Rugby: With the exception of Paul O'Connell, who will be given until Friday to prove his fitness ahead of Ireland's forthcoming trip to New Zealand, Declan Kidney has finalised his squad for the test series against the world champions.

Mike McCarthy will travel to the land of the long white cloud with the rest of the panel on Thursday to provide cover should O’Connell be ruled out. O’Connell, who captained Ireland during this season’s Six Nations after Brian O’Driscoll underwent shoulder surgery, is continuing his rehabilitation from a knee injury.

While the squad will fly to Auckland on Thursday, no verdict on O’Connell will be made until Friday and whether or not he can head out to join his colleagues.

The uncapped duo of Chris Henry and Brett Wilkinson both came through last night’s warm-up against the Barbarians unscathed after injury scares and are fit to tour while scrumhalf Paul Marshall and prop Ronan Loughney will also be hoping to make their first appearances for Ireland on the tour.

Ireland take on the All Blacks in Auckland, Christchurch and Hamilton on June 9th, 16th and 23rd.

Ireland squad: Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster), Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Declan Fitzpatrick (Dungannon /Ulster), Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster), Jamie Heaslip (Naas/Leinster), Chris Henry (Ballymena/Ulster), Ronan Loughney (Galwegians/Connacht), Kevin McLaughlin (St.Mary's College/Leinster), Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht), Sean O'Brien (Clontarf/Leinster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster), Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster), Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster), Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster), Dan Tuohy (Ballymena /Ulster), Brett Wilkinson (Galwegians/Connacht); Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Gordon D'Arcy (Lansdowne/Leinster), Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster), Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster), Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster), Brian O'Driscoll (UCD/Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster), Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster), Jonathan Sexton (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster).