We're halfway through the BKT United Rugby Championship and the top of the table has a familiar look to it.
Eight-time winners Leinster lead the way with a perfect nine from nine, with champions Glasgow in second place.
However, of the other Irish provinces, only Ulster are in the top eight, climbing into the Champions Cup places thanks to last weekend’s win over Connacht.
Munster are the definition of inconsistency and find themselves in tenth place, while Connacht are enduring a poor run of results that sees them sit fourth from bottom.
Here's our mid-term report card on the provinces.
LEINSTER
Position: 1st on 43 points; won 9, lost 0
It says a lot about Leinster that they can have a perfect return, 11 wins from 11 across all competitions, and still be unhappy with where they are.
As they come to terms with a new style of play under senior coach Jacques Nienaber – defence being the best form of attack – they are making enough mistakes to keep teams in the contests down the stretch.
But, overall, it's no harm that they are not having everything their own way.
Too often over the last three seasons, Leinster have had to learn about themselves in the final 10 minutes of the Champions Cup final where Toulouse and La Rochelle, and even Bulls in the URC semi-final, have left them scratching their heads wondering where it all went wrong.
There were predictable, if patchy, wins over Dragons, Benetton, Connacht (away), Lions and Munster, but Edinburgh and Connacht (home) made them work all the way.
In Europe, Bristol put it up to Leinster before fading in the second half, while Clermont stuck with Lee Cullen's side and their mis-firing lineout for a lot longer than anyone predicted.
But, with Sam Prendergast taking charge of the out-half jersey, they still dug in and dug themselves out when it mattered, and they are the sort of stresses that Leinster largely avoided in the first half of the last three seasons.
It can only help when it comes to the crunch, and with Jordie Barrett and RG Snyman in harness, there’s no excuse for Leinster going a fourth season trophyless.
What’s next?
It’s another rematch with Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle, who will be gunning for revenge following two defeats last seasons, while their Pool 2 campaign ends with a home game against Bath.
Leinster host ninth-place Stormers the week before the Six Nations begins before away and home fixtures against Ospreys and Cardiff.
ULSTER
Position: 8th on 22 points; won 4, lost 5
This season has been well flagged as a period of transition for the northern province as they settle in to a first full season under Richie Murphy.
Budget restraints and a reliance on academy players to fill out the roster were always going to play a significant role in their fortunes.
Saturday's win over Connacht was certainly a much-needed boost to their campaign, bringing an end to five losses in a row in all competitions.
They began with a commendable home win over champions Glasgow, and picked up a single bonus point on a trip to South Africa.
Two home wins, over Connacht and Ospreys followed, but a second-half collapse at Cardiff sent them on a downward spiral.
Leinster and Munster both came away from Kingspan with victories either side of two Champions Cup trouncings to Toulouse and Bordeaux.
That’s why the win in Galway, against a relatively full-strength Connacht outfit, with a depleted squad will give them hope that they can kick on.
What’s next?
A double European header away to Leicester (11 January) and at home to Exeter (17 Jan) where the target will be improved showings from their earlier Pool 1 efforts.
There’s one round of URC games before the Six Nations with Zebre coming to Belfast, while the down weeks in the championship sees ties against Benetton (a) and Scarlets (h).
Zebre and Scarlets are 15th and 12th respectively in the table, while Benetton are just a point ahead. Murphy will target three wins.
MUNSTER
Position: 10th on 21 points; won 4, lost 5
Things have changed significantly across a turbulent 15 weeks for Munster. The 2023 URC winners parted company with head coach Graham Rowntree and assistant coach Andy Kyriacou.
The search for a new boss continues with Ian Costello in charge temporarily. Current backs coach Mike Prendergast is among the favourites to get the job but uncertainty is never a good thing.
On the field things began brightly with an entertaining if loose victory over Connacht but a first-ever defeat to Zebre in round two was the catalyst for a roller-coaster three-month period.
A home win over Ospreys covered up wider issues and they failed to fire enough shots to trouble Leinster at a sold-out Croke Park the following week.
They returned from South Africa, against Stormers and Sharks, with a solidary bonus point, and began the block after the international window with a home win against Lions.
They had mixed fortunes in the Champions Cup where an old-fashioned Thomond Park battle with Stade Francais brought a morale-boosting win but the round-two defeat at Castres came with a significant cost.
Peter O'Mahony missed the Christmas schedule, while Craig Casey and Thaakir Abrahams are out for extended periods.
They subsequently lost key man Alex Nankivell in the following week’s URC loss to Ulster, Jean Kleyn is recovering from surgery.
While the bonus-point victory in Belfast was well earned, they again underwhelmed against Leinster at Thomond Park in a 28-7 loss.
What’s next?
It’s back to Europe for Munster with Saracens, fourth in the Premiership, the visitors to Limerick on 11 January. They travel to Northampton for their final Pool 3 game.
Struggling Dragons (away) and Scarlets (home) are next on the URC list with little excuse for not taking two wins from those fixtures as they push for the top eight.
CONNACHT
Position: 13th on 18 points; won 3, lost 6
Pete Wilkins' side are on a worrying downward spiral after a very respectable start to the competition.
Impressive in a narrow loss at Munster on the opening day, they backed that performance up with a home win over Sharks and a one-point victory at Scarlets.
Derby defeats to Connacht and Leinster followed but they went into the international break buoyed by a big win at home to Scarlets.
The Bulls were comfortable winners in Galway in round seven but Connacht responded with a two Challenge Cup victories, over Zebre and Perpignan.
That set up the Westerners perfectly for a shot at Leinster and they can consider themselves unlucky to come away from Dublin without even a bonus point.
The fallout from that game will continue, however, with the province likely to learn soon if Mack Hansen will face sanction for his incredible outburst in the press conference after the 20-12 loss.
But they failed to build on the good aspects of the performance against Leinster and were deservedly beaten by a callow Ulster side last time out, a result that Wilkins conceded could have 'huge implications'.
What’s next?
Respite from URC travails with a return to Europe where they could do worse than take on the competition full bore.
Lyon are struggling in the Top 14 and are unlikely to send a full-strength outfit to Galway for a cold January Challenge Cup match, while Cardiff at the Arms Park is a very winnable clash.
They are the only side in the competition with full points and would be on course for home knock-out games.
Their next URC game is away to second-placed Glasgow who have won all five games at Scotstoun this season, while they still have to travel to South Africa where Stormers and Lions await.
