Gavin Cummiskey runs the rule over this year's contenders.
Presentation Bray
Coaches
Breffni O'Hagan, Kevin Lewis, Reggie Corrigan, Olan Savage, Cathal Ó Suilleabhain (manager).
Captain
Roddy Carroll.
Players from last year
Alan Dempsey, Arran Feighery, Conor Fenlon, David Carney, David Nutty, Fearghal Murphy, John Breslin, James Guihen, Neal Cooper, Roddy Carroll, Robin O'Sullivan, Sam Kavanagh, Sean Byrne.
Representative players
Leinster and Ireland under-18: Robin O'Sullivan.
How SCT performed in 2007
Did not reach last 16.
Pre-Cup record
Lost league semi-final to CBC 31-12.
Prospects
St Michael's are expected to prove too strong in the first round but they will make them earn every point. First round.
St Michael's College
Coaches
Greg McWilliams, Mark McDermott, Gerry Carter, Phil Howard, Fiona O'Friel, Mark Kelly (manager)
Captain
Conor O'Sullivan.
Players from last year
Andrew Pollard, Gary Featherstone, Keelan McKenna, Conor O'Sullivan, Noel Reid, Stephen Malone, Cathal Turley, Andy Kealy, Mark Kelly.
Representative players
Leinster under-18: Andrew Pollard, Stephen Malone, Keelan McKenna, Noel Reid.
Leinster under-19: Mark Kelly, Conor O'Sullivan.
How SCT performed in 2007
Won the whole show.
Pre-Cup record
Mixed. The loss of Leinster prop Mark Kelly - forced to give up rugby after sustaining a disc injury lifting weights - disrupted their season but they are coming nicely into form.
Prospects
Should beat Pres Bray next Tuesday and will not relinquish their crown against CBC without putting up massive resistance first. Quarter-finalists.
Gonzaga College
Coaches
Bobby Byrne, Declan Fastbender, Gareth Pelly.
Captain
Daniel Kane.
Players from last year
John Cooney, Shane Costello, David Doyle, Garrett Fitzgerald, Godfrey Greene, Neil Hanratty, Dan Kane, Kevin Larchet, Daniel McEvoy, William McEvoy, Dominic Ryan.
Representative players
Leinster under-18: John Cooney, Daniel Kane, Dominic Ryan (and Ireland).
Leinster under-19: Neil Hanratty.
How SCT performed in 2007
Unlucky to lose 6-3 to Blackrock in first round.
Pre-Cup record
Fielding a young team this year, they were forced to qualify the long way round after losing to Kilkenny in play-off.
Prospects
The first-round match against Kilkenny could go either way but hard to see them overcoming the winners of St Mary's/Castleknock. Quarter-finalists.
St Gerard's School
Coaches
Joe McDonnell, Tony Ward, Damien Hall, Seamus Jennings (manager).
Captain
Gareth Crotty.
Players from last year
Gareth Crotty, Jordan Egan, Fergus Maxwell, David Bourke, Sam O'Brien.
Representative players
None
How SCT performed in 2007
Lost 34-8 to St Michael's in round one.
Pre-Cup record
Just one league victory over De La Salle.
Prospects
A difficult first-round fixture against Blackrock that will be of little benefit to either team.
Cistercian Roscrea
Coaches
Neil Culleton, Noel O'Meara and Alan Kavanagh.
Captain
Liam Hyland.
Players from last year
Liam Hyland, Seamus Hennessy, John Hayes, Kevin Quinlan, Tiernan O'Halloran, David Clarke, John Cody, Lorcan Smyth, Cormac Pardy, David Joyce.
Representative players
Leinster under-19: David Joyce.
How SCT performed in 2007
Narrowly lost to Kilkenny in first round.
Pre-Cup record
Won three, lost three in league.
Prospects
Will trouble St Andrew's in the opening round.
Belvedere College
Coaches
Gabriel Fulcher, Fr Jim Culliton, Wayne Mitchell, Colin McCarthy, Stuart Colohan.
Captain
Thomas Sexton
Players from last year
Thomas Sexton, CJ Barry, Nermin Lovic, Eoghan Browne, Luke Mangan, Peter Sinnott, Niall Myron, Alan Kenny, Michael Keating, Rowan Considine.
Representative players
Under-18: CJ Barry (Ireland) Niall Myron, Ben Woods.
