If the Cheetahs thought they might get an easy run out against Leinster during the Six Nations, the South Africans were sadly mistaken.

World Rugby U20 Championship: Ireland 39 - Japan 33: Irish coach Noel McNamara believes that many of his squad will go on to professional careers and represent the national senior side despite a miserable fortnight at the World Rugby U20 Championship.

Coach Noel McNamara is hopeful Ireland will learn to “put away” teams and finally get their first win of the World Rugby U20 Championship this afternoon against Scotland.

South Africa 30 Ireland 17: Ireland coach Noel McNamara said he has no doubt his U20s will regroup and have a crack at Georgia next Thursday despite falling to a second defeat in the World Rugby U20 Championship in France.

Ireland, ever-present in the tournament since it started in Wales in 2008, will face a baptism of fire this evening when they open their World Rugby U20 Championship campaign against France at Stade Aime Giral.

Munster’s love affair with the B&I Cup came to an end yesterday when they bowed out to arch-rivals Leinster at the quarter-final stage of a competition that will cease to exist after this season.

Leinster A 17 Munster A 6: Munster A were stripped of their B&I Cup title by Irish rivals Leinster A at Energia Park, Donnybrook today in a tight match that was in doubt for much of the 80 minutes.

England 48 - Ireland 15: Ireland capitulated in the second-half as their U20 Six Nations finished in disappointing fashion at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.

Ireland’s representatives at the U20s grade haven’t exactly made Donnybrook a fortress since swapping Dubarry Park for the Dublin venue midway through the 2015 Six Nations campaign.

Thousands of Irish kids could relate to Harry Byrne’s youthful admiration of Jonathan Sexton and Ronan O’Gara but Ireland’s U20s out-half had another role model to emulate much closer to home.

Romain Ntamack, son of former French star Emile, led the way as France opened their Six Nations campaign with a win but only after they held off a spirited Irish recovery.

It’s the job of the Ireland U20s coach to push and prod the players of tomorrow further down the development line but Noel McNamara found himself talking about one from the past yesterday.

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.

Leinster Development 30 Ireland U20 XV 26: Paul O’Connell returned to the national rugby fold yesterday as a 69th-minute try from Myles Carey helped the Leinster Development side defeat an Ireland U20 selection.

Belvedere College 31 Cistercian College Roscrea 7: Belvedere College produced a stunning performance at the RDS yesterday when they secured their 11th Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup title at the expense of defending champions Cistercian College Roscrea.

Belvedere College 34 Newbridge College 0: Last year’s finalists Belvedere College delivered a near-perfect performance at Donnybrook yesterday afternoon, as they recorded a comprehensive victory over Newbridge College in the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup first round.

Cistercian College Roscrea 18, Belvedere College 11:

Cistercian College Roscrea will aim to create history at the RDS this afternoon, when they seek to claim the Leinster Schools’ Senior Cup crown for the first time.

Leinster Senior Cup: Belvedere College 32 Gonzaga College 5

Blackrock College 14 Belvedere College 10

Garnish 0-14 Urhan 2-7

Urhan 2-7 Garnish 2-6

Pride and a fanatical will to win were abundant ingredients in Bantry’s win over Beara in Saturday’s semi-final thriller in Kealkil.

URHAN made no mistake at the second time of asking to claim the Beara JAFC final in Castletownbere on Saturday, but not before withstanding a gallant fightback by Garnish.

URHAN made no mistake at the second time of asking to claim the Beara JAFC final in Castletownbere on Saturday, but not before withstanding a gallant fightback by Garnish.

BEARA cruised into the Cork U21 FC semi-final after comprehensively dismantling Glanworth at Kilmurry on Saturday.