Rory Best will lead an Ireland team containing six uncapped players for the opening game of the summer tour against Canada in Vancouver on Saturday. Tom Court will make his first start for the Irish at loosehead, accompanied by Tony Buckley at tighthead in a front row built around Best's experience.
Bob Casey's last cap came nine years ago, also against Canada, but he starts in the second row with Mick O'Driscoll. Denis Leamy will play at No8 and will be joined on the flank by debutants John Muldoon and openside Niall Ronan.
The backline contains four new caps, including Ian Keatley who will partner Ireland's most-capped scrum-half Peter Stringer, while Munster supply the wingers in Barry Murphy, on the right, and debutant Ian Dowling on the left. Gavin Duffy will complete the back three. Ulster duo Darren Cave and Ian Whitten are the other two players who will earn their first caps.
Coach Declan Kidney believes Saturday will be the perfect chance for the fringe players to gain experience. "Our aim at the start of this season was to build a squad but with so many experienced players available, it has been difficult for some players to get experiences of their own," he said.
"This is an ideal tour for them as these are full Test matches and we will see how the players cope when they are exposed to the full rigours of Test match rugby. These players have been training and playing with their provinces over a number of years and so we are just looking forward to seeing how they go this weekend.
"There is a lot of youth in this backline for Saturday, but with players like Brian [O'Driscoll], Gordon [D'Arcy] and Ronan O'Gara] being around for so long and winning so many caps, these players have not been able to get the opportunity to get international experience.
"Saturday gives these players that chance to put down a marker to challenge for places and we see this as the start of our preparations for World Cup 2011 and building a squad for that tournament."
Although many of Ireland's more experienced players are involved in the Lions squad for the tour to South Africa, Best is confident those deputising are up to the job.
"Saturday is a big challenge as Canada will certainly be a physically imposing side and will want to try and test us in all areas of the park, especially up front," said Best, who was part of the Ireland team which won this year's Six Nations.
"We have to be able to meet that challenge and put in a performance. We have had a short time together, but I think there is a good blend in the team with players like Peter [Stringer] and Denis [Leamy] along with Mick O'Driscoll and Bob Casey adding experience to some of the younger players which will be important."
Ireland team: G Duffy (Connacht), B Murphy (Munster), D Cave (Ulster), I Whitten (Ulster), I Dowling (Munster), I Keatley (Connacht), P Stringer (Munster), T Court (Ulster), R Best (Ulster), T Buckley (Munster), B Casey (London Irish), M O'Driscoll (Munster), J Muldoon (Connacht), N Ronan (Munster), D Leamy (Munster).
Replacements: Sean Cronin (Connacht), M Ross (Harlequins), R Caldwell (Ulster), D Ryan (Munster), E Reddan (London Wasps), N O'Connor (Ulster), D Hurley (Munster)