Irish under-19: Tom Sexton, Nermin Lovic, Michael Keating, Luke Mangan.
How SCT performed in 2007
Champions St Michael's produced their best form of the campaign to see them off in quarter-final.
Pre-Cup record
Lost heavily away to Clongowes but fairly solid besides.
Prospects
Champions, but they'll have to earn it in a hugely demanding draw.
Castleknock College
Coaches
Jim Lowry, Colin Townsend, Ian Condon.
Captain
Liam McConville
Players from last year
Liam McConville, Dylan McDonald, James Ring, Alan O'Donoghue, Seamus McNally, Conor McCrossan, Stevie Collins, Gerald Barry, Mark Coffey.
Representative players
Leinster under-18: Martin Moore.
How SCT performed in 2007
Lost to Terenure in first round.
Pre-Cup record
Injury-hampered season and will struggle to get full-strength team out for Cup.
Prospects
Very little. St Mary's should prove too strong in first round.
St Columba's
Coaches
Paul Cron, Richie McDonald.
Captain
Ian McKinley.
Players from last year
Ian McKinley, David Cooper, Shane Jocelyn, Alex Brown, Grey Howie, Arthur Preston, Sam Stevens, Conor Boyd, Lewis Matthews, Chris Lilly, Arian Keogan, Chris Fenelon, Max Shirley.
Representative players
Leinster under-18: Chris Lilly.
Irish and Leinster under-19: Ian McKinley.
How SCT performed in 2007
Lost 5-3 to Newpark in first round of Vinnie Murray.
Pre-Cup record
Won the McMullan Cup. Only lost to Wesley pre-Cup when both representative players were absent.
Prospects
Best team in years with Irish centre Ian McKinley and scrumhalf Chris Lily liable to cause plenty of problems but hard to see them stopping CBC in first round.
St Mary's College
Coaches
Dave Breslin, Rodney O'Donnell, Dave Dunne, John Wynne, Ciaran O'Donnell, Clive Byrne (manager)
Captain
Richard Bent
Players from last year
Richard Bent, Darren Hudson, Ian O'Neill, Ray Crotty, Jack McGrath, William Andreucetti, Owen McGill, Brendan O'Connell, Alan Glenn.
Representative players
Leinster under-18: Richard Bent, Darren Hudson, Ray Crotty.
Leinster under-19: Peter Finegan, Jack McGrath, William Andreucetti.
How SCT performed in 2007
Lost 17-7 to eventual runners-up Clongowes in a wind and rain-affected quarter-final replay in Naas.
Pre-Cup record
They have won about 50 per cent of games, including the recent confidence-boosting scalp of CBC Monkstown.
Prospects
Tough opener against Castleknock with Gonzaga or Kilkenny waiting in last eight. Still, it's a dream draw and if they can build some momentum could yet upset the applecart. Semi-finalists.
CBC Monkstown
Coaches
Conor Montayne, Nigel Osbourne, Declan Keegan, Martin Mahon, Ryan Corcoran.
Captain
Shane Grannell.
Players from last year
Richard Ivers, Stephen Flood, Michael Noone, Darren Graham, David Lewis, Steve Boucher, Shane Grannell, Ronan Kearney, Killian Horgan, Sean O'Connor, Killian Jenkinson, Gary Foley, Stephen Roberts, Ian Moore.
Representative players
Leinster under18: Richard Ivers.
Leinster under-19: Shane Grannell, Michael Noone, Steve Boucher, Gary Foley, Killian Jenkinson.
How SCT performed in 2007
Disappointing. Beat Templeogue but lost 5-3 to Terenure in last eight.
Pre-Cup record
Looked impressive winning the league, 18-10 v St Andrews, and enter the campaign with a 13-4 win record.
Prospects
With a kind draw and a host of Leinster under-19s, this is CBC's best chance to bring the cup back to Monkstown since they lost the 1984 final. Runners-up.
Blackrock College
Coaches
Frank Macken, Toirleac O'Brien, Peter Smith, Dara Geraghty, Brian Savage, Fr. Joe Gough (manager).
Captain
Michael Cawley.
Players from last year
David Hillery, Tom Parsons, Simon Schuster, Michael Cawley, Alan MacGinty.
Representative players
Leinster under-18: Michael Cawley, Tom Parsons, Brian Kingston, Denis Buckley (Connacht and Ireland).
