The Ireland 'A' squad get their 2008 Barclays Churchill Cup campaign underway in the early hours of Thursday morning (Irish time). Kingston's Richardson Stadium is the venue for the Irish side's tournament opener against the USA.

As Allen Clarke's Ireland 'A' squad count down the hours before their clash with the USA, IrishRugby.ie profiles the players involved.

IRELAND 'A' SQUAD - 2008 BARCLAYS CHURCHILL CUP:

* Capped at full international level

FORWARDS (14) -

*Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)

*Bob Casey (London Irish) (capt) 

Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)

Sean Cronin (Shannon/Munster)

Denis Fogarty (Cork Constitution/Munster)

Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)

*Trevor Hogan (Shannon/Leinster)

Daragh Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)

*Johnny O'Connor (Corinthians/Connacht)

David Pollock (Dungannon/Ulster)

Mike Ross (Harlequins)

Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)

*Roger Wilson (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

BACKS (13) - 

Gary Brown (Blackrock College/Leinster)

Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

Keith Earls (Garryowen/Munster)

Ian Humphreys (Leicester)

Denis Hurley (Cork Constitution/Munster)

*Kieran Lewis (Garryowen/Munster)

Keith Matthews (Buccaneers/Connacht)

Mark McCrea (Malone/Ulster)

Frank Murphy (Leicester)

Johne Murphy (Leicester)

Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster)

*Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)

Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster)