IRELAND v NEW ZEALANDin New Plymouth on Saturday (8.35 Irish time) ON TV:Sky Sports 1

AS WITH Ireland, the All Blacks have an injury list long enough to fill a casualty ward. Obliged to name three uncapped players in their starting line-up, with another three on the bench, and mindful they are at their rustiest in a seasonal opener, the big theory hereabouts is that there’s never been a better time to play the All Blacks.

“You could say the exact same about ourselves,” retorted Brian O’Driscoll.

“I’ve lost count of the number of our lads that have had to drop out of the tour. It depends on what way you look at it. The opportunity is there for the guys coming in and every time I’ve played against the All Blacks it’s been very tough. You have to bring your A game if you want to live with them.”

O’Driscoll has been on a losing Ireland side four times in New Zealand, as well, of course, when his captaincy of the Lions here in 2005 was ended by Speargate. Acknowledging there’s no place tougher to win he was again “thoroughly looking forward to the challenge” and while an Ireland win “hasn’t happened to date, it’s going to happen at some time before the world implodes so let’s hope it happens sooner rather than later.”

Asked whether this might be a last chance for some of these players to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand, the Ireland captain smiled and quipped: “Well unless they’re planning on making it to a World Cup final next year.”

But he daren’t countenance the notion of returning for Ireland’s three-Test tour here in the summer of 2012.

Such is the bond within New Zealand rugby sometimes it has felt like one enlarged tribe, and the All Blacks team to play Ireland is keeping it in the family. Ben Franks, the 26-year-old Tasman loosehead prop makes his Test debut alongside 22-year-old brother Owen in the frontrow, having made his first start for the All Blacks against Munster in November 2008 before having his share of injuries since then.

Nineteen years after his uncle Joe last played for the All Blacks, 25-year-old Auckland midfielder Benson Stanley (All Black number 1,102) has been named at inside centre, or as they say here, second five-eighth.

Hawke’s Bay fullback Israel Dagg, who turned 22 last Sunday, makes his debut alongside his boyhood idol, Joe Rokocoko, who is given an opportunity to revive his form after being dropped for last year’s end-of-season tour amid a crisis in confidence primarily brought about by his difficulties under the high ball.

The three new All Blacks on the reserves bench are 21-year-old Manawatu’s first five-eighth Aaron Cruden, his Hurricanes team–mate 23-year-old loose forward Victor Vito and 21-year-old Canterbury lock Sam Whitelock.

“It’s an exciting team that will play the Irish,” said coach Graham Henry. “We have picked experienced All Blacks together with those players who have been in form throughout the Super 14 and deserve their opportunity at Test level.

“They know the Irish will be a huge challenge but they are looking forward to it.”

IRELAND

15 Robert Kearney (Leinster)
14 Tommy Bowe (Ospreys)
13 Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt)
12 Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster)
11 Andrew Trimble (Ulster)
10 Ronan O'Gara (Munster)
9 Tomas O'Leary (Munster)
1 Cian Healy (Leinster)
2 Sean Cronin (Connacht)
3 John Hayes (Munster)
4 Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster)
5 Mick O'Driscoll (Munster)
6 John Muldoon (Connacht)
7 David Wallace (Munster)
8 Jamie Heaslip (Leinster)
REPLACEMENTS
16 John Fogarty (Leinster)* ; 17 Tony Buckley (Munster); 18 Dan Tuohy (Ulster)*; 19 Shane Jennings (Leinster); 20 Eoin Reddan (Leinster); 21 Jonathan Sexton (Leinster) ; 22 Geordan Murphy (Leicester)

NEW ZEALAND
15 Israel Dagg *
14 Cory Jane (12)
13 Conrad Smith (33)
12 Benson Stanley *
11 Josevata Rokocoko (60)
10 Daniel Carter (66)
9 Jimmy Cowan (33)
1 Ben Franks *
2 Keven Mealamu (71)
3 Owen Franks (9)
4 Brad Thorn (37)
5 Anthony Boric (13)
6 Jerome Kaino (25)
7 Richie McCaw - capt (80)
8 Kieran Read (16)
REPLACEMENTS
6 Aled de Malmanche (2); 17 Neemia Tialata (41); 18 Sam Whitelock *; 19 Victor Vito * ; 20 Piri Weepu (35); 21 Aaron Cruden *; 22 Zac Guildford (2). Number of Test caps in brackets * Denotes new Test cap