Leinster under-19: Gavin Greene, Simon Schuster.
How SCT performed in 2007
Struggled past Gonzaga 6-3 before the nightmare scenario became a reality when they lost 14-13 to Kilkenny in a quarter-final replay.
Pre-Cup record
14 wins and six defeats up to January 10th. Initially struggled for form while adopting an expansive approach.
Prospects
The year will probably be defined on February 3rd against a fancied Clongowes. Rare that Blackrock go in as underdogs but they will have to play above themselves to prevail. Quarter-finalists.
St Andrew's College
Coaches
James Winstanley, Graham Richmond, Daniel Lewis, Felix Jones, Cian Culleton.
Captain
Eoin Cremen.
Players from last year
Nick Clarke, Eoin Cremen, Conal Cremen, Rob Switzer, Ben Marshall, Dylan Greene, Aaron Brown, Gavin Hayes, Frank Lennox.
Representative players
Leinster and Ireland under-18: Ben Marshall.
Leinster under-19: Eoin Cremen.
How SCT performed in 2007
League finalists but lost in first round of Cup to Belvedere.
Pre-Cup record
Showed decent form in reaching the league final but they were eventually beaten 18-10 by CBC Monkstown.
Prospects
Should make quarter-finals but Belvedere or Terenure will be waiting. Well organised and capable of causing an upset. Quarter-finalists.
Terenure College
Coaches
Padraig Forde, Dan Parkinson, Charlie O'Sullivan, Ian Morgan, Paul Murphy, Dermot Blaney, Joe McDonnell (manager).
Captain
Kieran Moloney.
Players from last year
Kieran Moloney, Risteard Byrne, James Clarke, Robert Duke, Paul Hickey, Conor Farrell, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Graham Flanagan, Terry Jones, Ross Williamson, Mark Russell.
Representative players
Leinster under-18: Ross Williamson, Risteard Byrne.
Leinster under-19: Graham Flanagan.
How SCT performed in 2007
Beaten by Clongowes, 10-3, in semi-final.
Pre-Cup record
Steadily improved after defeats to CBC, Blackrock, Clongowes and Belvedere.
Prospects
Outhalf Terry Jones has been dogged by a shoulder injury so his presence will be crucial. It all comes down to tomorrow's do-or-die match against the favourites Belvedere. First round.
The King's Hospital
Coaches
Ray McIlreavy and Niall Mahon.
Captain
Peter du Toit.
Players from last year
Ian Hirst, James Forbes, Peter du Toit, Evan Lett, Gordon Murphy, Sam McGlynn, Nicky Darragh.
Representative players
Leinster: Peter du Toit.
How SCT performed in 2007
Beaten by CBC Monkstown 12-10.
Pre-Cup record
Beaten by St Andrews 12-5 in league semi-final.
Prospects
Hard to see them stopping Clongowes. First round.
Kilkenny College
Coaches
Jeff Carter, Simon Manuel, Paddy O'Driscoll, James Morrow (manager).
Captain
Craig Ronaldson
Players from last year
Andrew Yates, Stephen Yates, Geoff Dunne, Craig Ronaldson, Padraig Mahon.
Representative players
None
How SCT performed in 2007
Excellently. Beaten by eventual champions St Michael's in semi-final after knocking out Blackrock.
Pre-Cup record
Lost only one friendly and recently beat Gonzaga 10-3 to be an automatic qualifier to last 16.
Prospects
Only a few players return from last year's heroic team. Could reach quarter-finals but St Mary's look too strong. First round.
Clongowes Wood College
Coaches
Adam Lewis, Noel McNamara, Kevin West.
Captain
Jack O'Connell.
Players from last year
Matthew Collis, Nick Delehanty, Shane Kennedy, Warren Larkin, Michael McLoughlin, Jack O'Connell, Joe Ryan, Robert Timlin, Ciaran Wade.
Representative players
Leinster under-18: Jack O' Connell.
Leinster under-19: Michael McLoughlin, Matthew Collis, Ciaran Wade, Nick Delehanty, Tim O' Mahony.
How SCT performed in 2007
Bravely. Lost final to St Michael's 6-0 in treacherous conditions.
Pre-Cup record
Steady progress but they never put much stock in friendly matches.
Prospects
Potential champions but may come unstuck against Belvedere or Blackrock in a difficult draw. Semi-finalists.
