Denis Hickie returns, having missed out on the game against Argentina - after being injured against Australia. John Kelly the man who replaced Hickie in that game, now drops to the A squad, in favour of Leicester's Geordan Murphy, where he will renew his Munster partnership with Rob Henderson.

Forwards. Shane Byrne (Leinster/Blackrock College), Reggie Corrigan (Leinster/Greystones), Victor Costello, (Leinster/St. Mary's College), Leo Cullen (Leinster/Blackrock College), Anthony Foley (Munster/Shannon) vice-capt Keith Gleeson (Leinster/St. Mary's College), John Hayes (Munster/Shannon), Marcus Horan (Munster/Shannon), Gary Longwell (Ulster/Ballymena), Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster/St. Mary's College), Alan Quinlan (Munster/Shannon), Frank Sheahan (Munster/Cork Constitution).

Backs. Girvan Dempsey (Leinster/Terenure College), Guy Easterby (Llanelli), Denis Hickie (Leinster/St. Mary's College), Shane Horgan (Leinster/Lansdowne), David Humphreys (Ulster/Dungannon) vice-capt, Kevin Maggs (Bath), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Cork Constitution), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Blackrock College) capt, Peter Stringer (Munster/Shannon).

Not considered due to injury: Jonathan Bell (Ulster/Dungannon) {Shoulder}, Emmet Byrne (Leinster/St. Mary's College) {Calf}, Justin Bishop (London Irish) {Finger}, Tyrone Howe (Ulster/Dungannon) {Hamstring}, Paul O'Connell (Munster/Young Munster) {Thumb}, David Wallace (Munster/Garryowen) {Shoulder}, Paul Wallace (Lenister/Blackrock College) {Shoulder}, Keith Wood (Harlequins) {Shoulder}.