Ballymena have been decimated by a mass exodus of playing talent following the departure of six players who helped Ulster to their European Cup success last season. It is a huge blow to the Eaton Park club who were fortunate to stave off relegation last season.
Prop Rab Irwin, hooker Steven Ritchie, number eight Tony McWhirter, scrum-half Andy Matchett, centre Jan Cunningham and wings Andrew Park and Sheldon Coulter have quit the club along with squad member, second row Alan Robinson.
Irwin has joined Ards while McWhirter and Cunningham move to Ballymena's arch rivals in Ulster, Dungannon. Ritchie returns to Instonians while Park, Coulter, Matchett and Robinson head for Division Two rugby at the newly-amalgamated NIFC/Collegians club. The only major signing at Eaton Park is Ulster squad member Mark Edwards. The scrum-half joins from Bective Rangers.
St Mary's College, now under a new coach in Brent Pope, have recruited heavily, signing Malcolm O'Kelly, Trinity out-half and Ireland under-21 squad member Mark McHugh, John Doddy and repatriated few old boys: Frank Fitzgerald, Ronan Gavan, Gareth Halpin and Ronan Lynch. Ross Doyle joins from Greystones.
Surprisingly, Leinster full back Kevin Nowlan has left to link up with Wanderers where he will be joined by scrum-half Eoin McCormack. Prop John Maher returns to Buccaneers while utility backs David Lyons and Eugene Gibney have joined Bective Rangers.
Buccaneers will welcome an influx of talent, principally Ireland wing Matt Mostyn, former Irish Students' international Gavin Webster, Maher and centre Mel Dean from Richmond. Blackrock College invoked the old school tie ploy to woo back former schools' stars Ciaran Scally and Brian O'Driscoll from UCD, Emmet Farrell from West Hartlepool and Jonathan Mion, Fergal O'Beirne and Johnny Woods.
Prop Aidan McSweeney joins from UCC while Gary Halpin (Harlequins) is another useful acquisitions.
Clontarf have lured Alan Reddan (Galwegians) and Rob Casey (Old Wesley) to Castle Avenue but have lost the services of Declan O'Brien (DLSP), Mark Kavanagh (DLSP), Peter McQuillan (Lansdowne) and John Philpott (Old Belvedere).
DLSP welcome South African John Cody, Dermot Dunne (Corinthians) and Gareth Lloyd (UCD) while Garryowen have enticed the Old Crescent quartet of Paul Neville, Barry O'Neill, Shane McCarthy and Paul McDonagh.
Mick Lynch has left Young Munster for Shannon while Declan Edwards, Aidan O'Halloran, Peter Boland and Justin O'Connell have also left Clifford Park. The arrival of New Zealand-born Irish squad member Mike Mullins is anticipated. Terenure College welcomes former Lansdowne and Oxford University old boy Richard Governey along with Mark O'Kelly, Ross Staunton and Rory Timlin. Galwegians's main capture is Kiwi Mark McConnell, who spent a time with Buccaneers.
Meanwhile Irish international wing Darragh O'Mahony has signed for Saracens after a year at Bedford.
O'Mahony (26), found he had joined a club struggling financially and for results when he went there after two years at Moseley.
