Kidney names four debutants to play Barbarians

The Ireland team to play the Barbarians this Friday night in Thomond Park for the Mastercard Trophy contains four uncapped players.

Second rows Ed O’Donoghue and Dan Touhy will make their first senior appearance for Ireland in the uncapped match as will centre Fergus McFadden and No.8 Chris Henry.

In addition to these fresh faces coming into the side, the team is fastened with a backbone of experience with Ronan O’Gara, who will captain the side, and Peter Stringer the halfback partnership.

Marcus Horan will start alongside Sean Cronin and Tony Buckley in the front row with Rob Kearney, Shane Horgan and Andrew Trimble selected in the back three.

Gavin Duffy comes into the squad and is selected at outside centre to partner the uncapped McFadden in midfield.

Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll is among those rested ahead of the tour to New Zealand and Australia, which departs on Saturday.

On the bench are Ireland regulars and Munster favourites Jerry Flannery, David Wallace and Tomas O’Leary.

Ireland face the All Blacks – who they have never beaten – in New Plymouth on June 12 and meet the New Zealand Maori the following Friday before closing the tour against Australia in Brisbane on June 26.

They head down under without the injured Paul O’Connell, Stephen Ferris, Denis Leamy and Luke Fitzgerald.

Ireland XV (V Barbarians, Mastercard Challenge, Friday June 4, Thomond Park):

15 - Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster)

14 - Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster)

13 - Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht)

12 - Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*

11 - Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)

10 - Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster) Captain

9 - Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster)

1 - Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster)

2 - Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht)

3 - Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster)

4 - Ed O’Donoghue (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*

5 - Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster)*

6 - John Muldoon (Galwegians/Connacht)

7 - Niall Ronan (Shannon/Munster)

8 - Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster)*

Replacements:

16 - Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster)

17 - Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)

18 - Mick O’Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster)

19 - David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster)

20 - Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster)

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

22 - Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster)

*Denotes uncapped player