Division Two: Team-by-Team Guide

Buccaneers Captain: Brian Rigney.

Coach: Eddie O'Sullivan.

In: P Lynch (scrum-half, St Mary's), G Kelly (prop, DLSP), E Molloy (centre, Galwegians), A Pearson (centre, Mullingar), M McConnell (lock, New Zealand).

Out: D Neary (wing, Creggs), J Murray (centre, Creggs), K Slevin (centre, retired).

Prospects: A big pack will be strong in the setpieces and could grind opposition teams into the ground. Mid-table.

Bective Rangers

Captain: John Carvill.

Coach: Harry Williams.

In: D Wall (wing, St Mary's), A McClean (wing, Greystones), R McDonnell (centre, UCD), M Edwards (scrum-half, Dublin University), B Cunningham (out-half, Dublin University), B Masoe (back-row, New Zealand), D Assenheim (full-back, Ausstralia), P Comerford (centre, rugby league), M Garford (lock, Seapoint).

Out: J Hannon (Monkstown), S Wilson (Old Wesley), A Johnston (wing, Old Wesley), V Cunningham (out-half/centre, Wanderers), C Whelan (full-back, Lansdowne), A Gillen (wing, St Mary's).

Prospects: Have lost the fulcrum of last season's team, and that's just Trevor Brennan. Mid-table.

City of Derry

Captain: Neil Stewart.

Coach: Gerald McCarter.

In: E Martin (out-half, New Zealand), A Irwin (back-row, NIFC), K Baldrick, OLaverty, R Millar.

Out: K Gallick (number eight, Ballymena).

Prospects: Already lacking in real power up front, they have now lost an aggressive cutting edge in Gallick. Relegation candidates.

DLSP

Captain: Ronan Garvey.

Coach: Philip Werahiko.

In: D McCabe, S Tighe, M Sheehy, R Buckley (all Old Belvedere), F Fitzpatrick (Blackrock), C O'Molloy (Dundalk).

Out: G Kelly (prop, Buccaneers).

Prospects: Always competitive, well-organised side who won't roll over and have their bellies tickled by anyone. Mid-table.

Galwegians

Captain: Barry Gavin.

Coaches: Joe Healy, Bart Fannin.

In: W Ruane (full-back, Ballina), J Fallon (full-back, Corinthians), N Carolan (wing, Corinthians), A Reddan (centre, Lansdowne), E Elwood (out-half, Lansdowne), M Finlay (prop, Wanderers), D Little (prop, returns from NZ), J Charlie (flanker, New Zealand).

Out: A Connolly (full-back, Australia), E Molloy (centre, Buccaneers), K Barrett (out-half, Old Crescnt), I Plaice (scrum-half, Corinthians).

Prospects: Serious recruitment drive means they could field 10 Connacht players. Can maintain form over long season with Elwood a class act. Champions in the making.

Greystones

Captain: Marc Evans.

Coach: Ciaran Fitzgerald.

In: M Wyse (out-half, Wanderers), T Curtis (lock, New Zealand).

Out: A Dignam (back-row, Clontarf), A McLeane (wing, Bective), R Vance (centre, Monkstown), R Murphy (outhalf, Clontarf).

Prospects: Neither of the Murphys, cornerstones both, seem to have been replaced. Mid-table.

Instonians

Captain: Kevin McKee.

Coach: Brian McLaughlin.

In: G Cornelius (scrum-half, New Zealand), P Russell (outhalf, previously retired), G McCausland (wing, previously retired).

Out: I Gray (wing, Ballymena), R West (lock, Ballymena), N Moffett (wing, Dungannon).

Prospects: Not great judging by opening defeat to Old Wesley. Another relegation campaign.

Malone

Captain: Stuart Duncan.

Coaches: Mark Reynolds, Paul Andrews.

In: P Hunter (back-row, Regent House), R Eadie (lock, Donaghadee), L Kerr (Belfast Royal Academy), S Elliot (Grosvenor), I Coulter (London Irish).

