© Stu Forster/Getty Images

With Monday's deadline for final squad announcements looming large, Saturday's clash at the Aviva Stadium represents the last opportunity for Warren Gatland and Joe Schmidt to see their respective Welsh and Irish charges in action. And while the two coaches were happy to experiment in Cardiff earlier this month - when Ireland breezed to an easy victory - both men have opted for something closer to their strongest XVs in Dublin.

Team news

The headline news is that George North will earn his 50th Wales cap as he makes his return to competitive action after suffering three concussions in five months. The giant Welsh wing has not played since March, so will be eager to prove he has put the head injuries behind him and can once again strike fear into the hearts of defences worldwide. He takes his place in a Wales line-up led by lock Alun Wyn Jones, who will be tasked with adding some steel to a pack that looked caught in the headlights in Cardiff a fortnight ago.

For the hosts, it's a fairly familiar line-up. Paul O'Connell returns to the side as skipper in what will be his final Test on home soil and is joined in the second row by Ulster's Iain Henderson. Nathan White is handed his first start at tight-head after coming off the bench to earn his debut against Scotland a fortnight ago. Jonny Sexton and Conor Murray are reunited in the half-backs, while wing Dave Kearney is set to make his first appearance since the 2014 Six Nations victory over France.

Key head-to-head

After Wales' capitulation up front in the defeat at the Millennium Stadium, the battle between the two packs will be crucial on Saturday. Wales' big men failed to provide any sort of platform for half-back partnership Mike Phillips and James Hook earlier this month, but Rhys Webb and Dan Biggar will be shielded by a higher calibre forward line in Dublin. Anchoring both packs are the skippers - O'Connell for Ireland, Jones for Wales - and the clash between those two old oaks is likely to be one to savour.

Key stats

*Ireland's victory in Cardiff earlier this month saw them nudge ahead in terms of Tests between the two countries since the last World Cup. Ireland have won three to Wales' two.

*Saturday will see Paul O'Connell make his 14th start against Wales, with the lock looking to add to his seven victories over his European rivals.

*Prop Mike Ross' stint as the only ever-present in Joe Schmidt's 20-game Ireland tenure comes to an end as Nathan White starts and Tadhg Furlong is named on the bench.

Odds

Beyond the warm-ups, Wales have moved out to 20/1 to win the World Cup with UniBet. Ireland are shorter at 9/1 with the same firm.

Weather

It looks set to be a fairly underwhelming day weather-wise, with light cloud and temperatures of 18 degrees expected in Dublin.

Prediction

The result in Cardiff is unlikely to prove much of a marker for what will happen at the Aviva on Saturday, given that both sides have made such wholesale changes. However, Ireland at home are an impressive machine, and they should have enough to win by seven.