Ireland`s new head coach Declan Kidney goes into the first of their November`s Test matches against Canada on Saturday with a forward line-up that has served their country well over the years.

And the two-time European Cup-winning coach will have the added benefit of playing at Munster`s home ground Thomond Park in Limerick, the scene of so many of his triumphs.

Injury has robbed him of some likely starters for the bigger Tests to come this autumn against New Zealand and Argentina.

But the nucleus of the pack that has served him so well over the years are available, and the series also allows him field the pick of Ireland`s crop of exiting young players.

Canada are likely to bring their usual muscularity to their forward play despite key retirements but Kidney will have an experienced all-Munster front five that should be more than capable of neutralising the threat.

The backrow of Stephen Ferris, Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip at number 8 have never played as a trio before and only Heaslip could have legitimate grounds for disappointment if left out of the starting fifteen against New Zealand and Argentina.

All three have enough international experience to press their claim and Kidney will expect them to do so.

`Sometimes building a panel means you don`t always get to play guys in their favoured position or even their best positions. It`s just a case of getting guys out on the pitch.

`It`s all about getting opportunities and seizing them to the best of their ability,` Kidney said.

Canada`s recently appointed head coach Kieran Crowley is trying to develop a more expansive game but Ireland`s young guns are expected to ruthlessly punish any mistakes in possession along the backline.

New cap Keith Earls, selected at full-back, has been Munster`s best back this season outshining the illustrious Doug Howlett. And Luke Fitzgerald - making his second Test start - is already being compared to Brian O`Driscoll, who retains the captaincy under Kidney.

On the right of a backline that also features the experienced Tommy Bowe will be Rob Kearney, whose ball catching and powerful and imaginative counter-attacking was one of the few beacons of Eddie O`Sullivan`s last dark days in charge of Ireland.

After a disappointing World Cup, Crowley is not expecting too much more than honest effort from his greatly altered team.

`What I find with Canadians is that they will do anything. You ask them to run through a brick wall and they will do it. As long as we can go out there and put a performance and be able to review the game and say yeah, we did this well, then that is what I am expecting,` he told the Irish Times this week.