Chris Henry on the charge for Ulster © Getty Images

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News: Gaskell to captain Saxons against Wolfhounds

Players/Officials: Chris Henry

Teams: Ireland | Ulster

Ulster's Chris Henry has been handed the Ireland Wolfhounds skipper's armband for their match against the England Saxons at Sandy Park on Saturday.

The squad includes nine uncapped players with Munster flyer Simon Zebo handed a start after his hat-trick heroics against the Northampton Saints last weekend. He is partnered on the wing by David Kearney with Eoin O'Mallay lining up with Nevin Spencer in the centres. The other uncapped players in the starting XV are Brett Wilkinson at loose-head and Stephen Archer at tight-head.

And Wolfhounds coach Eric Elwood is relishing the chance to see his side test their strength against the Saxons. Elwood said: "The games against the Saxons are always highly competitive affairs as you would expect and results have tended to go with the home side, but I think we have a good mix in our side and the key message is that we have to match them on all fronts, especially in the physical stakes, to come away with a win.

"Eoin [O'Malley] and Nevin have done well over the last couple of days as a pairing and I am looking forward to see how both Simon [Zebo] and David Kearney travel on the wings after a good couple of weeks for them with their provinces.

"We have a touch more experience in our pack, which I think will be important for this game and good spine through it with Dan Touhy and Mike McCarthy giving us some really good ability across the set piece and in the carrying stakes to compliment a back row that I think can make a good impression."

Ireland Wolfhounds squad: Gavin Duffy (Connacht), David Kearney (Leinster), Eoin O'Malley (Leinster), Nevin Spence (Ulster), Simon Zebo (Munster), Ian Keatley (Munster), Isaac Boss (Leinster); Brett Wilkinson (Connacht), Damien Varley (Munster), Stephen Archer (Munster), Dan Tuohy (Ulster), Mike McCarthy (Connacht), John Muldoon (Connacht), Chris Henry (Ulster), Rhys Ruddock (Leinster)

Replacements: Mike Sherry (Munster), Ronan Loughney (Connacht), Devin Toner (Leinster), Kevin McLaughlin (Leinster), Tomas O'Leary (Munster), Ian Madigan (Leinster), Denis Hurley (Munster)