Ballymena

CAPTAIN: Stephen Ritchie. COACHES: Nellie Smith, Davy Smyth.

IN: Andy Matchett (scrum-half, Portadown); Jan Cunning- ham (wing, Dublin University), Stanley McDowell (centre, Dungannon), Innes Gray (wing, Instonians), Ross Cunning- ham (full-back/wing, Nottingham University), Mark Stevenson (centre, Waterloo), Rupert West (lock, Instonians), Keith Gallick (number eight, City of Derry), Andy Dougan (flanker, London Irish), Andy Park (wing, Blackheath). OUT: Ricky McIlmoyle (full-back, Portadown), Jonathan Law (scrum-half, NIFC).

PROSPECTS: A litmus test for title contenders last year, which all bar Shannon failed on run-in. Limited in approach, but have recruited heavily, especially in the backs. This is as near to a full Ulster side as there's been. Have squad depth and encouraging start could lead to play-offs.

Blackrock College

CAPTAIN: Hughbie Kos.

COACHES: Tony Smeeth, George Hook.

IN: Tony Goldfinch (flanker, New Zealand), David Moore (number eight, Clontarf), Owen Cobbe (out-half, Wanderers), Michael Jackson (centre, CIYMS), Ray Sheehan (lock, Ballina), John Ryan (lock, UCD).

OUT: Mike Brewer (flanker, West Hartlepool), Emmet Far- rell (out-half/full-back, West Hartlepool), Rory Kearns (utility back, Lansdowne), Cec Porter (prop, Dungannon), Jonathan Mion (hooker, Old Belvedere).

PROSPECTS: Should be worth watching on a dry day and can pilfer games off little ball. But need a tight-head, as evidenced by the failed attempt to lure Mick Finlay. Young and exciting, technically good, well-coached and could beat anyone on their day. After tough start, midtable/contenders for play-offs.

Clontarf

CAPTAIN: Bernard Jackman.

COACH: Brent Pope.

IN: Richie Murphy (out-half, Greystones), Mervyn Meredith (lock, Wales), Alan Dignam (back-row, Greystones), Paul Noble (wing, Greystones), Craig Brownlie (back-row, New Zealand), Mick Coughlan (lock, Garryowen), Shane McCar- thy (scrum-half, Old Crescent).

OUT: David Moore (number eight, Blackrock).

PROSPECTS: Lack clout, strong scrum and potent line-out. But Brent Pope will have them welloiled up front, and they'll pop and go, pop and go off quick ruck ball all day long. They'll also have Richie Murphy's prolific left boot, post-promotion optimism and a noisy Castle Avenue factor. Start with three Limerick opponents but they could well survive.

Cork Constitution

CAPTAIN: Kenny Murphy.

COACH: Ray Coughlan.

IN: Frank Sheehan (hooker, UCC), James Kiernan (wing, UCC), John O'Driscoll (prop, UCC), John Kelly (wing, UCC), John Devane (flanker, Australia), Roger Newell (lock, New Zealand), Conor Kehilly (back-row, UCC).

OUT: David Lee (hooker, Bristol), Brian Walsh (centre, Orrell), Ronan O'Donovan (centre, UCC), Rory Collins (wing, UCC), A Kelleher (hooker, Highfield).

PROSPECTS: No longer heavyweights, but Con are emerging nicely from a transitional period. Well-coached, they play a nice brand of rugby, with a back-line that can cut anyone open. A good start would point them toward a promising run-in. Play-off contenders.

Dolphin

CAPTAIN: Philip Scott.

COACHES: Terry Kingston, Scott Holden.

IN: Steve Jackson (number eight, Auckland, New Zealand), Barry O'Neill (centre, Old Crescent), John Forde (lock, Old Crescent), John O'Mahony (out-half, UCC), Michael O'Donovan (wing, Highfield), Donagh Keeshan (wing, UCC).

OUT: None.

