Ulster Bank League Continues To Be Testing Ground For Emerging Talent
The Ulster Bank Leagues kicks off next weekend (Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17) and following some stand-out displays in last year’s competition, several club players have already featured for their provinces in the PRO12 this season.
Click here for the 2016/17 Ulster Bank League fixtures
Clontarf’s Joey Carbery, man-of-the-match in last year’s Ulster Bank League Division 1A final, scored a brace of tries for Leinster against Benetton Treviso at the RDS last Friday and was joined by fellow medallist Bryan Byrne in the starting line-up.
Cork Constitution try scorer in last May’s decider, Darren Sweetnam, started in Munster’s win over the Scarlets in Llanelli, while Young Munster regular last season, Dan Goggin, was also among the run-on Munster side.
Ballymena’s Ross Kane made his senior debut at tighthead for Ulster in their PRO12 opener at Kingspan Stadium against the Dragons, while Queen’s flyer Robert Lyttle scored two tries after coming off the bench.
The new Ulster Bank League season officially kicks off with the Division 1A clash between Terenure College and newly-promoted Dublin University on Friday, September 16, The following day there is a full schedule of matches across all five divisions from 1A to 2C.
Clontarf open their defence of the Division 1A title away to UCD, while last year’s runners-up Cork Con are away to St. Mary’s College who return to the top flight after a season in Division 1B.
Bangor were promoted to the Ulster Bank League at the end of last season and will compete in Division 2C this year, opening their account at home to provincial rivals Rainey Old Boys.
For the third consecutive year, the Ulster Bank League Division 1A final will take place at the Aviva Stadium, on Saturday, May 7, 2017.
Click here for the 2016/17 Ulster Bank League fixtures