench where Munster Academy hooker Danny Sheahan joining his cousin Jacob. St. Mary’s, who are on a three-match winning run, will be relishing this shot at Division 1A’s defending champions.
Unsurprisingly, Mary’s travel with an unchanged starting XV on the back of their thrilling Dublin 6W derby win over Terenure College. Centres Dan Goggin and Myles Carey have been prominent in the last three rounds, with the latter scoring three tries, including a brace against ‘Nure.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 25, 2017: Cork Constitution 21 St. Mary’s College 19, Temple Hill; Saturday, January 27, 2018: St. Mary’s College 18 Cork Constitution 16, Templeville Road
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Cork Constitution to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Lansdowne: LWLWLL; Clontarf: WWWLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Lansdowne: Points: Steve McMahon 23; Tries: Andy Marks 3; Clontarf: Points: Conor Kelly 56; Tries: Dylan Donnellan 4
Preview: Last season’s two beaten semi-finalists collide, and Lansdowne are down in the unfamiliar position of eighth at present. Back-to-back defeats have seen Declan Fassbender’s side lose ground, but there will be no sense of panic as fourth-placed Terenure are only five points better of.
Rory Parata captains a much-changed Lansdowne from the right wing, while Chris Poole, Greg McGrath, and Juan Beukes are added to the tight five. Clontarf won by four points on their most recent visit to the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch last December.
The recent leaders are looking to string together three successive wins for the second time this season. Aitzol Arenzana-King’s involvement with Leinster ‘A’ sees Mark O’Sullivan start on the right wing for ‘Tarf, and Charlie Ward features at tighthead in the only other change.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 9, 2023: Lansdowne 27 Clontarf 31, Aviva Stadium back pitch; Saturday, January 20, 2024: Clontarf 26 Lansdowne 29, Castle Avenue
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Clontarf to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Terenure College: WLWWLL; Garryowen: WLLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Terenure College: Points: Chris Cosgrave 47; Tries: Craig Adams, Henry McErlean 4 each; Garryowen: Points: Kelvin Langan 27; Tries: Donnacha Byrne, Gordon Wood 3 each
Preview: While still occupying a play-off spot, Terenure College have a seven-point gap to make up on the teams directly above them. Losing to local rivals St. Mary’s was not how they wanted to end the opening third of the campaign, so these next few games have added significance.
Conor McKeon and Alan Bennie pair up at half-back in a rejigged ‘Nure back-line which has Ethan Reilly joining forces with Adam La Grue in the centre. They will come up against Gordon Wood, a new addition to the Munster Academy, in Garryowen’s midfield.
Indeed, all three of Keith Wood’s sons start an All-Ireland League game together for the first time, with eldest brother Alex on the right wing, and Ireland Under-18 Schools out-half Tom continuing at half-back. Munster’s Brian Gleeson also lines out at number 8 for the bottom-placed Light Blues.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, October 15, 2022: Garryowen 25 Terenure College 38, Dooradoyle; Saturday, March 25, 2023: Terenure College 52 Garryowen 0, Lakelands Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Terenure College to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Young Munster: WWLLWL; City of Armagh: LLWLWL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Young Munster: Points: Julian Leszczynski 54; Tries: Stephen McLoughlin 3; City of Armagh: Points: Kyle Faloon 47; Tries: Kyle Faloon, Niall Carville 2 each
Preview: Two of the top flight’s leading scorers will duel it out at Greenfields, as Argentinian Julian Leszczynski (54 points) reverts to out-half for Young Munster, and full-back Kyle Faloon (47) hopes to guide City of Armagh back to winning ways after losing narrowly to Cork Con.
Munsters picked up a losing bonus point from their trip to Clontarf, and make three personnel changes. Three-try hooker Stephen McLoughlin returns to captain the Cookies, who give another start to Munster prospect Evan O’Connell (20) in the engine room.
Armagh showed again that they are difficult opponents for anyone in this division, as prop Niall Carville’s late score gave them a brace of bonus points against Con. With Ulster’s James McNabney and Sam Berman both missing, Neil Faloon and Matthew Hooks will take their places.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 2, 2023: Young Munster 32 City of Armagh 17, Tom Clifford Park; Saturday, January 27, 2024: City of Armagh 29 Young Munster 21, Palace Grounds
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Young Munster to win
Old Belvedere and Nenagh Ormond are setting a strong pace at the top of Division 1B, and both teams are on the road this weekend with Belfast and Limerick their respective destinations. Elsewhere, third-placed UCC host Dublin University in an intriguing Colours match.
Saturday, November 16
Kick-off 2.30pm unless stated –
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Old Wesley: WLDWLW; Highfield: WLLLLL
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Old Wesley: Points: Ian Cassidy 60; Tries: Andrew Doyle, Cathal Kelly, Paidi Farrell, Tommy O’Callaghan 2 each; Highfield: Points: Shane O’Riordan 40; Tries: Richard Cassidy 4
Preview: Kicking off the weekend action in 1B, Old Wesley aim to build on from victory last weekend to try and get into the top four places, bottom placed Highfield provide the opposition.