PROSPECTS: A young side, lacking the setpiece power to dominate games, and may struggle in depths of winter, though their backs can plunder tries. A hard start at Ballymena followed by Garryowen away. Relegation contenders, though they'll fight the good fight.

Dungannon

CAPTAIN: Gary Leslie.

COACH: Keith Patton.

IN: Craig Thorburn (out-half, Australia), Matt Smith (flanker, Australia), Andrew Girvan (flanker, Portadown), Simon Willis (utility back, Malone), Bill Harbinson (centre, Malone), Nicky Moffet (wing, Instonians), Alastair Clarke (wing, Queen's), Alastair Hood (full-back, Queen's), Robin Morrow (full-back, Queen's), Colin Farrell, Jonathan Lowe.

OUT: Mark McCall (centre, London Irish), Stanley McDow- ell (full-back, Ballymena).

PROSPECTS: A bit of a curious one. Settled pack and good enough up front, but have attempted to compensate for two key defections in the backs with largely unproven quantities. Thorburn, a running linkman, will be interesting. Might need play-off to survive. [ QL]

Garryowen

CAPTAIN: Killian Keane.

COACHES: Philip Danaher, Declan Reddan.

IN: Gavin Walsh (prop, Northampton), Tom Tierney (scrumhalf, Richmond), Sean Madigan (wing, Old Crescent), Van Humphreys (lock, New Zealand).

OUT: Ben Cronin (number eight, Orrell), Mick Coughlan (lock, Clontarf), Michael Prendergast (scrum-half, Young Munster), Colm Forde (scrum-half, Old Crescent).

PROSPECTS: A disappointing, sometimes unimaginative, moody side last season. But representative neglect mightn't harm them and their four aggrieved, non-used Irish squad members should be chomping at the bit. They've a killer fivegame run-in. Definite play-off contenders.

Lansdowne

CAPTAIN: Kurt McQuilkin.

COACH: Paul Clinch.

IN: Aaron Freeman (lock, Treorchy), Cormac Egan (hooker, Terenure), Rory Kearns (utility back, Blackrock), Craig Whelan (full-back, Bective), Brian Quinn (full-back, Dublin University), Perry Mandal (flanker, Dublin University), Bill Casey (wing, Old Wesley), Anton Forde (flanker, New Zealand).

OUT: Mark McDermott (hooker, Shannon), Eric Elwood (out-half, Galwegians), Alan Reddan (centre, Galwegians), Rody Corrigan (wing, Wanderers), Peter Devcich (full-back, Wanderers).

PROSPECTS: Strong scrum, and number eight Colin McEntee, will serve them well when going gets tough. O'Connor brothers and Freeman will also deliver line-out ball. But Elwood is a big loss. They need McQuilkin back from injury rapidly. Midtable/play-off contenders.

Old Belvedere

CAPTAIN: Hugh McDonnell.

COACH: Stephen Dods.

IN: Martin Ridge (centre, Moseley), Jonathan Mion (hooker, Blackrock), Murray Henderson (lock, New Zealand), Tim Mannix (prop, New Zealand), Rob Rein (out-half, South Africa), Ronan Browne (wing, Oxford), David Frame (centre, Blackrock), Tom Murphy (flanker, UCD), Steve Sexton (centre, Old Wesley).

OUT: Kevin Spicer (number eight, London Irish), Mike Carswell (flanker, retired), Mark Feeley (lock, retired), Gareth Dinneen (flanker, Old Crescent), Paul Allen (centre, Old Wesley).

PROSPECTS: Not great. Seriously diminished up front. Need Neil Francis back from knee injury and, perhaps, elevation of Mion. But given inability to dominate matches, choice of out-half as overseas player was curious. Key game could be fourth one at home to Dolphin in New Year. Relegation candidates.

Old Crescent

CAPTAIN: Len Dinneen.

COACH: Len Dinneen.

IN: Gareth Dinneen (flanker, Old Belvedere), Stephen Hop- kins (out-half, Ballina), Ken Barrett (utility back, Galwegians), Colm Forde (scrum-half, Garryowen), Anton Meaney (flanker, Shannon), Kevin McInerney (utility back, Shannon), Eoin Brockert (lock, Thomond), Jim Cullinan (prop, Young Munster).

