St Mary's and Blackrock finely primed

A re-enactment of their memorable 83-point jaunt last season when St Mary's host Blackrock at Templeville Road this afternoon would kick off the 1997-98 AIB League nicely. Admittedly, it might be a bit much to ask.

Nonetheless, this traditionally high-scoring fixture should be one to watch, containing as it does players who have been technically well groomed from an early age at their respective feeder schools - two of the best in the country.

It was reflected more in the St Mary's team by the selection of the Irish side to play their opening internationals either side of the first AIL weekend. But it is another intriguing sub-plot that St Mary's and their quintet of five internationals (four of them current Irish backs) are pitted against a Blackrock panel containing five of the Irish Schools side from just two years ago.

Blackrock coach Tony Smeeth acknowledges that not all of their burgeoning quintet - Tom Keating, David Quinlan, Barry Gibney, Leo Cullen and Peter Smith - are likely to play. But like all the other coaches around the country who have been confined to second-rate provincial leagues and a steady diet of videos this past four months, he is straining at the leash for the opening salvos.

"I tell you what, if the weather isn't too bad and we have a good pitch, this will be the game to see. There's no doubt that St Mary's are a class side and that Trevor Brennan is a great capture, just the kind of player they needed. But we've studied St Mary's closely, and think we might be able to expose a chink or two. We'll certainly be giving it a go," enthuses Smeeth.

As one of the first people to campaign loudly for the introduction of play-offs, Smeeth believes that this could be the best AIL in years, perhaps ever. "It's going to do wonders for the whole division, and give so many more teams something to play for near the end of the season."

Smeeth would go further, and have the AIL copy the Super 12 in its points system, with four for a win, two for a draw and one bonus point each for either scoring three/four tries and for losing by seven points or less. Certainly their 43-40 defeat by St Mary's last season was a case in point for earning bonus points, compared to a team that rolls over and dies, but he concedes: "Hey, one step at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day."

Elsewhere, there are some other intriguing opening day encounters, not least the meeting of two other well coached teams with oft used running back divisions - Cork Constitution and Terenure College.

The holders Shannon, looking stronger than ever, should start on a winning note when they unveil their new triumvirate of John McDermott, Rhys Ellison and Mark McDermott at home to Dungannon this afternoon. Likewise, the other form side from the second half of last season, Ballymena, look considerably stronger for their summer signings and will be hotly fancied at home to Dolphin.

Clontarf mark their welcome arrival in the elite with the visit of Old Crescent to Castle Avenue. By all accounts, Clontarf have outdone even the left-overs from the presidential election in peppering the northside with posters and a big, parochial crowd could help to make it another memorable day for Brent Pope's team.

Tomorrow sees the first of three Limerick derbies to be played on the first four Sundays of the league, when Garryowen host Young Munster. Garryowen must be straining at the leash more than most, given their team contains four disregarded full-time members of the Irish squad, only two of whom (Gavin Walsh and Killian Keane) even make the replacements bench on the Irish A side.

Keane, in fact, is picked on the wing, with Barry Everett partnering the out-of-favour Stephen McIvor, who has gone from second choice Irish scrum-half to fifth, at best, in a couple of months without having a chance to play a game. Interestingly, the other ostracised member of this quartet, David Wallace, plays at number eight in a very mobile looking back row.

Match of the weekend in Division Two is undoubtedly the meeting of the summer's heavy recruiters, Galwegians and Wanderers. Both are decidedly new look teams, with each side featuring seven players who will be making their AIL debuts for the club.

Alas for Colin McEntee, injury prevents him from renewing rivalry with eight other members of the Connacht side which played Agen two weeks ago. Wanderers' influential lock, Jim O'Callaghan, may also be ruled out, pending a late fitness test. Even now, this appears like a key promotion game when the points are stacked up on April 11th.