Quins and C of I favourites for titles

Munster’s brave new dawn begins this weekend as restructured men’s and women’s Division One leagues get underway.

Cork Harlequins will start as unbackable favourites to retain their women’s crown, and their panel has by far the best depth despite the loss of Irish U18 starlet Abby Oakes to UCD; the pacy Emily O’Leary’s return from UCC should help mitigate that.

Irish internationals Cliodhna Sargent and Yvonne O’Byrne may miss large chunks of the campaign with the national side on an Olympic qualification quest in 2015, but recent school leavers Alex O’Grady and Katie O’Neill are well placed to step up.