O'Sullivan has welcomed back the majority of the British & Irish Lions players with the only exceptions being the injured trio of Brian O'Driscoll, Gordon D'Arcy and Malcolm O'Kelly.  Other notable absentees due to injury are Eric Miller and Anthony Horgan, both of whom played against Japan in the summer.

There are two uncapped players in the squad in the shape of Paddy Wallace, who missed out on touring Japan and a possible first cap due to injury, and Conor McPhilips.

The full training squad is as follows:
 
Forwards:
Simon Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Shane Byrne (Saracens), Reggie Corrigan (Greystones/Leinster), Leo Cullen (Leicester), Simon Easterby (LIaneli), Anthony Foley (Shannon/Munster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Matt McCullough (Ballymena/Ulster), Donncha O’Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O’Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Johnny O’Connor (Wasps), Alan Quinlan (Shannon/Munster), Frankie Sheahan (Cork Constitution/Munster), David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Roger Wilson (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster).
 
Backs:
Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Kieran Campbell (Dungannon/Ulster), Girvan Dempsey (Terenure College/Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Harlequins), Guy Easterby (Blackrock College/Leinster), Denis Hickie (St. Mary’s College/Leinster), Shane Horgan (Lansdowne/Leinster), David Humphreys (Dungannon/Ulster), John Kelly (Cork Constitution/Munster), Kieran Lewis (St.Mary’s College/Leinster), Kevin Maggs (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Conor McPhilips (St.Mary’s College/Connacht), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Ronan O’Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), David Quinlan (Northampton), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster).

Not considered due to injury: Gordon D’Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Anthony Horgan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Eric Miller (Terenure College/Leinster), Brian O’Driscoll (Blackrock College/Leinster), Malcolm O’Kelly (St.Mary’s College/Leinster).