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.

Clontarf centre Sean O’Brien is determined to follow in his older brother Conor’s footsteps and win an All-Ireland League title at the Aviva Stadium next Sunday.

Your Sunday rugby round-up.

Clontarf centre Sean O'Brien is determined to follow in his older brother Conor's footsteps and win an All-Ireland League title at the Aviva Stadium next Sunday.

Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam winner Rob Russell got among the tries as Dublin University claimed the scalp of All-Ireland League leaders Cork Constitution to take a step closer to a historic semi-final place.

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.

Cork Constitution 26 Buccaneers 0: Gerry Hurley was thrilled to have participated in one of Cork Constitution’s most impressive Ulster Bank League performances of the season at Temple Hill on Saturday.

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.

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.

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.

Today’s Ulster Bank League Division 1 clash between Clontarf and UCD is expected to be the first of two games between the teams in the next couple of weeks.

DIVISION 1A

Ulster Bank AIL review: Division 1A leaders UCD had the measure of local rivals Old Belvedere for the third time in recent weeks, as a three-try salvo steered the students to a terrific 23-6 Ulster Bank League victory at Anglesea Road.

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

Today

This year’s Ulster Bank League Division 1A campaign gets under way on September 11 with the clash of Old Belvedere and Terenure College, while last year’s beaten finalists Clontarf face UCD.

Irish coach Joe Schmidt insisted during the week that places in the World Cup squad were still up for grabs. After yet another defeat to the Barbarians at Thomond Park last night, he will go home for another re-think after a performance he described as “a bit inaccurate.”

Clontarf centre Matt D’Arcy missed out on the Division 1A title last weekend, but there was some consolation back at the Aviva Stadium last night as he scooped a pair of gongs at the third annual Ulster Bank League Awards.

Ireland rugby coach Joe Schmidt has brought in Ulster's Roger Wilson and Munster's Billy Holland to the Ireland squad ahead of Sunday’s Six Nations clash with England at the Aviva.

University College Dublin won a thrilling Ulster Bank League Division 1A clash with leaders Lansdowne at Belfield on Saturday to maintain their challenge to finish in the top four.

The Ireland coaching staff has named a 38 player squad for the first two rounds of the RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Jack Coonan, the highly-promising Leinster back-row forward and Connacht prop Nathan White, are the only uncapped players in the extended 46-strong Ireland squad announced yesterday by head coach Joe Schmidt. 

The Ireland coaching staff has today named an extended squad of 46 players for the upcoming RBS 6 Nations matches against Italy and France, as well as the Ireland Wolfhounds fixture against the England Saxons.

The Barbarians are to play Ireland at Thomond Park next year.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has named a 37-man squad for the forthcoming Guinness Series against South Africa, Georgia and Australia.

Ulster head coach Mark Anscombe has been sacked with Ireland assistant Les Kiss stepping in as interim director of rugby at Ravenhill.

The IRFU stuck to their guns last night — as expected — by naming number ten Jonathan Sexton in Joe Schmidt’s extended squad ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations meeting with Italy in Dublin.

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has named Munster's Simon Zebo in his 33-man Ireland squad.

A late try salvaged a draw for Old Belvedere at Anglesea Road, but the Ulster Bank League challengers still lost ground to table toppers Clontarf.

At the end of an absorbing Ulster Bank League tie in Castle Avenue last November, Clontarf coach Andrew Wood warned of the problems his side would face in a rematch with Young Munster at Clifford Park.

With Dublin clubs taking control of the top divisions in the Ulster Bank Leagues, fifth placed Young Munster are now the best of the Munster clubs.

Five years ago, long before Declan Kidney’s Ireland side upset the Wallabies at the 2011 World Cup, another select bunch of Irish rugby players made the Australian public sit up and take notice.

Reigning champions Lansdowne were warned that life could be tough in this season’s Ulster Bank League when they lost their seasonal opener at home to newcomers UCD on Saturday.