Outside backs

Another with a CV that demonstrates his resilience, and still seemingly as quick as ever. He remains Ireland's best finisher (29 tries in 58 tests) as well as one of the team leaders and ought to have benefited from another lengthy pre-season.

Another outstanding finisher, both for himself and in setting up teammates, Horgan provides leadership and a physical presence as well as an aerial presence such as nobody else can offer for defensive as well as offensive crosskicks and restarts. Fingers crossed that he's fit.

A class act who underlined his mental strength by coming through Saturday's haunting test with flying colours. Creator-in-chief among the Leicester backs when hitting the line. The challenge for the coach now is to extract the best from another potential gamebreaker.

Ultra-dependable fullback whose professionalism and preparation in part account for an uncanny positional sense. Among the Leinster galacticos, he has honed his attacking game under David Knox in what have probably been his best back-to-back campaigns.

Professional, unfazed campaigner with plenty of rugby league experience. Stationed very much on his wing in Argentinian tests, was noticeably used more up the middle against Scots, when too flat for one pass. Strong in contact, he will get game time in France, regardless of Horgan's health.