Shane Horgan has suffered injury problems over the last year Ireland v Wales 16 August, Lansdowne Road (kick-off 1445BST)

Shane Horgan is an injury doubt for Ireland's international friendly against Wales on Saturday.

The Leinster player was picked on the right wing for Ireland for his first cap since the Six Nations opener match against Scotland at Murrayfield in February.

But he has sustained a slight quadricep strain and as a precaution Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has brought Horgan's Leinster team-mate Gordon D'Arcy into the Irish squad as cover.

Ulster's Simon Best will make his Lansdowne Road debut as Ireland recall some big guns for the World Cup warm-up game.

Best, who won his first cap as a replacement prop against Tonga in June, is one of six changes from the side that were defeated by England last March.

As expected Keith Wood returns to lead the side while Paul O'Connell partners Malcolm O'Kelly at lock and Reggie Corrigan returns to tight-head prop.

Shane Horgan is back on the right wing after missing most of last season through injury, while his namesake Anthony is on the left.

The Munsterman made his international debut in Ireland's final match of their Oceanic tour during the summer when they defeated Samoa 40-14.

But it is the return of front-line players that will be most interest to coach Eddie O'Sullivan as runs his eye over World Cup hopefuls.

Wood plays his first game since the World Cup qualifier against Russia last September. Operations on his neck and shoulder and months of rehabilitation sees Ireland's inspirational skipper back in action.

There are a number who were injured and they have a chance to push themselves further into the picture Eddie O'Sullivan

Brian O'Driscoll also returns to action since injuring a hamstring in the Heineken Cup semi-final against Perpignan last April.

Anthony Foley comes back into what is a first-choice back-row with David Wallace, who missed the whole of last season following shoulder surgery, likely to start from the bench.

Geordan Murphy drops back into the full-back position after being also used as a wing and centre last season.

Murphy has also been given the role of shadow fly-half if anything should happen to first-choice David Humphreys.

Harlequins number 10 Paul Burke pulled out of the 22-man squad on Monday night after a hamstring twinge failed to respond to treatment.

With Ronan O'Gara still recovering from a fractured scaphoid, cover for the pivot position was short.

Ulster's Tyrone Howe has been called up to fill the vacancy on the bench.

Best, meanwhile, has a chance to nail down a World Cup spot following the worrying injuries over John Hayes, Marcus Horan, and in particular, Emmet Byrne.

Keith Wood is back to lead Ireland following surgery

The 25-year-old Co Armagh player can play both sides of the scrum. Even though he played second fiddle to Robbie Kempson and Justin Fitzgerald at Ulster, he still featured in the Ireland 'A' squad last season.

Saturday's game is the first of Ireland three warm-up games. They face Italy in Limerick on 30 August, then travel to Murrayfield to tackle Scotland on 6 September.

It will be the last chance for players to impress O'Sullivan.

''The game itself is all about getting ready for the World Cup,'' O'Sullivan told this website.

''We still have other guys to see. There are a number who were injured and they have a chance to push themselves further into the picture.

''There were some players who stood up and were counted during the tour in the summer, so there are still a few puzzles to work out.''

Ireland: G Murphy; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, K Maggs, A Horgan; D Humphreys, P Stringer; R Corrigan, K Wood, capt, S Best, M O'Kelly, P O'Connell, V Costello, A Foley, K Gleeson.
Replacements: J Fitzpatrick, S Byrne, D O'Callaghan, D Wallace, G Easterby, T Howe, G Dempsey.