IRELAND, INTERNATIONAL out half Eric Elwood is due to return to the game this afternoon after being out of action for six weeks because of a knee injury. He plays for Lansdowne against Old Belvedere in the Insurance Corporation All Ireland League.

Elwood's fitness will, no doubt, interest Ireland's selectors as they contemplate the composition of the Ireland party for the tour to New Zealand and Western Samoa in May.

It is conceivable that the first division championship could be decided this afternoon, the likelihood is, however, that it will be at least another week before the champions will be crowned.

When Shannon won the championship for the first time two years ago, it was with a win over Dungannon at Stevenson Park.

They go back to the same venue this afternoon three points ahead of St Mary's College and four in front of Lansdowne, with three matches to play. The title, realistically, now rests between that trio, but Shannon are on very short odds to win it for a third consecutive year.

Should St Mary's lose to Blackrock at Stradbrook this afternoon and Lansdowne lose to, or draw with, Old Belvedere at Anglesea Road, then a win for Shannon today would mean that they are champions yet again.

Dungannon moved to relative safety by Winning against Instonians last week but Old Belvedere are still very much in the relegation zone just ahead of Old Wesley and Instonians. Old Wesley entertain Ballymena with points an urgent requirement their last two matches are away to Garryowen and Young Munster.

Old Crescent can ease their worries and compound Instonians' problems with a win at Rosbrien this afternoon. Defeat for Instonians will assuredly mean relegation.

The match of the day in the second division is the meeting at Castle Avenue of Clontarf and Dolphin, who stand first and second in the table with a point separating them. Bective Rangers, two points behind Clontarf, travel to meet Sunday's Well.

Down in the relegation zone, it is Highfield, NIFC and City of Derry who have the real anxiety. Highfield have two points, NIFC three and Derry four. Highfield will get no favours from hosts DLSP, NIFC travel to Wanderers who should win, and Derry will be home to UCC. Both Derry and DLSP have a match in hand over the rest of the teams in the division.

Buccaneers, already assured of promotion, stand on the threshold of taking the third division crown and a point against second from bottom placed Bangor will suffice. The indications are, too, that another Connacht club, Galwegians, will accompany Buccaneers into the second division. They stand two points behind Buccaneers and one ahead of Bohemians, so a win this afternoon against Dublin University will mean second division fare next season. However, were Galwegians to lose and Bohemians to beat Collegians at Thomond Park, then it would be Bohemians who would go up.

With Waterpark already consigned to relegation, Bangor will accompany them to the fourth division if they lose in Athlone.

. Last season the Ireland Schools' team played 12 matches and won all 12, including the nine matches on a summer tour to Australia. The prelude to that superb achievement was victory in the Triple Crown series.

Tonight at Lansdowne Road (7.0), the Irish youngsters will open their defence of the Triple Crown when they meet England, who defeated France 20-10 last week.

As is customary, the England pack is extremely well endowed physically, so Ireland's tactical kicking must be prudent. The match represents a big test for the Irish pack and, if the forwards can contain England and give the backs a reasonable supply of quality possession, Ireland could be on the Triple Crown trail yet again.