Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll is used to being the centre of attention © Getty Images

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Head to Head: Gatland's Wales return to Croke Park

Matches: Ireland 27 - 12 Wales

Players/Officials: Declan Kidney | Warren Gatland | Brian O'Driscoll | Martyn Williams | Shane Williams

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: Ireland | Wales

The battle for Six Nations glory resumes on Saturday with Ireland and Wales set to renew hostilities at Croke Park in Dublin.

Fresh from ending England's Grand Slam hopes a fortnight ago, Ireland enter the clash hoping to secure the second leg of a Triple Crown that would also ensure the Championship goes down to the wire while Wales, although mathematically still in the title hunt, take on the more realistic role of potential spoilers having suffered defeats to England and France either side of a dramatic victory over Scotland.

These celtic rivals have produced some thrilling encounters in recent years - including Ireland's last-gasp success in Cardiff last year to clinch the Grand Slam and Wales' battling victory in Dublin the previous year on their way to their own clean sweep - and their latest meeting is shaping up as another mouth-watering affair.

A well-regimented defence and a clinical attacking edge have served Ireland well so far with only the breath-taking broken field running of France proving their undoing. In contrast, Wales have only managed to produce brief glimpses of their best during a rollercoaster ride of a season where they have seemed intent on handing their opponents a crucial advantage on the scoreboard before sparking into life. But when they have remembered how to play they have displayed the same dangerous and unpredictable element that the French used so clinically to end Ireland's dreams of back-to-back Grand Slams in Paris.

The match, the penultimate fixture at the impressive Croke Park stadium before the opening of the Aviva Stadium later this year, takes on extra significance for one Irishman in particular - captain Brian O'Driscoll - who wins his 100th Ireland cap. The talismanic centre joined the elite group of Test centurions last November thanks to his exploits for the British & Irish Lions but will reach that magic mark for Ireland on Saturday.

O'Driscoll, who as well as being his country's most-capped player is also their all-time leading try-scorer, has played down the significance of his latest milestone by insisting it is 'business as usual' and if that is the case then Wales have reason to worry with the 31-year-old as willing as ever to put his body on the line for his country's cause.

Wales' own hopes may also ride on their own indomitable veteran - Shane Williams. The 33-year-old wing wizard is another seemingly able to defy the passing of time with his 50th Test try in Wales colours coming in typical fashion against France last time out. That score also saw him eclipse the Welsh Championship record previously held by the legendary Gareth Edwards and in that kind of form you would not bet against him adding to that tally on Saturday.

Williams is not the only Welsh stalwart re-writing the record books with his namesake Martyn set for his latest milestone in Dublin. Handed the captaincy in the absence of Ryan Jones who continues to struggle with a calf injury, Williams will collect his 95th cap - a new record for a Wales forward - but he will no doubt be more concerned with getting his side's season back on track.

While injuries have done their best wreck Wales' Championship challenge, Ireland coach Declan Kidney has been spoiled for choice. Jonathan Sexton once again holds off the challenge of Ronan O'Gara in the latest indication that the 24-year-old has been chosen as the fly-half to steer the Irish into Rugby World Cup 2011. But Kidney is not all about the next generation with Geordan Murphy retained at fullback despite Rob Kearney's return to fitness with the British & Irish Lion having to make do with a place on the bench.

Wingers Tommy Bowe and Keith Earls were the beneficiaries of a clinical Irish display at Twickenham but it was No.8 Jamie Heaslip who clinched the Man of the Match honour and the influence of the increasingly assured 26-year-old will again go some way to deciding their fortunes.

The significant loss of Jones has paved the way for Gareth Delve's return to the international stage after almost two years away and he will pack down at No.8 alongside his captain and Jonathan Thomas. There are also starts for lock Luke Charteris, who replaces injured Blues second-row Deiniol Jones, and Scarlets hooker Matthew Rees who comes in for Huw Bennett.

A slow start from the Welsh in Dublin is sure to be punished by an Irish side wary of the fighting spirit that the visitors have shown in recent weeks. But an attempt to force the issue early on could be just as costly for Wales as they found to their cost against France. Ireland appear to hold the aces at the lineout and scrum time but Wales will pose a significant threat with ball in hand and will ask more questions in attack than England managed at Twickenham. However, that is dependent on Wales delivering an 80-minute performance and the likes of centres Jamie Roberts and James Hook rising to the occasion.

Ireland were dragged into a scrap on their last appearance at home against Italy, in a performance that doesn't look so poor thanks to the Azzurri's subsequent performances. They are a much-improved side now, having shaken off the early season rust, but will still be keen to remind the Croke Park faithful of what they can do. The game has the makings of a free-scoring classic but rarely does a match live up to such a billing. Ireland's form over Wales' infrequent flair? A close contest on paper will demand cool, clear heads in the heat of battle and there is none cooler than O'Driscoll.

Wales: L Byrne (Ospreys); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Hook (Ospreys) J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), S Williams (Ospreys); S Jones (Scarlets), R Rees (Cardiff Blues); P James (Ospreys), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jones (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), L Charteris (Newport Gwent Dragons), J Thomas (Ospreys), M Williams (Cardiff Blues, capt), G Delve (Gloucester)

Replacements: H Bennett (Ospreys), R Gill (Saracens), I Gough (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), D Peel (Sale), A Bishop (Ospreys), T Shanklin (Cardiff Blues)

Ireland: G Murphy (Leicester); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D'Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster); J Sexton (Leinster), T O'Leary (Munster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), J Hayes (Munster), D O'Callaghan (Munster), P O'Connell (Munster), S Ferris (Ulster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster)

Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Buckley (Munster), L Cullen (Leinster), S Jennings (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), R O'Gara (Munster), R Kearney (Leinster)

Referee: Craig Joubert (SA)

Assistant referees: Dave Pearson (Eng), Peter Allan (Sco)
Television Match Official: Jim Yuille (Sco)