Ireland keeping the faith once again

Same old Ireland: O'Driscoll is once again named as captain

Ireland's interim coaching staff, headed by Connacht coach Michael Bradley, have announced a 37-man squad for the summer internationals.

As expected Brian O'Driscoll retains the captaincy and London Irish second row Bob Casey has been rewarded for an excellent season with the Exiles with a chance to shine against the Barbarians.

There are five players, Tom Court, Bob Casey, Ryan Caldwell, Stephen Ferris and Jonathon Sexton who will feature against the Barbarians but then drop down to Ireland A.

Bradley, who will take charge for the tour before handing the reigns to Declan Kidney, knows the task ahead is a stern one.

"New Zealand is a undoubtedly one of the most challenging places to tour and to win test matches and that is quickly followed up with a game against an Australian side that will have the fresh input of a new coach and are always among the top sides in the world," he said.

"We are travelling on the tour with a strong squad conscious of the fact that IRB world ranking points are available and that is what we are playing for."

However after a disastrous World Cup and a less than successful Six Nations it comes as a surprise that Ireland have opted to remain with the same squad, rather than blooding promising new players.

Ireland:

Forwards: Neil Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster)*, Bob Casey (London Irish)*, Ryan Caldwell (Dungannon/Ulster)*, Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster)*, Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster), Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster), Malcolm O'Kelly (St.Mary's College/Leinster), Alan Quinlan (Shannon/Munster), Mike Ross (Harlequins)*, David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Bryan Young (Ballymena/Ulster).

Backs: Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Isaac Boss (Ballymena/Ulster), Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster), Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Galwegians/Connacht), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster), Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster) (c), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Eoin Reddan (Wasps), Jonathon Sexton (St.Mary's College/Leinster)* , Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster).

* Players for Barbarians match squad but will not be travelling to New Zealand & Australia.