The first training camp, which took place in Belfast at the end of July, contained players who were involved in the summer tours to North America and the Churchill Cup in May and June, as well as some senior players who were not included for the summer tours.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney said: "The Belfast camp was productive in that we were able to continue to work with the players and pick up where we left off from the summer tour and the Churchill Cup.

“A lot of players are being given an opportunity and from that point of view as well, we were happy with the spread of players we were in contact with in Belfast.

“The next camp will be slightly different as the players involved with the Lions tour come back into the fold, so it allows us to set some foundations for the coming season.”

Ireland squad: Neil Best (Northampton), Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Tommy Bowe (Ospreys), Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster), Tom Court (Malone/Ulster), Sean Cronin (Buccaneers/Connacht), Leo Cullen (Blackrock College/Leinster), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Ian Dowling (Shannon/Munster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster), Stephen Ferris (Dungannon/Ulster), Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster), Jerry Flannery (Shannon/Munster), John Hayes (Shannon/Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster), Shane Jennings (St.Mary's College/Leinster), Robert Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), Fergus McFadden (UCD/Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Tomas O'Leary (Dolphin/Munster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Jonathan Sexton (St.Mary's College/Leinster), Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster), Devon Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster), Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht).