Blackrock know their calibre

Schools rugby Leinster, Munster and Ulster Senior Cup finals: Belvedere College's arrival at this stage of the Leinster Senior Cup owes more to stealth than fanfare. Before the start of the competition few outside the Great Denmark Street school championed their candidacy as potential champions.

Nothing in their first couple of performances - the rout of St Andrews and an edgy victory over Gonzaga - enhanced their claims but in the semi-final against a St Mary's College team that carried a sizeable reputation, Belvedere produced an irresistible performance.

It will be interesting to see if this Belvedere team can replicate that same nerveless rugby. In essence that's what this contest can be distilled into, whether their semi-final was the high point or a turning point for Belvedere's campaign.

The introduction of Colin Murphy at fullback and Paul O'Donohoe to the scrumhalf role improved the team and it is the latter's partnership with Ian Keatley at halfback that may have a significant bearing on the outcome.

Up front Robert Carson leads a hard-working pack that includes powerful hooker Cian Healy and excellent number eight David Gilchrist. They're in for a very difficult afternoon against an impressive Blackrock eight led by Darren O'Reilly, named in the team despite tweaking a hamstring recently.

Mark Lynch is an excellent footballer in a technically proficient pack which also boasts Cian Culleton and Zac Farvivarz. If they can provide the platform then the backs possess the pace and guile to rip open opponents.

Luke Fitzgerald has been the outstanding player in this tournament and the onus will be on Belvedere to negate his influence.

Blackrock have been more than efficient in accounting for High School, St Michael's College and St Gerard's en route to the final. They have produced entertaining, cohesive patterns that embraced a 15-man approach to the games.

Belvedere haven't won a Senior Cup since 1972, the last of eight titles. Blackrock are chasing a 65th crown and defending the title they won last year.

Blackrock know they can win, Belvedere hope they will. It's a subtle difference but an important one.

BLACKROCK COLLEGE: N Morris; R Keaveney, L Fitzgerald, F Moran, V Artemiev; I Madigan, D Moore; C Culleton, E Mullen, E O'Cuilleanain; P Ryan, B Cawley; Z Farvivarz, M Lynch, D O'Reilly (capt). Replacements: E Baker, W Kavanagh, D Hegarty, D O'Connor, B Johnston, E Fleck, J Coleman.

BELVEDERE COLLEGE: C Murphy; P Woods, E O'Malley, B Moran, L Power; I Keatley, P O'Donohoe; M Cuddy, C Healy, E Byrne; C Pendred, G O'Rourke; R Fitzgerald, R Carson (capt), D Gilchrist. Replacements: P McCabe, P Devitt, C McGinn, D Synnott, D Kenna, R O'Brien, M Dufficy.

Referee: A Lewis (ARLB).