OUT: John Forde (lock, Dolphin), Barry O'Neill (centre, Dolphin), Shane McCarthy (scrum-half, Clontarf), Stephen Tuohy (out-half, Young Munster), Mark Hayes (hooker, Young Munster), Sean Madigan (wing, Garryowen),

PROSPECTS: A hint of Second Season Syndrome given promotion carryover helped keep them up last season. Lost several important players and Kiwi coach Peter Eglinton in unsettled start to season. Skilful forwards can help bring up a head of steam and take scalps, but relegation candidates.

St Mary's College

CAPTAIN: Steve Jameson.

COACHES: Steve Hennessy, Hugh Maguire.

IN: Trevor Brennan (flanker, Bective), Richard Ormond (out-half, UCD), David Coen (prop, Wanderers), Derek Dowling (prop, Monkstown), Colman McCarthy (wing-forward, Oxford University), Tony Gillen (Bective Rangers), Garry Halpin (returns from abroad).

OUT: David Wall (wing, Bective), Philip Lynch (scrum-half, Buccaneers), Kevin Potts (flanker, retired), Brian Keane (retired), Kevin Devlin (flanker, retired).

PROSPECTS: Never, seemingly, better. Hungry, maybe desperate, for success. Brennan is just the hardened edge they needed. Strength in depth, flair aplenty, as potent as anyone. New coaches and representative demands may delay gelling process; ability of tight five in tough going (three Limerick trips) and self-destructive tendances raise doubts. Play-offs.

Shannon

CAPTAIN: Anthony Foley.

COACHES: Pat Murray, Niall O'Donovan.

IN: John Lacey (wing, Sunday's Well), Mark McDermott (hooker, Lansdowne), Rhys Ellison (centre, New Zealand), David Sheahan (wing, Garryowen).

OUT: Rory Sheriff (lock, Terenure), Tom Walsh (prop, Wanderers), Pat Murray (retired).

PROSPECTS: Just when the they might be going stale, they strengthen in all the areas they might have looked weak. Ellison is the free scoop of the season, Lacey adds a pacy edge and McDermott a real presence. Look like early pacesetters. Fourth title beckons.

Terenure College

CAPTAIN: Joe Kelly.

COACHES: Gerry Murphy and Bobby Byrne.

IN: Rory Sheriff (lock, Shannon), Garren Sheehan (number eight, Natal, South Africa), Pat Holden (lock, Blackrock), Greg McConkey (flanker, Lansdowne), Jack Donaghy (full-back, UCD), Hugh O'Neill (out-half, Garryowen).

OUT: Cormac Egan (hooker, Lansdowne), Niall Hogan (scrum-half, London Irish).

PROSPECTS: Traditionally lack power, but if Sheehan is the business behind two talented new locks, Terenure might at last have the pack to control games. Well-ingrained rucking game, very well coached and organised, settled team with few representative sidetracks and spirited. Question marks about Limerick bogey and place-kicking. If they survive cracking opening (Con, Mary's, Lansdowne) will be real dark horses. Play-offs.

Young Munster

CAPTAIN: Ger Earls.

COACH: Brian Hickey.

IN: Peter Clohessy (prop, Queensland), Mark Hayes (hooker, Old Crescent), Stephen Tuohy (out-half, Old Crescent), Justin O'Connell (lock/back-row, Sunday's Well), Michael Prendergast (scrum-half, Garryowen), Alan Honan (centre, Waterpark), Brian Buckley (lock/back-row, Thomond).

OUT: John Fitzgerald (prop, retired), Mark Fitzgerald (hooker, retired).

PROSPECTS: Packo Fitzgerald retires but Clohessy returns and new coach will enhance freshness and approach. Can still build up a head of steam and talented forwards capable of steamrolling anyone. Should be the usual potential landmine for anyone. Mid-table.