Out: W Harbinson (centre, Dungannon), S Willis (centre, Dungannon).

Prospects: Have lost a club standard bearer in the useful Harbinson. Mid-table.

Monkstown

Captain: Hugh Maguire.

Coach: Andrew McMaster.

In: R Vance (centre, Greystones), J Hannon (BR), R Cleary (wing, Lansdowne), B Whelan (Cork Con), W Healy (Highfield), S Brady (Greystones), D Boundy (Sunday's Well), P O'Hanlon (Sunday's Well), B Harrey (Athy).

Out: D Cole (Old Wesley), H McMahon (UCD), J Collins (Old Crescent), B Corrigan (Co Carlow).

Prospects: Usually well organised with a good pack in all departments and sound at half-back. Midtable.

Old Wesley

Captain: Rory Moloney.

Coaches: Noel O'Dea, Ciaran Callan.

In: S Wilson (wing, Bective), A Johnston (wing, Bective), P Allen (out-half, Old Belvedere), D Cole (prop, Monkstown), M O'Driscoll (back-row, Wanderers), R Gavin (back-row, Richmond), J Nowlan (lock, Australia), R Duggan (hooker, Naas), R Breen (wing, Kilkenny).

Out: A Hawe (Athy), R Browne (Old Belvedere), B Casey (Lansdowne), M Higginson (NIFC), N Gibney (UCD), G Walsh (Dublin University), J Feehan (retired), C Pim (retired).

Prospects: Face difficult transitional period. Two points against Instonians was encouraging but could find themselves in bottom half.

Skerries

Captain: Billy Mulcahy.

Coach: Shay McGuinness, (backs Willie Dawson).

In: D Connolly (centre, Blackrock), J Reilly (scrum-half, North Kildare), A O'Sullivan (scrum-half, Lansdowne), B O'Sullivan (flanker, Lansdowne), D O'Sullivan (full-back, Lansdowne), B Higgins (lock, returns from USA), C Chamber- lain (full-back, New Zealand).

Out: J McCabe (scrum-half, Dundalk), O Ennis (prop, Lansdowne), R Davis (Malahide), D O'Connor (Balbriggan).

Prospects: Least heralded of upwardly mobile northsiders, last season nearly making it three promotions in a row from fourth division. Would be happy to emulate last season's fourth place.

Sunday's Well

Captain: Richie Daly.

Coach: Murray Kidd.

In: V Nelson (hooker, Highfield), M Kenworthy (full-back, New Zealand), N Murphy (lock, Old Belvedere).

Out: J Lacey (wing, Shannon), L Murphy (centre, Highfield), J O'Connell (Young Munster).

Prospects: Very keen, very fit and very organised. Despite losing Lacey's finishing pace, they have a good, potent back line. Dark horses for the play-off.

UCC

Captain: Aidan McSweeney.

Coach: Peter Melia.

In: R Collins (wing, Cork Con), R O'Donovan (centre, Cork Con).

Out: J O'Mahony (out-half, Dolphin), D Keeshan (wing, Dolphin), F Sheehan (hooker, Cork Con), J Kelly (Cork Con), J O'Driscoll (prop, Cork Con), J Kiernan (wing, Cork Con), C Kehilly (back-row, Cork Con).

Prospects: Relegation threatens, though they could rally late on.

Wanderers

Captain: Shane McEntee.

Coaches: Glynn Davies, (assistant Ian Counihan).

In: A Rolland (scrum-half, Moseley), V Cunningham (centre, Bective), P Divich (full-back, Lansdowne), R Corrigan (centre, Lansdowne), E Olazabal (out-half, France), T Walsh (prop, Shannon).

Out: D Coen (prop, St Mary's), M Finlay (prop, Galwegians), M O'Driscoll (back-row, Old Wesley), M Wyse (outhalf, Greystones), J Carroll (wing, Old Wesley), O Cobbe (outhalf, Blackrock).

Prospects: Heavy recruitment drive signals renewed intent and promises expansive game with good loose forwards, intriguing Basque out-half and Welsh coach. Mid-table.