Having whetted his appetite for the game at centre against the Barbarians last week, 20-year-old Luke Fitzgerald is eager to test himself at the highest level against New Zealand on Saturday.
The Leinster youngster is more accustomed to playing among the back three but his first senior start in the cut and thrust of centre at Kingsholm last week earned him universal praise from pundits and players alike.
In Wellington he lines up for the first time beside Ireland's best ever centre, his Leinster team-mate Brian O'Driscoll, and the former Blackrock College student can't wait to make an impact.
"Getting my hands on the ball is the most enjoyable aspect of playing at centre. I feel that you can have a bigger impact on the game from centre whereas you're more of a bystander on the wing," he said.
"With my background as a full-back or winger I'm probably seen as more of a strike player. But I'd like to think I have the capability to use my hands as well."
The All Blacks will be far more formidable than the disjointed Ba-Baas side he faced last week and with the powerful 104kg inside centre Ma'a Nonu on his case, he will need to be at his best in defence.
"I think I've come on an awful lot on defence and think I showed that in the Barbarians game so I'm not too worried about that part of the game."
The son of former Ireland prop Des rates the strong running Nonu highly.
"He's a fantastic player, obviously a physical specimen. But I don't know if he's given enough credit for his skills, he's a really talented player. I'm sure it will be a challenge for us but we're looking forward to it."
O'Driscoll trained with the team today for the first time since departing the squad last week after the death of a close friend.
"It (last week) was a brutal week in my life and in a lot of my friends' lives and one that came as a shock. Rugby was secondary for that period of time," he said.
"But then my friend's dad said that he expected me to go on tour and that was all the convincing I needed."
Ireland will be looking for the first win over the All Blacks in 20 attempts at Westpac Stadium, but more important is the need for a performance that will convince critics that a disastrous year is behind them and a new era is on the horizon.
Interim head coach Michael Bradley believes he has picked a team of winners, with Munster's success in the Heineken Cup, Leinster winning the Magners League and scrumhalf Eoin Reddan being part of Wasps' Guinness Premiership victory.
"So there are a group of players who are used to winning," Bradley said. "The expectation is, if we do our business correctly and accurately — discipline and defence — there is no reason why we can't win the match against New Zealand then roll on to the Australia game and use the same process there.
"I think it is a very strong team and an exciting team. You've a lot of experience in the pack and you're going to need that against a side like New Zealand.
"Then you have a lot of talent and a lot of speed in the backline. It's a very good balance. I would say this is a very exciting Irish side."
Ireland: Robert Kearney; Shane Horgan, Brian O'Driscoll (c), Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe; Ronan O'Gara, Eoin Reddan; Marcus Horan, Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Donncha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, David Wallace, Denis Leamy, Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Rory Best, Tony Buckley, Mick O'Driscoll, Shane Jennings, Peter Stringer, Paddy Wallace, Girvan Dempsey.
