Leinster's Devin Toner will win his first senior cap as he packs down in the second row alongside the experienced Donncha O'Callaghan.

Ireland have selected an all new front row with Tom Court, Sean Cronin and John Hayes selected to start.

Denis Leamy and Sean O'Brien are called into the back row to play alongside Jamie Heaslip who retains the number 8 jersey.

Luke Fitzgerald makes the switch from wing to full-back, with Andrew Trimble coming into the vacant left wing position.

Paddy Wallace also comes into the team at inside centre to partner captain Brian O'Driscoll, and Ronan O'Gara and Peter Stringer, both used as replacements against South Africa, will form the starting half-back combination.

"I'm delighted to be selected...over the moon. I'm just excited now and can't wait for the game," said Toner

"I found out yesterday when the team was announced. I wasn't told beforehand, so I got a bit of a shock.

"I've been involved in Irish squads before. You're always kind of hoping to get selected. When I saw the four games for this series, I was hopeful (of getting a first cap).

"I'm very pleased to get the call and just looking forward to playing now."

The replacements bench will be finalised after training on Thursday.

IRELAND Team:
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (capt), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Sean O'Brien (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster).

Heaslip: Looking to impress

Ireland number eight Jamie Heaslip believes home ground advantage will play a big part in Saturday's clash against South Africa.

Declan Kidney's men will host the Springboks in their first international match at the new Aviva Stadium.

Heaslip, who has been in outstanding form for club side Leinster, expects the overwhelming home support to inspire Ireland to victory over the current World champions.

"I think we can do a job," he told the Belfast Telegraph.

"The new stadium is unbelievable. I played there a few weeks ago against Munster in the Magners League and it was incredible.

"That was a 60-40 split, but in an Ireland home game you're going to be getting 80-20 if not 90-10 and believe me, that will be intimidating.

"I think people are going to be surprised at just how loud it is. In that match against Munster it was hard to hear the referee call the scrum.

"The crowd are right on top of you so there's no escape. It's a great ampitheatre. As well as the atmosphere the pitch is superb and the facilities are the best I have ever been in."

Ireland face gruelling encounters against Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina following the Springbok clash and Heaslip is hoping to get as much game time as possible.

"We've got four tough games ahead of us and inevitably there will be knocks and bangs. You can't have the same 15 guys going through all four games given the physicality of the game," he said.

"A player wants to play so maybe sometimes you have to protect him from himself."

Gordon D'Arcy has warned South Africa that Ireland will be doing the bullying at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

The Irish are hoping to avoid a fourth successive Test defeat in the opening fixture of their gruelling four-match autumn schedule.

South Africa are famed for their muscular approach but D'Arcy, who will be winning his 50th cap, insists Ireland will not be cowed.

"We're not really looking at them as the world champions," he said.

"We are looking at them as South Africa. A physical, physical, physical team.

"Not as the world champions, but as a massive team that are coming to bully you in your own back yard.

"There's a bit of an adjustment in your mentality. You know you are meeting fire with fire.

"The only way to face these guys is to stand toe to toe with them. If there is any bullying to be done, we will do it."

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has stated that his perennial centre partner will lead the team out on Saturday, but D'Arcy is keen to avoid the limelight.

"It's just a number. You can be sure I won't be leading the team out," he said.

"I suppose now I'm just happy playing rugby. I was probably more comfortable with the attention a few years ago.

"It makes me very, very uncomfortable now. I've nothing new to say.

"There are a lot of lads on the team closing in on the hundred cap mark, which is probably much more of an achievement.

"I've been around the same amount of time as them and have half the number of caps."

D'Arcy admits that having played alongside O'Driscoll for most of his professional career, the pair have developed a superb understanding.

"I know the guy inside out," said the 30-year-old Leinster and Lions back.

"It's probably the one partnership where the level of communication is lower than in most cases because we read body language.

"We trust each other implicitly. He knows if he comes out I'll swing in behind and vice versa.

"He knows if I'm going to hit him with a pass or not. After 12 years you'd hope that's the case.

"When we started playing he was at 13 and I was on the wing. We were always playing besides each other.

04th November 2010 17:15

De Villiers: Has faith in his team

Peter de Villiers admitted he had little choice when selecting his South Africa team for their Grand Slam tour opener against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

The Springbok coach included uncapped flanker Deon Stegmann in his starting XV, while rising young star Patrick Lambie could also play his first game if centre Jean de Villiers fails a late fitness test.

The 20-year-old Sharks back, who has played full-back, fly-half and centre this season, was named man of the match in the Currie Cup final over the weekend with his 25-point haul helping his team beat Western Province 30-10.

He is on stand-by in case Jean de Villiers fails to overcome his groin problem and, if he does, will then drop to the bench where he is bracketed alongside another newcomer in wing Lwazi Mvovo.

Two further uncapped players were named among the replacements. Loose forward Willem Alberts is struggling with a calf problem with Keegan Daniel waiting in the wings.

Bulls forward Stegmann, 24, was only added to the squad this week after Schalk Burger withdrew because of a broken rib he sustained in Currie Cup final.

In total, the team shows eight changes to the one which last played against Australia during the Tri Nations, with Victor Matfield captaining the world champions in the absence of injured John Smit.

"It's a new-look side but with 13 season-ending injuries it couldn't be anything else," Peter de Villiers said.

"But we're looking on the positive side and this is a great opportunity to test some new players in the toughest conditions.

"We also have a number of senior players returning to the team after long lay-offs for one reason or another and they are keen to re-stake their claim to a starting place.

"We've not had much time to bed this new team together but the players have worked hard all week to be as well prepared as we possibly can be."

Props Tendai Mtawarira and Bismarck du Plessis will make their first appearances of the season, while lock Bakkies Botha returns after suspension.

Reflecting on Stegmann's selection, the coach said: "Deon is an open-side in the traditional style and has been outstanding for his province.

"He is used to playing with Pierre (Spies) and we need an out and out specialist to counter Ireland at the breakdown."

But the big talking point is certainly at centre.

If former Munster midfielder Jean de Villiers does fail his fitness test, it means full-back Zane Kirchner, who only has 10 caps to his name, could play alongside Lambie in one of the most untried pairing in recent Springbok memory.

The coach, however, has confidence in his selections.

"Our hand has been forced in our centre selection," said De Villiers.

"Hopefully Jean will recover in time but if not, Patrick Lambie has played at inside centre for the Sharks before he was moved to 10 and Zane is defensively strong and a strong ball runner."

Ulster-based Ruan Pienaar returns to the number nine jersey he last wore against the Wallabies in July.

After their clash at the Aviva Stadium, the Springboks play Wales in Cardiff followed by matches against Scotland, England and the Barbarians.

Following consultation with the provincial branches and various constituent clubs, the Irish Rugby Football Union has announced amended linked ticket packages for the GUINNESS Series of games in November, which will see Ireland play South Africa, Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina.

Clubs will now have the option to break up their allocation into two separate linked packages, South Africa/Samoa and New Zealand/Argentina.

Clubs will receive their quota of tickets for all four international matches in the GUINNESS Series as a single package, but have the option to distribute them to individual members within the club on a linked basis for the South Africa/Samoa and New Zealand/Argentina games.

All international match tickets are distributed through the provincial branches and clubs of Ireland.

Any tickets that are not taken up through the clubs will be made available through the Irish Rugby Supporters Club and following that, made available for public sale.