RUGBY/Leinster Schools Senior Cup:A wily gathering are these schools rugby coaches. Extracting information about a team's potential to obtain the Leinster Senior Cup proved a difficult task at last night's annual draw in Lansdowne RFC with one respected ambassador for the game detailing each of the Big Five's merits when asked, off the record, for his most feared rival.

But maybe that's just this year's theme. Defending champions Blackrock College were drawn against Gonzaga College in the first round but it is the school they are expected to meet in the semi-final that caused the most consternation.

As tends to happen with open draws, the three early season favourites have been lumped together in the lower section with St Michael's College due to face Belvedere College in the quarter-final on February 18th at Donnybrook.

Due to the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road and the RDS, the dishevelled 8,000 capacity Dublin Four venue (renovation begins next summer) will host the penultimate round and final in 2007.

Staying in Donnybrook sees a predicted revenue loss of €250,000 although the Leinster Branch was boosted yesterday by Powerade renewing their title sponsorship until 2009. The Setanta Sports camera will also be setting up camp right up to the March 18th final, switched from the traditional St Patrick's Day date due to Ireland's potential Grand Slam decider in Rome.

By that stage, every blade of Donnybrook grass should have disappeared.

Blackrock, as ever, are installed as pre-tournament favourites to claim a 66th title but whoever prevails from the Belvedere v St Michael's encounter will carry a dangerous momentum into the March 6th semi-final.

It would be imprudent to ignore the candidacies of the other perennial challengers in the top half of the draw, where Clongowes and St Mary's seem certain to do battle in the quarter-final before a semi-final meeting with Terenure on March 4th.

Vinnie Murray (Senior) Cup

First Round (Jan 15th, 2.30pm): A: Newpark v St Columba's (Kilternan); B: CUS v Pres Bray (Stradbrook); C: King's Hospital v CBC Monkstown (Donnybrook back pitch); D: Newbridge v Wesley (Barnhall). Second Round (Jan 22nd, 2.30pm) E: Skerries v Templeogue (Coolmine); F: A v B (Seapoint); G: C v D (Lakelands) H: High School v Mount Temple (Iveagh Grounds): Semi Final: I: Qualifier 1 v Qualifier 2 J: Qualifier 3 v Qualifier 4.

Fr Godfrey (Junior) Cup

First Round: (Jan 17th, 2.30pm) A: Naas CBS v Good Counsel (Carlow); B: King's Hospital v Templeogue (Westmanstown); C: St Gerard's v Wesley College (Greystones); D: High School v St. Andrew's (Donnybrook back pitch); E: CC Roscrea v St Paul's (Athy). Second Round (Jan 24th, 2.30pm): F: CUS v Winner of A (Arklow); G: Winners of B v C (Donnybrook back pitch); H: Winners of D v E (Cill Dara); I: St. Patrick's Navan v Pres Bray (North Kildare). Semi-finals: J: Qualifier 1 v Qualifier 2; K: Qualifier 3 v Qualifier 4.

Leinster Junior Cup

First Round (3pm): A: St Mary's v Newbridge (Donnybrook, Feb 6th); B: Qualifier 3 v Skerries C.S. (ALSAA, Feb 5th); C: St Michael's v Kilkenny (Athy, Feb 5th); D: Clongowes v Qualifier 4 (North Kildare, Feb 5th) E: Qualifier 2 v Terenure (Barnhall, Feb 5th); F: Qualifier 1 v Gonzaga (Maynooth, Feb 5th) G: CBC Monkstown v Castleknock (Donnybrook, Feb 8th); H: Blackrock v Belvedere (Donnybrook, Feb 4th). Second Round (3.30pm): I: Winners of A v B (Donnybrook, Feb 26th); J: Winners of C v D (Donnybrook, February 25th); K: Winners of E v F (Donnybrook, Mar 1st); L: Winners of G v H (Donnybrook, Feb 27th). Semi Finals: (4.15pm) M: A/B v C/D (Donnybrook, Mar 11th); N: E/F v G/H (Donnybrook, Mar 13th). Final: 3.30pm, Donnybrook, Mar 25th.