All-Ireland League: UL-Bohemian shot to the head of affairs in the AIB League with a 39-3 obliteration of UCD that was borne out of a methodical determination to look for four tries and a bonus point.
By the end, they had secured five tries and as many points as College simply disappeared from the match with Leinster's Robert Kearney making little or no impact from fullback.
From one to 15, UL-Bohs were dominant and doughty in most of what they did and Martin McPhail's last quarter hat-trick of tries overtook James O'Neill's more rudimentary two finishes either side of the break.
It was the playmaking capacity of halfbacks Fergal Lawlor and Ben Martin that turned and tortured College all the way to the end. Former Ireland schools out-half Lawlor moved to number nine to cover for the injured Chris Delooze and his delicate use of the boot complemented the longer range of Martin.
Of course, the test of their challenge to Shannon will come and there must be more than a doubt that they will be able to maintain their start to the season.
For their part, there will be no queries about Shannon's appetite for the 15 rounds and play-offs. They have been down this road so many times before and it has been downhill most of the way.
Shannon and Buccaneers does not exactly set the pulse racing for lovers of the beautiful game. But, this is a time of furrowed brows at the midlands club. They are rooted to the bottom of the table without even a bonus point.
Former Shannon man Tom Cregan kicked two penalties in the 34-6 drubbing at Thomond Park.
Garryowen did a great impression of "winning ugly" with four penalties from Conor Kilroy, the last coming well into injury-time, to edge out Ballymena 12-10 at Dooradoyle.
Cork Constitution kept their great record against Blackrock College with a 25-23 away win and tries from Brendan Cutriss, Richie Lane and Conor Quaid. Conor McPhillips's try against old club St Mary's College was not enough to prevent a 22-16 loss at Templeville Road.
The only Dublin derby of the day, at Castle Avenue, went the way of Clontarf (19-10) with fullback Darragh O'Shea kicking three penalties to prise them away from Lansdowne.
Terenure were given a sharp reminder of what is needed in the top flight with an opening day disaster at UL-Bohs. There was much more to like about the 23-12 win over Dungannon at Lakelands Park.
Ireland made a confident start to their bid for a place in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup with a nine-try 50-12 thrashing of Russia in Moscow. Widnes fullback Gavin Dodd scored a hat-trick of tries and Warrington standoff Chris Bridge finished with 22 points thanks to two tries and seven conversions.
Ireland led 20-4 at half-time and three tries in eight minutes at the start of the second half put the game beyond doubt.
New captain Phil Cantillon opened the scoring in the 16th minute with a typical dart to the posts from five metres out and he added a second after the break.
Salford centre Stuart Littler also scored two tries in the opening half while Russia's tries came from winger Valantin Baskakakov and centres Robert Iliassov and Roman Ovchinnikos.
Ireland's next match is against Lebanon at Tolka Park on Sunday, November 5th, with a noon kick-off.
