Following three promotions in just five seasons, Cork side Highfield are set for a huge leap forward when they begin their All-Ireland Division 1B campaign against Malone at Woodleigh Park tomorrow afternoon.

Ireland will take a fully fit squad to Japan for the World Cup.

Munster out-half Joey Carbery is part of the 40-man squad flying to Portugal today for an eight-day warm-weather training camp.

Munster Senior Challenge Cup specialists Cork Constitution will open their title defence with a mouth-watering tie against 2018 champions Garryowen.

Ultan Dillane and Rory Scannell became the first players to be jettisoned from Ireland’s World Cup planning as Joe Schmidt’s training squad was trimmed ahead of Saturday’s opening summer Test against Italy.

Dolphin Rugby Club has clashed with the IRFU over plans for a large, new, indoor facility at the city’s main rugby stadium.

Joe Schmidt has made seven changes to the Ireland team to face France in Sunday's Six Nations clash.

Cronin has been dropped from the 37-man squad just a week after his first Six Nations start in 68 international appearances.

Which was better - Cathal O'Reilly's run or Tadhg Furlong's?

A rugby club is poised to embark on a near-€1m development plan which includes construction of a new all-weather pitch and a running track.

Terenure College and Garryowen were the big winners on the final day of Division 1A’s regular season, setting up semi-final clashes with defending champions Cork Constitution and table-topping Lansdowne respectively.

Lansdowne continue to look the team to beat in Ulster Bank League Division 1A after winning at Tom Clifford Park for the first time since 2011, while defending champions Cork Constitution have leapfrogged Terenure College in pursuit of the second home semi-final berth.

Simon Zebo looked his customary cheerful, ebullient self at the University of Limerick yesterday as Munster prepared for Saturday night’s Guinness Pro14 clash with Zebre at Thomond Park.

Munster Development XV 10 Ireland U20 26: Two tries in the dying minutes by right winger Peter Sullivan gave Ireland U20 a flattering 26-10 victory over a Munster Development XV in a hard-fought but scrappy encounter at Thomond Park yesterday.

A LONG-established, family-run pub between two of Cork city’s suburban sporting heartlands, rugby at Musgrave Park and soccer at Turner’s Cross stadium, has another claim to fame – it is the closest licensed premises to the grave of Fr Theobald Mathew, the Apostle of Temperance.

Lansdowne 24 Cork Constitution 10: Scott Deasy came back to scupper his former club on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch yesterday as Lansdowne earned a 24-10 win over Ulster Bank League champions Cork Constitution.

Joe Schmidt’s young son Tim scored the bonus point try for Terenure College as they won their Dublin 6W derby with St. Mary’s College to continue their excellent start.

Johne Murphy has quickly established his credentials as a coach just two years after signing off on a memorable career that saw him play over 200 top class games for Leicester, Munster, Emerging Ireland and the Wolfhounds.

Tomás O’Leary yesterday announced his retirement from professional rugby “happy and content that it is time to move on”.

This weekend will be a day of celebration for Cork clubs, Constitution and Dolphin, as three of their number are rewarded for endeavour with high profile selection for the British and Irish Lions and Ireland.

This may have been Ireland’s biggest win over the USA in 13 years and the fourth largest in history, but coach Joe Schmidt knows it is difficult to assess the impact of so many young players against a side operating at a notch or two below them.

Joe Schmidt said that the five uncapped players who have made it into the squad for the first game of the summer tour against the USA on Saturday evening deserve their chance.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Table-toppers Lansdowne and defending champions Clontarf will have home advantage in the Division 1A semi-finals after a tumultuous final day in the Ulster Bank League.

Dolphin 22 Old Wesley 10: Relief for Dolphin who jumped from the bottom spot in Division 1B of the Ulster Bank League and have now given themselves a fighting chance of avoiding the dreaded drop.

There was an added bounce in the step of Munster players in the High-Performance Unit at UL this week after Niall Scannell’s outstanding debut for Ireland against Italy at the weekend.

Ulster Bank League Division 1B

It says plenty about Rory Scannell’s form this season and his immense contribution to Munster’s run of form that he has kept his place in the centre ahead of Springbok Jaco Taute and Francis Saili, an All Black.

Dolphin 19 Ballynahinch 35: Dolphin coach David Corkery was far from impressed after watching his charges capitulate to a strong Ballynahinch at Musgrave Park on Saturday.

UCC 15 Dolphin 25: Dolphin gave their Ulster Bank League Division 1B survival hopes a huge boost with a victory over UCC at the Mardyke last night.

The ultra-competitive fare in Ulster Bank League Division 1A has seen Old Belvedere edge their way to the summit.

Young Munster 35 Old Belvedere 36: The Ulster Bank All-Ireland League got off to the best possible start at Tom Clifford Park on Saturday, when Old Belvedere and Young Munster provided a thriller from which the visitors emerged victorious by a point (36-35).

Holders Cork Constitution and last year’s beaten finalists Young Munster advanced to the Munster Senior Cup quarter-finals with little difficulty over the weekend but Garryowen and fancied Dolphin were both knocked out.

Rassie Erasmus will not be expecting perfection when he sends his Munster charges into action for the first time tonight.

CJ Stander bagged his third major award in nine days but yesterday’s Munster Rugby Player of the Year honour was, he said, the one that meant the most to him.