NEW!!!!!!! ULSTER RUGBY LEAGUE SEASON KICKS OFF THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NEW TEAMS NORTH COAST BOOMERS, ANTRIM EELS & MAIDEN CITY BRONCOS IN ACTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The 2012 Rugby League Ireland Season is set to kick off this week with games being played in all three competing provinces as 21 teams aim to fill the two available All Ireland Final Spots.

In total 7 new clubs will take part in this weekend’ action and all seven will be hoping to kick their seasons with two points.

In Ulster two of those teams will meet each other when the North Coast Boomers host the Antrim Eels. The Eels have recruited well in preparations of their first season with the signings of Ulster and Ireland Students Matty Hadden and Peter McWhirter.

The third debutant in Ulster, the Maiden City Broncos, face a tough introduction to the league with a trip to the Fermanagh Redskins who just missed out on the provincial final last time around.

In Leinster another three teams will make their bow starting with Ashbourne who host the Ballyfermot Bears.

Elsewhere Clondalkin Crusaders and Portarlington Wolverines face away trips to Tallaght Tigers and Athboy respectively.

Munster will see defending All Ireland Champions the Treaty City Titans host the West Coast Warriors as they bid to retain their crown as kings of Munster and Ireland.

The Galway Tribesmen face an away fixture against the Cork Bulls to kick off their return to the Munster Division.

Three teams will have to sit tight for one more week however, as the Ballynahinch Rabbitohs, Dublin City Exiles and Country Cowboys are all on their bye week in week one of the competition.

2012 is set to be one of the most competitive years Ireland has seen and could well see a number of shocks before the season is out.

Fixtures:

Saturday 12th May (Kick Off 2PM Unless Stated)

Ulster:

Fermanagh Redskins -v- Maiden City Broncos

Mullaghmeen, Fermanagh, Referee: Paul Baxter

North Coast Boomers -v- Antrim Eels

Rugby Avenue, Referee: Nick Symonds

Portadown Pumas -v- Belfast Bulldogs

Chambers Park, Portadown, Referee: Julian Bardon

Strangford Sharks -v- Ballynahinch Bunnies

Hamilton Park, Referee: Neil Robertson

Leinster:

Ashbourne RL -v- Ballyfermot Bears

Milltown House, Ashbourne, Referee: Ronan Tarrant

Athboy -v- Portarlington Wolverines

Towns Park, Athboy, Referee: Simon Owens

Tallaght Tigers -v- Clondalkin Crusaders

Tymon Park, Dublin, Referee: Fiona McConn

Dublin City Exiles – BYE

Munster:

Thursday 10th May

Treaty City Titans -v- Wet Coast Warriors

7:30pm, Richmond Park, Limerick, Referee: Jason Craughwell

Saturday 12th May

Cork Bulls -v- Galway Tribesmen

3pm, Woodleigh Park, Cork, Referee: Des Foy

Country Cowboys – BYE