15: GEORDAN MURPHY (LEICESTER TIGERS)

• 19.04.78, 6-0, 13-8
• 56th cap - 18 tries, 1 conversion, 1 penalty goal, 1 drop goal = 98 points
• Debut: 2000 v USA
• 5th Test v England - no points
• RBS man-of-the-match in his last match v Scotland
• First cap v Scotland 2008 at full-back since Scotland in the World Cup warm-up test in August 2007
• 2 games at the 2007 World Cup - replacement in opener v Namibia, starter and try v Argentina
• Is 5th on Ireland all-time try scoring list, one behind Girvan Dempsey, two behind Shane Horgan
• Played in 10 of Ireland's 11 Tests of 2006, rested v Pacific Islanders, but 8 tests of 14 in 2007
• Has scored 13 tries from full-back and 5 tries from the wings
• Broke leg v Scotland in final 2003 World Cup warm-up Test in September 2003. Missed the tournament
• Played in 3rd Test for the Lions v New Zealand in 2005, and also for Lions v Argentina in 2005
• In England with Leicester Tigers since 1997 after moving from Naas RFC, and is currently in his 11th season with Tigers
• Won Heineken Cup medals in 2001 and 2002
• Has started on both wings and at full-back and centre for Ireland

14: TOMMY BOWE (BELFAST HARLEQUINS/ULSTER)

• 22.02.84, 6-3, 14-0
• 13th cap - 5 tries = 25 points
• Debut: 2004 v USA
• 1st Test v England
• 2 tries on recall v Scotland 2008, his previous cap was in the World Cup warm-up game against Scotland in August 2007
• Had missed 14 Tests from the 43-31 defeat to France in 2006 until recall v Argentina on 2007 summer tour
• Tries also v USA 2004 and on tour in Japan in 2005 in first two Tests, and in his first Six Nations game v Italy in 2006
• First call-up for senior squad for 2004 autumn Tests, had only played a dozen times for Ulster. Now has 31 tries in 84 Ulster games
• Impressed with Ireland Under-21 (team reached World Championship final in 2004, but he was injured en route) and with Ulster in the Celtic League
• Can also play at full-back

13: ANDREW TRIMBLE (BALLYMENA/ULSTER)

• 20.10.84, 6-2, 15-6
• 24th cap - 8 tries = 40 points
• Debut: 2005 v Australia
• 3rd Test v England - no points
• 2 games at the 2007 World Cup, with try in the opener v Namibia
• 7th cap in the centre, 9 caps on left wing, 3 caps on right wing and 5 Tests as a replacement. Missed last two 2006 autumn series Tests through injury and replaced by returning Denis Hickie. Now has further chances following Hickie's retirement after the 2007 World Cup and a broken arm suffered by Gordon D'Arcy v Italy 2008
• First call-up for the 2005 autumn series Tests
• 4th season with Ulster Rugby and has 21 tries in 52 games for Ulster
• Former Ireland Schools and Under-21 centre, he is affiliated with the Ballymena club

12: SHANE HORGAN (BOYNE/LEINSTER)

• 18.07.78, 6-4, 16-5
• 61st cap - 20 tries = 100 points
• Debut: 2000 v Scotland
• 6th Test v England - 3 tries = 15 points (2 tries in 2006, 1 try in 2007)
• Recently bothered with a rib injury, made comeback for Ireland 'A' v England Saxons on February 1, and returned to the matchday 22 v France
• Played in Ireland's final three pool games at the 2007 World Cup
• Started 11 Tests in the centre before England 2008
• Now has only Brian O'Driscoll (31) and Denis Hickie (29) ahead of him in the Ireland all-time try list
• Has been in the Leinster squad since 1998
• A replacement for the 2005 Lions v Argentina and v New Zealand (all 3 Tests)
• One of 5 current players who made their Test debuts v Scotland in 2000 immediately after the 50-18 loss at Twickenham (Shane Horgan, Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer, John Hayes and Simon Easterby)

11: ROBERT KEARNEY (UCD/LEINSTER)

• 26.03.86, 6-1, 14-13
• 6th cap - 1 try = 5 points
• Debut: 2007 v Argentina
• Ist Test v England
• 1st Test try v Scotland 2008, 1st test at full-back v Wales 2008
• On for Gordon D'Arcy (broken arm) v Italy 2008 after 31 minutess and has retained his place
• Played for Ireland at Schools, Under-19 (captain) and 'A' levels, then won first full cap on the 2007 summer tour to Argentina
• Debut for Leinster in September 2005 - he has played 57 games for the province since then, scoring 13 tries
• Student at UCD. Hails from Dundalk in County Louth and his teenage brother David is currently a starting full-back/winger for the Ireland Under-20 side

