Props
Four props have been selected for the squad, three from Munster (Marcus Horan, John Hayes, Tony Buckley) and one from Ulster (Bryan Young). All but Buckley featured on Ireland's last tour to NZ in 2006. Horan and Hayes will probably be the starting props. Buckley is a tighthead and a huge guy. 6'5" and over 20 stone, not too surprisingly he's a converted second row. Good in the loose but needs to work on his scrummaging, he also needs to up his work rate. A hard man to put down if he's given any space. Bryan Young has played both sides of the scrum but is far better at loosehead.

Hookers
Three hookers have been selected and this is one of the most keenly competitive areas within the squad. Both Rory Best (Ulster) and Bernard Jackman (Leinster) shared the duties during the 6N which Jerry Flannery (Munster) missed through a combination of suspension and injury. I'd expect either Best or Flannery to start. Flannery is probably a bit more flash around the pitch, Best more of a tight player. Jackman couldn't replicate his Leinster form during the 6N so will probably miss out.

Second rows
Another three Munster players selected here (Paul O'Connell, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Mick O'Driscoll) along with veteran Malcolm O'Kelly of Leinster. I'd expect O'Connell and O'Callaghan to start. Mick O'Driscoll is a competent player but really a good provincial player rather than an international standard player.

Back-row
Only five players selected here, three from Munster (Denis Leamy, David Wallace, Alan Quinlan), two from Leinster (Shane Jennings, Jamie Heaslip). Leamy, Wallace and Heaslip were the first choice during the 6N. Lot of ball carrying ability in that trio. Heaslip will be a new name for the NZ public, he was Ireland's star turn in the U-21 side that lost the World Cup Final to the All Blacks in 2004. Shane Jennings is a groundhog number seven who can also play blindside, while veteran Alan Quinlan can play all three positions. Should be interesting to see if there are any changes in this area from the 6N.

Scrum-halves
Three scrum-halves picked here and probably the strangest selections of the tour. Eoin Reddan of Wasps should be the starting nine. Veteran midget, Peter Stringer of Munster, will probably provide the back-up. Isaac Boss of Ulster has, for reasons completely unknown, also been chosen to tour. At least Reddan and Stringer provide a different option, Reddan much more likely to try the break around the fringes

Out-halves
No surprises that Ronan O'Gara has been chosen, support being provided by Paddy Wallace of Ulster, who'll presumably be getting plenty more splinters on his backside as he watches O'Gara complete two more sets of 80 minutes.

Centres
Some punter called Brian O'Driscoll and er.... that's it. Few other options in the back three who can play there though.

Back three
Lots of options here. Girvan Dempsey, Luke Fitzgerald, Shane Horgan and Rob Kearney of Leinster. Geordan Murphy of Leicester, Ian Dowling of Munster, Gavin Duffy of Connacht and Tommy Bowe of Ulster.

My starting XV
Kearney, Horgan, Fitzgerald, O'Driscoll, Bowe, O'Gara, Reddan; Horan, Flannery, Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Leamy, Wallace, Heaslip.