All-Ireland League:Word from Dooradoyle on Saturday tells us that Garryowen were stretched in the 17-0 victory over Belfast Harlequins. To be genuinely tested and yet concede no points and cross for two tries is merely another indication of a club in the ascendancy.
After five rounds Garryowen go top of the Munster League - actually it's officially called the AIB All-Ireland League but is really a Southern monopoly. Unsurprisingly, these squads have little or no reliance on Declan Kidney's professional roster.
UL Bohemian appear to have replaced Harlequins (a club now officially in crisis having slipped from title contenders to relegation favourites within a couple of months) as the team capable of breaking up the dominance of Shannon, Garryowen and Cork Constitution, although the latter defeated the student-influenced club in an important dog-fight at Thomond Park.
UL's Australian outhalf Ben Martin threatened to steal the show late on with a superbly struck penalty and then a break to release Ian Hanley for a try. But the Con rearguard did its job down the home straight to secure third spot behind Shannon.
The big three are all out against Dublin clubs next weekend, of which Lansdowne currently appear the best bet to fly the Leinster flag having crossed for three tries in a 20-17 defeat of Ballymena on the back pitch at IRFU headquarters.
Clontarf also kept their hat in the ring with the impressive away scalp of Dolphin in Musgrave Park.
Galwegians lifted their mid-table gloom in an 11-try festival - not a vintage day for the defensive coaches at Stradbrook - recording a 47-32 win over Blackrock.
It may be only their second victory from five outings, but coach Paul Young, a former Welsh international, appears to be finally reaping the fruits of an industrious recruitment drive.
Elsewhere, UCD outplayed Terenure in Lakelands, tries from Fergus McFadden and Ross McCarron proving decisive in a surprise 28-22 result.
Finally, while Luke Fitzgerald cuts a swathe in the professional ranks just months after leaving school, his former Blackrock College team-mate Aidan Wynne is doing a decent impression of a veteran outhalf for Buccaneers. The Westerners overcame Dungannon 19-14 thanks to a quality individual try from the teenager.
South Africa ended their tour with a convincing 32-7 win over a World XV featuring Ireland's Johnny O'Connor at the Walkers Stadium yesterday
The game fell short of its billing as a feast of running rugby and was punctuated by errors.
Wikus van Heerden, Albert van den Berg (two) and Danie Rossouw scored tries for the Springboks.
England's Andy Farrell missed two penalty attempts in the first half for the World XV, who salvaged some pride with a late try from the Australian Drew Mitchell.