10: RONAN O'GARA (CORK CONSTITUTION/MUNSTER) (capt)

• 07.03.77, 6-0, 13-1
• 82nd cap - 14 tries, 127 conversions, 155 penalty goals, 11 drop goals = 822 points
• Debut: 2000 v Scotland
• 8th Test v England - 1 try (in 2002), 7 conversions, 16 penalty goals, 2 drop goals = 73 points
• 1st Test as captain of Ireland, has captained Munster this season in Paul O'Connell's absence
• Wins in 5 of his previous 7 games v England
• Has 438 Six Nations points to date - second behind Jonny Wilkinson (479) and ahead of Neil Jenkins (406)
• Now 8th on world record points scoring lists - South Africa's Percy Montgomery is 7th with 873 points
• Top of the points list for the 2005 and 2006 and 2007 Six Nations tournaments
• First points and try scorer for Ireland at Croke Park (v France 2007) and also RBS man-of-the-match for scoring all 17 points in the 20-17 defeat to Les Bleus
• One of the players who made their Test debuts v Scotland in 2000 immediately after the 50-18 loss at Twickenham
• 2005 Lions v New Zealand - 3rd Test (replacement)
• Has played in three Heineken Cup finals with Munster, with 13 points in the 23-19 final win over Biarritz in 2006. Also a Lions tourist in 2001 to Australia

9: EOIN REDDAN (LONDON WASPS)

• 20.11.80, 5-7, 12-8
• 10th cap - no points
• Debut: 2006 v France
• 1st Test v England
• RBS man-of-the-match v Italy 2008 in his first Six Nations start
• Signed a new three-year deal with Wasps last month
• Started the last 2 pool games at the 2007 World Cup - winning his place ahead of Peter Stringer and Isaac Boss - and first choice at the start of the 2008 Six Nations
• Made Test debut v France in 43-31 loss in 2006 with Ireland at one stage 43-3 down
• 4th season with Wasps, initially vied with Matt Dawson for scrum half role, has collected 2006 Powergen Cup and 2007 Heineken Cup winners medals
• Missed 2006 summer tour to rectify groin problem, late starter in 2006/07 season, missed 2006 autumn Tests, but back in the national squad for 2007
• Originally with Munster (understudy to Stringer) and Connacht

1: MARCUS HORAN (SHANNON/MUNSTER)

• 07.09.77, 6-1, 16-8
• 56th cap - 6 tries = 30 points
• Debut: 2000 v USA
• 5th Test v England - no points
• Has overtaken Peter Clohessy (54 caps) to move into third place in the Ireland props caps list behind Phil Orr (58) and John Hayes (83)
• All 4 2007 World Cup games as a starter, 7 of the 8 forwards started all 4 games (hooker changed)
• Played in 28 of the previous 31 Ireland Tests before injury before Scotland 2007 match since suffering back injury in 2004 - had previously played 16 times in 18 Tests before that injury
• Played in all 5 games at the 2003 World Cup
• Has come through to replace Peter Clohessy and Reggie Corrigan, and was originally used as an impact player
• Won 2 AIB League titles with Shannon, and a 2006 Heineken Cup with Munster
• Munster Schools in 1996, senior provincial debut in 1998 and capped as a replacement v USA on Ireland's 2000 summer tour. Played 13 times for Ireland 'A' before promotion in 2002

2: RORY BEST (BELFAST HARLEQUINS/ULSTER)

• 15.09.82, 5-11, 16-10
• 22nd cap - 3 tries = 15 points
• Debut: 2005 v New Zealand
• 2nd Test v England - no points
• Played in 3 of the 4 2007 World Cup games - started the first two games v Namibia and Georgia (try), then a replacement v Argentina. The other 7 forwards started all 4 games
• Started each game in the 2007 Six nations
• First Test try v Pacific Islanders (2006), then 2nd try after 45 seconds v Wales in 2007 in his next game. Third try at the 2007 World Cup v Georgia
• Started v South Africa and Australia in 2006 for the injured Jerry Flannery (shoulder), who played nine games in a row during the 2005/06 season, and then retained place for all of the 2007 Six Nations ties
• Impressed in Heineken Cup to first claim place in Ulster squad
• 5th season with Ulster, is the brother of the recently retired Simon Best. He is affiliated with Belfast Harlequins, as is unrelated flanker Neil Best
• Educated at Portadown College and Newcastle University, he was with Ireland at the 2003 Under-21 World Championship

