A spectacular second-half performance from Railway Union saw them claim the IRFU Women’s All-Ireland Cup following a comprehensive 33-3 victory over UL Bohemians, the defending cup champions and league leaders at Dubarry Park on Saturday.

Familiarity won’t be an issue in tonight’s must-win B&I Cup clash for Munster A at Nottingham’s Ladybay (7.45pm).

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.

Skerries teenager Ciaran Frawley converted four of UCD’s five tries and kicked a penalty as they dished out a 36-8 derby defeat to Dublin University, moving to the top of Ulster Bank League Division 1A in the process.

Ireland women’s coach Tom Tierney has named five uncapped players in his Six Nations squad but it is the absence of former World Player of the Year nominee Sophie Spence that stood out.

A look ahead to today’s action in Divisions 1A and 1B...

“Once the scrum goes unopposed it’s like a game of rugby league. I’m an old fashioned boy from the Welsh coal-mining towns so the scrum was the platform and that differentiated the game more than anything. I would like to see a directive that you’d have two specialist props and a hooker on the bench.”

If you watched Ireland’s U20s take on Wales in Dublin last Friday evening then chances are that the sheer size of the Leinster loosehead prop Andrew Porter stood out every bit as much as the abandon with which Nigel Carolan’s offloading side played.

Previews of all today’s Division 1A/1B games.

Munster Sevens coach Colm McMahon is banking on his players’ enthusiasm to make up for any lack of experience when the province hosts the Limerick World Club Sevens tournament at Thomond Park this weekend.

Ireland, 2014 Six Nations champions, are the only nation in the IRB’s top 20 test sides without a men’s Sevens team.

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne has cast doubt on the likelihood of an Ireland Sevens team going to the Olympics in 2016.

Garryowen 13 UL Bohemians 16

Munster’s rugby Academy isn’t just a window to the future — it’s a key ingredient for ongoing success for the province. In the last of a four-part series on the up-and-comers vying for Munster’s Academy player of the year award, back-row Eoghan Grace spoke with Alan Good.

Dungannon 22 Blackrock College 14

Shannon 23 Old Belvedere 19

CORK CONSTITUTION 16 SHANNON 9

Ireland will be hoping to turn their Sevens World Cup campaign around today in Dubai.

The Ireland Sevens coach Jon Skurr has named a 12-man squad for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup 7s in Dubai.

DOLPHIN 16 CORK CONSTITUTION 18

THE Munster squad, minus its senior internationals, yesterday flew out to Lanzarote for a week-long warm-weather training camp.

Former Ireland forwards coach Niall O'Donovan has been appointed as assistant coach of the Ireland A side, working with head coach Michael Bradley and manager Joey Miles.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) today confirmed the coach and manager positions for representative teams for the coming season.

Heineken Cup winners Denis Hurley and Tomas O’Leary have been named in the Ireland A team for Wednesday’s Churchill Cup clash with the United States.

The Ireland Sevens team began its charge towards the goal of qualification for the IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens with a positive runner-up spot in the Denmark Sevens competition at the weekend.

Ballymena 16 Buccaneers 18

Dublin University 8 Lansdowne 33

Buccaneers 26 Ballymena 13

Table-toppers UL Bohemians will have a chance to erase the disappointment of last year's last gasp Division Two final defeat when they duel out the 2005 decider next Saturday.

Three-try Belfast Harlequins won through to their first ever AIB League Division One final as Garryowen were dusted down 15-8 at Dooradoyle.

Ballymena 55 Buccaneers 5

Buccaneers 3 Shannon 56

UCD 17 Belfast Harlequins 22

Ireland endured a baptism of fire at the Rugby World Cup Sevens at Hong Kong's Happy Valley today.

The Irish team to take part in the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong from March 18-20 has been named.

Garryowen 6 Belfast Harlequins 13

A crucial yellow card for Leinster flanker Niall Ronan saw Ireland's young Sevens side collapse to a 24-19 Bowl semi-final defeat to Canada at today's IRB South Africa Sevens in George.

Munster 45 Borders 8

Former Irish international Mark McCall has made two changes to the Ulster side defeated 30-7 by the Dragons last weekend, for their opening Celtic League fixture against Edinburgh.