15 Rob Kearney (Leinster) Caps 6 Points 10 Age 22 Weight 90kgs Height 1.85mMade his debut with Leinster in 2005 and has made steady progress since then. Broke into the Ireland side with solid performances during the 6N including tries against Scotland and England. As a full-back he's willing to have a go when the chance permits and also has a siege-gun style left boot.

14 Shane Horgan (Leinster) Caps 61 Points 100 Age 29 Weight 104kgs Height 1.93m
Horgan made his debut in the inaugural 6N back in 2000 moving from his then club position of centre to the wing. Fitness permitting he's been pretty much an ever-present since. Not the fastest of the wingers but is a good finisher and has real ability in coming off his wing to good effect.

13 Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster) Caps 83 Points 167 Age 29 Weight 95kgs Height 1.75m
Ireland's captain, he'll probably feature more in the 12 channel on Saturday. Probably a more long-term position for him anyway. Not been in the best of form lately as he's been plagued by a succession of hamstring injuries over the last three years. This would be an appropriate time for him to rediscover his manna.

12 Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster) Caps 4 Points 0 Age 20 Weight 86kgs Height 1.85m
Only in his second season as a pro, Fitzgerald is still relatively small by international standards but has the speed of hands and feet to make a real go of the centre position. Likely to feature more in the 13 channel he's very much in the same mould as O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy. Hopefully the start of a very long career in an Irish jersey. Follows in his father's footsteps, Des Fitzgerald propped for Ireland in the late 80's.

11 Tommy Bowe (Ulster) Caps 13 Points 25 Age 24 Weight 96kgs Height 1.91m
The only player to start for Ireland this weekend who didn't win a championship this season, he was one of the few bright spots in a terrible season for Ulster. The quickest of Ireland's outside backs, this is his second spell in the side and is showing greater maturity and ability this time round.

10 Ronan O'Gara (Munster) Caps 82 Points 827 Age 31 Weight 83kgs Height 1.83m
A man who needs little introduction. Probably not in the best of form this season but he still has the ability to control a game from start to finish, all the more so if conditions are wet. Still a liability in defence though, a trait which really cost Ireland last time in NZ.

9 Eoin Reddan (Wasps) Caps 10 Points 0 Age 28 Weight 80kgs Height 1.73m
Broke into the side during the last World Cup and has kept his place since. Provides a real threat around the fringes and is quick to take a gap. Should keep the All Black back row honest.

8 Jamie Heaslip (Leinster) Caps 8 Points 0 Age 24 Weight 109kgs Height 1.93m
The only non-Munster player in the pack, he finally made the breakthrough to the senior team during the recent 6N having been scandalously overlooked for the World Cup squad. A ball-carrying threat off the back of the scrum, has good pace and a real eye for the try line. He was Leinster's joint-top try scorer in this season's Magners League alongside Luke Fitzgerald.

7 David Wallace (Munster) Caps 46 Points 45 Age 31 Weight 103kgs Height 1.88m
A ball-carrying openside flanker, he's improved his groundhog tendencies over the last couple of seasons. Real pace for a forward, if Ireland are to do well he'll need to carry the ball frequently.

6 Denis Leamy (Munster) Caps 32 Points 5 Age 26 Weight 108kgs Height 1.88m
Has played across all three backrow positions for Ireland, making his debut on the openside. Can move seamlessly between six and eight (where he's now a permanent fixture for Munster). He's a fiery character, if he channels in the right direction he can be a real pain in the backside for the opposition. Scored Munster's only try in their recent HEC win.

5 Paul O'Connell (Munster) Caps 52 Points 30 Age 28 Weight 111kgs Height 1.98m
Has missed much of the season since a back injury picked up at the World Cup. Only really got back into the starting line-up since March and was instrumental in Munster's march to the HEC. Has been a bit inconsistent in the Irish jersey and will be looking to put in two huge performances on tour. Needs to be on song if Ireland are to compete.

4 Donnacha O'Callaghan (Munster) Caps 45 Points 5 Age 29 Weight 110kgs Height 1.98m
The joker of the Ireland squad but fiercely committed on the pitch. Needs to channel that energy for this tour, he's ended the season in good form. If he can reign in his tendency to give away needless penalties then he's a real asset around the pitch.

3 John Hayes (Munster) Caps 84 Points 10 Age 34 Weight 125kgs Height 1.93m
Made his debut in the same 6N match as Shane Horgan, and an ever present since. Often derided as a poor scrummager he's actually benefited from the new scrum engagement rules that were introduced last year. Makes a lot of tackles and is an important cog in the Irish lineout. The most capped of all the starting XV.

2 Jerry Flannery (Munster) Caps 21 Points 15 Age 29 Weight 102kgs Height 1.80m
A real livewire around the pitch and usually reliable at lineout time, he'll benefit from throwing into the Munster lineout. Likes to get involved in broken play as much as possible, he's like a slightly smaller, hairier version of Keith Wood.

1 Marcus Horan (Munster) Caps 56 Points 30 Age 30 Weight 105kgs Height 1.85m
Noted more for his ability in the loose than in the tight he's a potential weak link in the scrum. Surprisingly good pace for a prop he also knows the way to the try line.

Subs:

16 Rory Best (Ulster) Caps 22 Points 15 Age 25 Weight 106kgs Height 1.80m
A little unlucky to lose out to Flannery, he was the starting hooker for most of last season. I'd expect to see him feature at some stage of the match and is plays a bit tighter than Flannery in a more old-school hooker way.

17 Tony Buckley (Munster) Caps 7 Points 0 Age 27 Weight 134kgs Height 1.96m
A monster of a man but doesn't seem to play to his size. Competent on the tight-head side of the scrum his real strength is with ball in hand. Very hard to stop from close in.

18 Mick O'Driscoll (Munster) Caps 15 Points 0 Age 29 Weight 108kgs Height 1.96m
A hard-working professional kind of player, he's probably not of real international standard. Won't let anyone down but unlikely to make a huge impact off the bench.

19 Shane Jennings (Leinster) Caps 1 Points 0 Age 26 Weight 103kg Height 1.85m
A player comfortable on either the blind or openside, he's been on the cusp of the international squad for some time. More of a forager than Wallace he could be a very effective sub with twenty minutes to go.

20 Peter Stringer (Munster) Caps 82 Points 30 Age 30 Weight 72kgs Height 1.70m
The smallest man in rugby could well be at the end of his Ireland career. Recently lost his place on both the Munster and Ireland sides it's a surprise that he's on the tour instead of the player who's replaced him in the Munster side, Tomas O'Leary.

21 Paddy Wallace (Ulster) Caps 8 Points 43 Age 28 Weight 81kgs Height 1.80m
Never established himself as an out-half at Ulster, he's now used more as a 12. Probably at the end of a very short international career the only chance of seeing Wallace on this tour is if O'Gara gets injured.

22 Girvan Dempsey (Leinster) Caps 80 Points 95 Age 32 Weight 91kgs Height 1.83m
The old reliable war horse may be coming towards the end of his career but he's as reliable as ever. Good under the high ball, a reliable tackler and top notch positional sense. He may not exactly be Christian Cullen when it comes to taking the gaps but has a tendency to pop up with important tries.