3: JOHN HAYES (BRUFF/MUNSTER)

• 02.11.73, 6-4, 19-10
• 84th cap - 2 tries = 10 points
• Debut: 2000 v Scotland
• 8th Test v England - no points
• Wins in 5 of his previous 7 games v England
• 2nd equal on Ireland's all time caps list on 83 caps with Brian O'Driscoll
• Test tries v Romania in 2002 and Scotland in 2005
• Passed Phil Orr (58 caps) as Ireland's most capped prop
• All 4 2007 World Cup games as starter
• Played in the first 15 Tests of 2006 and 2007 before being rested for the 2007 summer tour to Argentina
• 2005 Lions v Argentina, did not make the test side in New Zealand
• His first 34 caps came in 35 Tests (rested v USA in summer 2000) until injured before the 2003 summer tour. Missed 6 Tests before the 2003 World Cup after a groin injury. Then had a run of 20 successive Tests up to the 2005 Lions tour
• First game of rugby aged 18, with Bruff RFC in Limerick, then moved to Shannon aged 20 and went on to win the 1995 AIB League title. Then went to New Zealand between 1995 and 1997 (Invercargill), but back to help Shannon win the 1998 title. Now back with Bruff
• Heineken Cup final losses in 2000 and 2002 and then the win of 2006
• One of the players who made their Test debuts v Scotland in 2000 immediately after the 50-18 loss at Twickenham

4: DONNCHA O'CALLAGHAN (CORK CONSTITUTION/MUNSTER)

• 24.03.79, 6-6, 17-5
• 45th cap - 1 try = 5 points
• Debut: 2003 v Wales
• 3rd Test v England - no points
• All 4 2007 World Cup games as a starter, and also a constant starter in the 2008 Six Nations
• Came into the Ireland training squad for the 2003 Six Nations after Gary Longwell tore his hamstring v France. Test debut v Wales in the 25-24 success at Cardiff
• Scored his first Test try v France in 2006 in the fine recovery from 43-3 to 43-31
• Had appeared in all of Ireland's 18 Tests since the start of 2005 autumn series - until rested for the 2007 summer tour
• Played 2nd and 3rd Tests for the Lions v New Zealand in 2005
• Some 100-plus games for Munster despite internationals Mick Galwey, Mick O'Driscoll and Paul O'Connell also featuring in his position. Progressed via the Ireland Under-19s (1998 world champions), the U-21s and 'A' side.
• A 2006 Heineken Cup winner

5: PAUL O'CONNELL (YOUNG MUNSTER/MUNSTER)

• 20.10.79, 6-6, 17-7
• 52nd cap - 6 tries = 30 points
• Debut: 2002 v Wales
• 4th Test v England - no points
• RBS man-of-the-match in England's record home internationals defeat at Croke Park in 2007
• Returned to win his 50th cap v Scotland from the replacements bench after playing all 4 games at the 2007 World Cup but picking up a back injury
• Scorer of the last Test try at Lansdowne Road (v Pacific Islanders in November 2006) and captain in the first game against France at Croke Park
• Ireland captain v France 2004, Scotland 2005, France 2007 (Brian O'Driscoll had a hamstring tear each time) and Italy in August 2007
• Won 25 caps in 27 Tests to the end of the 2005 Six Nations, and then went on the Lions tour, starting all 3 Tests. Then won 14 caps in 15 Tests from the start of 2006 until missing the final 2007 Six Nations game v Italy
• Breakthrough at the 2003 World Cup - impressed in all 5 games (no points)
• Munster debut in 1999, and started in the 2006 Heineken Cup final win. Has come through via the Development XV and Ireland 'A'. From Limerick. He was a talented golfer (off 4) and swimmer who decided to concentrate on rugby

6: DENIS LEAMY (CORK CONSTITUTION/MUNSTER)

• 27.11.81, 6-2, 17-0
• 32nd cap - 1 try = 5 points
• Debut: 2004 v USA
• 3rd Test v England - no points
• 5th start at number 6, after Japan on 2005 summer tour, and three Six Nations games in 2008
• All 4 2007 World Cup games as a starter
• First Test try in 2006 Triple Crown win v England
• Played all 11 Tests of 2006, and 20 consecutive Tests before being rested for the 2007 summer tour to Argentina
• 24 Tests at number 8 (including replacement appearances), after replacing his Munster captain Anthony Foley. He started in all back row positions during his first four caps
• Has played around 100 games for Munster in all competitions (including the Magners League and Heineken Cup). 2006 Heineken Cup winners medal at number 6
• Capped at Schools and Under-21 levels by Ireland

