Belvedere College: Coaches: Stuart Colohan, Fr Jim Culliton, Gabriel Fulcher, Colin McCarthy, Wayne Mitchell.
Captain: Hugo Nolan.
Players returning from last year:Colly O'Shea, Matt Darcy, Cathal O'Flynn, Paul Gilsenan, Chris O'Brien, Dillon Casey, Niall Myron, Hugo Nolan, Ben Woods.
Last year: Champions.
Representative players: Ben Woods, Niall Myron, Hugo Nolan, Cathal O'Flynn, Chris O'Brien (all Leinster U-19). Colly O'Shea (Leinster U-18)
The Lowdown: The defending champions lost to St Mary's, Blackrock, Terenure and both Cork schools, Presentation and Christians, in pre-cup friendlies but of more relevance given their place in the top half of the draw is victories over Castleknock and Gonzaga. They boast nine players from last year's squad and six who donned a Leinster jersey this season. They face a very tricky tie against league finalists St Gerard's first time out. They'll want to make the semi-finals at least where they'd probably be opposed by bookmakers' favourites, Blackrock but to get that far they'll have to be at their best.
Blackrock College
Coaches: Frank Macken, Peter Smyth, Dara Geraghty, Brian Savage, Fr Joe Gough (manager).
Captain: Jordi Murphy.
Players returning from last season: Conor Barry, Denis Buckley, Dylan Fawsitt, Paddy Kilcoyne, Arthur Lyons, Jordi Murphy, Tom Parsons, Andrew Conway, Brian Kingston, Niall Kilcullen, Brendan Macken, Paul O'Shea, Calum Rowden.
Last year: lost in the second round to Clongowes Wood College.
Representative players: Jordi Murphy (Leinster U-18, Ireland Schools), Brendan Macken (Leinster U-18, Ireland Schools), Andrew Conway (Leinster U-18), Tom Parsons (Leinster U-18). Arthur Lyons, Patrick Kilcoyne, Denis Buckley (Ireland Schools), Paul O'Shea, Brian Kingston, Calum Rowden (all Leinster U-19). Lorcan Farrell (Connacht U-18), David Heffernan (Connacht U-18).
The Lowdown:They are a remarkably short price to win their 66th crown, a fact that may reflect the draw they have been handed and the depth in quality in the squad.
Captain Jordi Murphy and centre Brendan Macken – a son of coach Frank – played for the Ireland Schools against Italy before Christmas, while prop Denis Buckley wore the green jersey the previous year. They boast Leinster and Connacht interprovincials, that talent facilitating a running game. Lost pre-cup games to English School, Colstons, Terenure and Methody. The team to beat.
Castleknock College
Coaches: Andy Kenny, Peter Conway, Brian Collins, Andrew Tracey, Nigel Travers.
Captain: Daire Heneghan.
Players returning from last year: Gerald Barry, Sam Hafford, Daire Heneghan, Ross Jones, Daniel King, Conor McCrossan, Rory McGuinness, Darragh O'Driscoll,, Jack O'Shea, Peter Reilly, Andrew Sweeney, Conor Woodgate.
Last Year:Lost in the first round to St Mary's College.
Representative players:Martin Moore (Leinster U-18, Ireland Schools), Peter Reilly (Leinster U-18).
The Lowdown:They've been unlucky in the sense they are pitted against a Terenure College team that are many people's choice to win the tournament. Andy Kenny, who coached Belvedere to a senior cup win in 2005, takes over as head coach and will be assisted by two recent past pupils in Brian Collins and Peter Conway. The presence of Ireland and Leinster schools tighthead prop Martin Moore and Peter Reilly – he played loosehead for the Leinster Schools Under-18 team – should guarantee a decent scrum. Beating Terenure would constitute a shock.
CBC Monkstown
Coaches:Nigel Osbourne , Conor Montayne, Ryan Corcoran.
Captain:Shane Gould.
Players returning from last year: Shane Gould, Conor O'Mahony, Patrick Crown, Alexander Ging, Damien Conroy, Christopher O'Brien, Aaron Sheehan.
Last year:Lost in semi-final to St Mary's College.
Representative players:Shane Gould (Leinster U-19), Aaron Sheehan (Leinster U-18).
The Lowdown: Tipped by several pundits last season as potential winners they paid a heavy price for a poor performance at the penultimate stage. This year's team lacks the individual footballing skills of several of last season's stand-out players but collectively might have a tougher mental edge. Their main stumbling block is they have drawn favourites Blackrock in the opening game. They play an entertaining brand of rugby under Nigel Osbourne that develops them as players. 'Rock won an early-season game between these schools by a couple of scores and would fancy retaining that sort of buffer.
Clongowes Wood College
Coaches: Noel McNamara, Gareth Pickering, Kevin West, Nick McNamara, Brian O'Keeffe.
Captain: Robert Timlin.
Players returning from last year:Darragh Cullen, Billy Glynn, Alastair Hoban, Gary Hoban, Warren Larkin, Joseph Mannu, Gerard Mullen, Robert Timlin.
Last season:Lost in semi-final to Belvedere College.
Representative players: Gary Hoban (Leinster U-18), Jack Dilger (Leinster U-18), Gerard Mullen (Leinster U-19), Robert Timlin (Leinster U-19).
