Form points to a UCD victory

Colours match Nine years of hurt? Trinity must be desperate to stop UCD's record-breaking run sometime and tonight's 53rd Colours match (Donnybrook, 6.30) presents their best opportunity since 1995.

The facts don't lie. Dublin University are a Division One side now - AIB All-Ireland League points are also on offer tonight - and have already shown this year they are not merely making up the numbers in the top flight with their forwards demolition of Buccaneers in College Park last month.

The work of their rugby director Tony Smeeth is clearly gaining ground on the UCD rugby academy under his guidance, and much feted former Irish schools coach, John McClean. Also, Smeeth's lieutenant Hugh Maguire only knows how to produce quality packs.

The likes of Canadian international prop Forrest Gainer, potential world under-21 player-of-the-year Jamie Heaslip and captain Hugh Hogan will not give an inch. However, they charge smack into a wealth of experience, none more so than under-19 world cup winner Neil Coughlan and captain Philip Bredin.

There is another enthralling sub-plot in the clash of Tipperary identical twin brothers Brian (Trinity) and Michael Hastings (UCD) at centre.

It sets everything up for a tense contest but with quality like Brian O'Riordan, Eoghan Hickey and James Norton in their back line and the luxury of contracted Leinster hooker David Blaney to come off the replacement's bench, most of the signs point to UCD.

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY: S Mitchell; P Howard, B Hastings, J Quigley, B Kinsella; D Crotty, P McCormack; N Conlon, M Crockett, F Gainer; M Garvey, M Warburton; E Molloy, H Hogan (capt), J Heaslip.

UCD: R McCarron; J Norton, K Kennedy, M Hastings, P Bredin (capt); E Hickey, B O'Riordan; J Moran, C Geoghegan, K Doyle; S Crawford, C Davis; N Coughlan, L Burke, K Croke.

Referee: Olan Trevor (MAR).