7: DAVID WALLACE (GARRYOWEN/MUNSTER)

• 08.07.76, 6-2, 16-3
• 46th cap - 9 tries = 45 points
• Debut: 2000 v Argentina
• 5th Test v England - 1 try = 5 points (in 2007 record win)
• All 4 2007 World Cup games as starter, and also a constant starter in the 2008 Six Nations
• Returned v Italy in opening Six Nations Test of 2006 after fine Heineken Cup form, he had previously played only once in 13 internationals (Japan in summer 2005) since 2004 summer tour. Had been injured
• Then played 10 of 11 tests in 2006 (rested v Pacific Islanders). And all games in the 2007 Six Nations - then rested for summer tour
• 3 major long-term absences from Ireland line-up due to injury
• A Lion in 2001, all 3 Wallace brothers (Richard, Paul, David) are British & Irish Lions
• Ireland Development tour in 1997, then Under-21 and 'A' caps, then senior tour to South Africa in 1999 and 1st cap on 2000 senior tour in Argentina

8 JAMIE HEASLIP (CLONTARF/LEINSTER)

• 15.12.83, 6-3, 16-7
• 8th cap - no points
• Debut: 2006 v Pacific Islanders
• 1st Test v England
• Has appeared in all of Ireland's Six Nations games in 2008
• Had been cover in the squad before being brought in to the 2006 autumn series squad to win his first cap against the Pacific Islanders
• Scorer of the final try at Lansdowne Road (Leinster v Ulster on New Year's Eve 2006)
• Was a nominee for the IRB Under-21 Player of the Year in 2004
• Has played over 60 times for Leinster since making debut in March 2005 in Celtic League
• Has come through the Ireland development system with caps at Under-19 and U-21 levels and played in 2005 and 2006 for Ireland 'A'
• Holds a mechanical engineering degree from DCU

REPLACEMENTS:

16: BERNARD JACKMAN (CLONTARF/LEINSTER)

• 05.05.76, 6-1, 17-13
• 9th cap (if he plays) - no points
• Debut: 2005 v Japan
• 1st Test v England
• First made the Ireland squad for the 1998 tour to South Africa, but not capped until Japan tour in 2005, and then again on the 2007 summer tour to Argentina and made his Six Nations debut as a replacement v Italy in 2008
• Hooker from leading Leinster club side Clontarf, and the improving Connacht province (73 games), who returned to Leinster in 2005 and has made a marked improvement
• 47 games for Leinster to date
• Formerly also with Lansdowne, he has also played for Sale Sharks in the Zurich Premiership (24 games)
• From the Ireland 'A' squad, which he has captained

17: TONY BUCKLEY (SHANNON/MUNSTER)

• 08.10.80, 6-5, 21-1
• 7th cap (if he plays) - no points
• Debut: 2007 v Argentina
• 1st Test v England
• A replacement in all of Ireland's 2006 Six Nations games for John Hayes to date
• Late call up to the 2007 World Cup when Simon Best became ill
• Former lock forward in his younger days
• Munster debut in 2005, won the AIB League title with Shannon, and into national squad in 2007
• Only 25 games for Munster to date since September 2005
• First capped on the 2007 summer tour to Argentina, then Six Nations debut as a replacement v Italy 2008

18: MICK O'DRISCOLL (CORK CONSTITUTION/MUNSTER)

• 08.10.78, 6-5, 17-0
• 15th cap (if he plays) - no points
• Debut: 2001 v Romania
• 2nd Test v England - no points
• Recalled to the Ireland squad for the 2008 Six Nations
• Not at the 2007 World Cup, previously capped on the 2007 summer tour to Argentina in both Tests
• First Test start, v Italy 2007, nearly 6 years after his Test debut, and after first 8 Tests as a replacement
• Third Test start v Scotland 2008
• Ireland 'A' captain, and former Under-21 international back in 1998
• Played for Munster since 1998 but spent 2003, 2004 and 2005 with French club Perpignan before returning to Munster. 2006 Heineken Cup win
• Same club side as Donncha O'Callaghan, Denis Leamy and Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution)

19: SIMON EASTERBY (LLANELLI SCARLETS)