The Lowdown: Clongowes are generally a highly-competitive entity at the business end of the season. They will be led by Robert Timlin, one of nine members of last season's squad that reached the semi-final before losing to Belvedere. Right wing Gerard Mullen returns as does centre Darragh Cullen and backrow forwards Warren Larkin and Timlin. Scrumhalf Billy Glynn, prop Joseph Mannu, secondrow Gary Hoban and flanker Alaister Hoban saw game time last season. The take on Newbridge in the battle of Kildare first time out, with the winners likely to face Terenure in the quarters.
CUS
Coaches:Joe Parkes, Niall O'Brien, Charl Oosthuizen, Stephen Tonge (manager).
Captain:Michael McGrath.
Players returning from last year: Joey Redmond, Conor Lehane, John Lindsay, Keith Donoghue, William Gilson, Eoghan Murray, Neil Fitzsimons, Mark Darby, Turlough McManus, Michael McGrath, Niall Kelly, Ian Hanrahan.
Last year: Lost to St Columba's last year in the second round of the Vinnie Murray.
Representative players: None.
The Lowdown:CUS managed a convincing 22-7 victory over beaten Section A finalists St Columba's in the first round of the Vinnie Murray Cup last week, the reward for which is a clash with The High School today.
The winners will qualify for the elite section of the competition. CUS suffered a poor start to the season but improved during the league winning four out of six matches. Their post-league performances included some encouraging displays against Castleknock and Crescent and this was carried into the St Columba’s game. Will be hoping to maintain that impetus against High School.
DLS Churchtown
Coaches:Lorcan Balfe. Thomas Leigh, Karl Gilligan.
Captain: Matthew Curran.
Players returning from last year: Matthew Curran, Niyi Adeolokun, James Bradley, Martin Burke, Kevin Carty, Seán Hanlon, Scott Hyland, Philip Keane, Adam Kelly, Kevin Masterson, Michael Nevin, Paul Nolan, Paul O'Donoghue, Declan O'Neill.
Last year:Lost in the Vinnie Murray quarter-final 6-3.
Representative players: None.
The Lowdown: The last school outside the "elite six" to win a Leinster Schools Senior Cup (1985) – a second in three years at that time – but since then, largely due to declining numbers they have struggled to make an impact. Edged out Mount Temple 10-7 in the first round of the Vinnie Murray Cup and today face Wesley College where they will start as second favourites.
Gonzaga College
Coaches:Bobby Byrne, Declan Fassbender, Gareth Pelly, Ross McCarron. Captain: Daniel McEvoy.
Players returning from last season: Alex Byrne, Niall Cullen, Neil Dillon, Ferdia Doherty, David Doyle, Godfrey Greene, David Layden, Daniel McEvoy, Nicholas Rutledge, Kevin Ryan, Killian Tuite, Jack Whelan.
Last season:lost in quarter-final to St Mary's College. Won the Vinnie Murray Cup.
Representative players: Ferdia Doherty (Leinster U-18, Ireland Schools), David Doyle (Leinster U-18, Ireland Schools), David Layden (Leinster U-18), Kevin Ryan (Leinster U-18), Daniel McEvoy (Leinster U-19).
The Lowdown:The schools can count on five Leinster players, outhalf Ferdia Doherty, backrow David Doyle – they both also played for Ireland Schools – and David Layden (wing), Kevin Ryan (centre) and Daniel McEvoy (fullback). Included in their number is David Mays, a son of former Ireland secondrow Kevin. It's an experienced team, judging by the number of players returning from last season, a fact not fully reflected in a pre-cup record that included six victories and two draws in 13 outings. They have been consistently competitive in recent seasons but face a King's Hospital side that did well in the recent league phase of the season.
Kilkenny College
Coaches:Jeff Carter, Jason Jones, James Morrow (manager).
Captain: Stephen Brennan.
Players returning from last year: Nigel Condell, Stephen Brennan.
Last year: Beaten in first round by Gonzaga.
Representative players:Scott Caldbeck (Leinster U-18), Howard Stanley (Leinster U-19).
The Lowdown: Were ridiculously unlucky to miss out a place in the league semi-finals due to points difference – the legacy of another team clocking up over 100 points in a match – and will be determined to do well in the cup proper, having won 10 of 15 matches in the build-up. The squad contains Foster Horan, a brother of Ben who led them to a famous victory over Blackrock in the 2007 Schools Cup, and identical twins Tristram and Ben Dyer. Kilkenny can also call upon another set of brothers in Mark and Ross Elmes. They face a St Andrew's team today in the Vinnie Murray Cup second round who have already beaten Pres Bray.
Newbridge College
Coaches: Matt O'Shea, Derek Sherlock, Phil Werahiko.
Captain: Sam Sutton.
Players returning from last year: None.
Last Year: Lost to Gonzaga in the Vinnie Murray Cup second round.
Representative players: James Tracy (Leinster U-18, Ireland Schools), Sam Coughlan Murray (Leinster U-18).
The Lowdown: They reached the semi-final of the league where they were beaten by St Gerard's, a fine achievement with a young team. The have a couple of representative players in James Tracey and Sam Coughlan Murray but have been handed a tough draw in opposing their Kildare neighbours Clongowes Wood. The latter will start as favourites but in the last couple of weeks, Newbridge have beaten St Mary's and Terenure. Former DLSP and Clontarf coach Phil Werahiko is part of the backroom team.