Score difference keeps Wesley just outside the top four, the Dubliners have been playing some good rugby this year and continue to knock on the door to the top four. It is very competitive around them, they also need to avoid a slip up. Ian Cassidy’s goal kicking has been a key output this term.
In their last three trips to face Wesley, Highfield have left on the losing side on all three occasions. Bottom of the table, winless in five, the Leesiders are four adrift of those above and a win this weekend combined with defeats for those teams, could result in gaining ground.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 9, 2023: Highfield 19 Old Wesley 22, Woodleigh Park; Saturday, January 20, 2024: Old Wesley 38 Highfield 17, Energia Park
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Wesley to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Naas: LWWLWL; Blackrock College: LLWWLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Naas: Points: Peter Osborne 60; Tries: Paddy Taylor 4; Blackrock College: Points: Conor O’Shaughnessy 49; Tries: Ciarán Mangan 4
Preview: After their narrow defeat to Trinity last weekend, Naas have allowed plenty of challengers to gain ground in the early promotion race, one of those in Blackrock will be aiming to pick up the win this weekend to stake their own claim.
Naas have been a solid team this season and certainly have aspirations of making that top four. Form has been mixed but they have won two of out three games at home so far this campaign, can a second Dublin team leave with the spoils?.
Blackrock will be poised to replicate the outcome back in February when they left Forenaughts with the points, off the back of the win over Shannon last weekend, they will have confidence going into this one.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, November 18, 2023: Blackrock College 32 Naas 29, Stradbrook; Saturday, February 10, 2024: Naas 24 Blackrock College 31, Forenaughts
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Naas to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Queen’s University: WLLLWL; Old Belvedere: WWLWWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Queen’s University: Points: Jack Murphy 32; Tries: Flynn Longstaff 3; Old Belvedere: Points: Sam Wisniewski 73; Tries: Calum Dowling 7
Preview: Leaders Old Belvedere travel to Belfast to face ninth placed Queen’s hoping to further their lead at the 1B summit.
Defeated by second placed Nenagh last time out, the Belfast students will be out to return to winning ways and put a gap between them and the drop zone, where they finished up last term.
Belvo are flying high at the summit, looking to pick up their fourth win in succession to rubber stamp top spot in the Division. Free scoring last time out at home to Highfield, Jack Keating bagged a brace of tries and will be looking to continue his fine form.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 9, 2023: Old Belvedere 43 Queen’s University 13, Ollie Campbell Park; Saturday, January 20, 2024: Queen’s University 19 Old Belvedere 22, Dub Lane
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Old Belvedere to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: UCC: LWWWLL; Dublin University: LLWWLW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – UCC: Points: Daniel Squires 72; Tries: Adam Wrona, Sean Condon 4 each; Dublin University: Points: Hugh O’Kennedy, Oscar Cawley 25 each; Tries: Oscar Cawley 5
Preview: A big Colours game at the Mardyke, not only for its historical importance, but also in the race for top four it is a massive eight pointer for these two.
Tomás O’Leary spoke this week of how his side will have to deliver a performance to warrant the occasion. Losing their last two games, including last week at home, UCC are out to deliver an improved showing this week.
A first league clash for these two since January 2022, where Trinity left the Mardyke with a 55-0 win. A win this weekend would be a boost to fighting at the top end of the table, with just how competitive it is around that section of the table, every point will be hard earned.
Recent League Meetings – Saturday, December 11, 2021: Dublin University 48 UCC 8, College Park; Saturday, January 15, 2022: UCC 0 Dublin University 55, the Mardyke
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: UCC to win
Energia All-Ireland League Season’s Form: Shannon: LWLLWL; Nenagh Ormond: WWDLWW
Energia All-Ireland League Top Scorers – Shannon: Points: John O’Sullivan 33; Tries: Adam Moloney, Jack O’Donnell 2 each; Nenagh Ormond: Points: Conor McMahon 74; Tries: Angus Blackmore 3
Preview: The late kick-off will be an exciting Munster derby between two teams with contrasting seasons last term. Shannon relegated to 1B, while Nenagh Ormond crowned 2A champions promoted for the first time to 1B and are flying it.
That form has transitioned into this year, with Shannon sitting just outside the drop zone by virtue of score difference. Shannon lost on the road to Blackrock last weekend, but do make home a tough place to visit, with both of their wins this term on home soil.
Nenagh go in search of their third win in succession this weekend, on the road they have been very efficient, yet to suffer a defeat in their three away trips so far this campaign. They will aim to keep pressure applied to Belvo at the summit.
Recent League Meetings – N/A
IrishRugby.ie Prediction: Nenagh Ormond to win
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