• 27.01.75, 6-3, 16-10
• 65th cap (if he plays) - 8 tries = 40 points
• Debut: 2000 v Scotland
• 6th Test v England - no points
• Has overtaken Anthony Foley (62 caps) as Ireland's most capped back row forward
• All 4 2007 World Cup games as a starter - try in the opener v Namibia
• Played in all 2006 and 2007 Six Nations games but then rested for both subsequent summer tours
• Captain in two 2005 autumn Tests v New Zealand and Australia, took over captaincy from the injured Brian O'Driscoll
• Won 20 caps in a row before missing Japan summer tour 2005, as he went on Lions tour, played impressively in last 2 Tests v New Zealand, scored try in 2nd Lions Test, then returned to captain country
• With the Llanelli Scarlets in Wales since their inception in 2003
• Played for hometown Harrogate, then Leeds Tykes and was eligible for England, but then had a spell with Sydney University before joining Llanelli in 1999
• Originally played for the Irish Exiles in early part of career and is younger brother of former Leinster scrum half Guy Easterby (28 caps, 2000 to 2005)
• One of the players who made their Test debuts v Scotland in 2000 immediately after the 50-18 loss at Twickenham

20: PETER STRINGER (SHANNON/MUNSTER)

• 13.12.77, 5-7, 11-5
• 82nd cap (if he plays) - 6 tries = 30 points
• Debut: 2000 v Scotland
• 8th Test v England - no points
• Wins in 5 of his previous 7 games v England
• Played first two games of the 2007 World Cup v Namibia and Georgia before Eoin Reddan was preferred
• 81 caps in 92 Ireland Tests and is 4th equal with O'Gara in the Ireland caps lists
• 54 Test starts with O'Gara after the 2007 World Cup - world record is Gregan and Larkham with 76 Tests
• One of the players who made their Test debuts v Scotland in 2000 immediately after the 50-18 loss at Twickenham
• Three Heineken Cup finals with Munster - losses in 2000 and 2002 and a try in the 2006 win over Biarritz

21: PADDY WALLACE (BALLYMENA/ULSTER)

• 27.08.79, 5-11, 12-11
• 8th cap (if he plays) - 1 try, 10 conversions, 6 penalty goals = 43 points
• Debut: 2006 v South Africa
• 2nd Test v England - 1 conversion = 2 points (in 2007)
• One game at the 2007 World Cup - replacement in opener v Namibia
• Replacement v South Africa in added time in November 2006, then 26 points v Pacific Islanders on full debut. Was the first Ireland number 10 who was not David Humphreys or Ronan O'Gara for 78 Tests and 7 years (Eric Elwood v Romania at the 1999 World Cup)
• And the first who was not Elwood, Humphreys or O'Gara in Ireland's number 10 jersey for 10 years and 115 games (Paul Burke v Italy 1997)
• Has been with Ulster since 2001, and though an out-half he found David Humphreys (72 caps) as first choice, so he became a utility player in the squad
• Has played for Ireland at Under-19 (World Championship winners) Under-21, 'A' and Sevens levels, and has been in the full national squad since 2002
• 7th season in Ulster squad, and has played 100 games for the province

22: LUKE FITZGERALD (BLACKROCK COLLEGE/LEINSTER)

• 13.09.87, 6-1, 13-0
• 4th cap (if he plays) - no points
• Debut: 2006 v Pacific Islanders
• 1st Test v England
• First capped in November 2006 in 61-17 win over Pacific Islanders, 2nd cap as a replacement v Argentina on 2007 summer tour in 2nd test (16-0 defeat)
• Then Six Nations game v Wales 2008 - replacement for the injured Brian O'Driscoll
• Was the youngest player to make debut for Ireland since Alistair McKibben in 1977 v Wales
• Captain of Ireland Schools and made his Leinster debut in the Magners League in September 2006. A son of former Ireland prop Des Fitzgerald, he has now played 35 times for Leinster, and for Ireland 'A' as well as winning full caps
• Can play at full-back, on the wing or in the centre, student at UCD

COACH - EDDIE O'SULLIVAN

• 21.11.58
• Appointed in November 2001, after being assistant under Warren Gatland, won 3 Triple Crowns in 2004, 2006 and 2007, and was assistant coach for the 2005 Lions
• Former coach of Connacht, Blackrock College, the Ireland Under-21s and US Eagles
• Played for Garryowen, and former PE teacher
• In August 2007, his contract was extended to 2012