Rugby All-Ireland League, Division two: The first weekend of the AIL and Division Two teams will focus on trying to do what Dolphin did last season when they earned promotion to Division One. That they were clearly the strongest side, with Old Crescent close behind, should lift the Limerick club as they begin this year's campaign on Saturday at home to Belfast side Malone.

Despite last year's strong showing Old Crescent clearly won't have it all their own way and with Terenure slipping out of Division One with UL Bohemians, it is likely that the crush at the top of the table will be somewhat tighter than last season. In the end Dolphin won the league with 57 points, two points better than Old Crescent and 14 points ahead of third-placed DLSP.

While Greystones dropped out, along with Ulster's Portadown, and made way for the promoted Waterpark, it means that there are three new sides in the league, Waterpark opening with a home fixture on Saturday against Thomond.

Terenure recently missed out on a semi-final place in the Leinster League Cup when Lansdowne beat them 23-10 and have to recover from the trauma of winning only one of their first division matches last season. But with players of the calibre of Richie Governey and Shane Cullen remaining loyal they are certain to be contenders.

UL Bohemians have also been going well in the Munster provincial league with under-21 international Keith Matthews having a good season thus far.

At the bottom of the league, there was not much separating Sunday's Well, Midleton and Bective Rangers last season when the points were added up, with an inexperienced Young Munster and Old Belvedere also perilously close to the wrong end of the table.

Unfortunately for Young Munster, it will be the likes of Terenure, Bohemians and Old Crescent who will look at them and realise that if you hang around in Division Two too long without earning promotion quickly, you may even slide further.