While every player involved in the weekend defeat by Australia is being considered, officially at least, for Saturday's early afternoon (12.30 kick-off) Test match against Romania, several changes are expected when Eddie O'Sullivan announces his team today.
The bench from the previous two internationals, which included seven Ulster men and Girvan Dempsey, has been tipped to start, but several established and some promising, if inexperienced, players make up this week's extended squad.
The alternatives up front are Leo Cullen, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip and Jerry Flannery, with Robert Kearney, Kieran Lewis, Anthony Horgan and David Quinlan options in the three-quarter line.
With Malcolm O'Kelly definitely ruled out (the extent of his concussion will be revealed tomorrow), and Matt McCullough carrying a dead leg after a less than ideal home debut on Saturday, Cullen comes back into the reckoning at lock. Munster reserves Trevor Hogan and Mick O'Driscoll are preferred as cover ahead of London Irish second row Bob Casey.
The strange absence of 27-year-old Casey cannot be down to playing abroad, as Cullen, Geordan Murphy, Shane Byrne and Johnny O'Connor all ply their trade in the Zurich Premiership, while captain Simon Easterby has always been with Llanelli.
In the backrow, Wallace's ball-carrying abilities are still a valued weapon, but O'Sullivan has again excluded Anthony Foley from training at Clongowes Wood College this week, despite saying the player was in contention to captain Ireland against New Zealand.
Reggie Corrigan has been ruled out due to a knee injury, so Connacht prop Ray Hogan is training alongside brother Trevor, making the Tipperary man one injury off a place among the reserves.
Flannery, Munster's in-form replacement for the injured Frankie Sheahan, is another close to international recognition.
In the backs, Dempsey may be recalled for a 62nd cap, but with an eye to the future either Kearney or Lewis must be close to selection in the 22 at least. Cork Constitution pair John Kelly and Anthony Horgan provide further options.
If Shane Horgan's dead leg fails to recover at least one new cap can be expected.
Romania come to Lansdowne Road on form, having recorded their first victory over Canada, 22-20, thanks to a last-minute try by Alexandru Manta converted by Dan Vlad in Bucharest last Saturday.
The result moved them up three places in the IRB world rankings to 15th. Ireland remain seventh behind Wales, just clear of Argentina, who beat Italy in Genoa 39-22 thanks to 19 points from the boot of Felipe Contepomi.
Meanwhile, the Leinster school under-18 and under-19 sides host their Munster counterparts in a double-header at Donnybrook this Friday afternoon.
This is the first season of schools under-19 sides after the IRFU conformed to the age structure of other leading rugby nations. The under-19 fixture is at 1pm, followed by the under-18s at 2.30pm.
The Ulster branch has announced that the Heineken European Cup match against Saracens on Friday, December 9th, (kick-off 7.30pm) will be an all-ticket match. The stand is sold out and there are fewer than 100 tickets left for the promenade. Tickets are still available on the terrace.
FRANCE (v South Africa, Saturday, Stade de France): T Castaignede; A Rougerie, F Fritz, Y Jauzion, C Heymans; F Michalak, J-B Elissalde; O Milloud, D Szarzewski, P de Villiers, L Nallet, J Thion, Y Nyanga, R Martin, J Bonnaire. Replacements: S Bruno, S Marconnet, G Lamboley, T Lievremont, P Mignoni, Y Delaigue, P Elhorga.
World Rankings
1 New Zealand 93.32
2 South Africa 89.96
3 Australia 84.98
4 France 84.90
5 England 83.27
6 Wales 81.49
7 Ireland 80.03
8 Argentina 78.16
9 Fiji 74.08
10 Scotland 73.60
11 Italy 71.44
12 Samoa 70.97
13 USA 68.31
14 Canada 67.42
15 Romania 66.47
