Preview: Ireland v Fiji

Watch Saturday's Guinness Series clash between Ireland and Fiji at the RDS live on RTÉ Two and RTÉ.ie (IoI) at 5pm. The show starts at 2pm and includes live coverage of Wales v Argentina. Listen live on RTÉ Radio 1.

Jonathan Sexton's promotion to the starting XV makes this the first outing for a potential new model Ireland, writes RTÉ Sport's Brendan Cole.

Ireland are expected to contain the threat of Fiji, but from an Irish perspective this match is all about the future. The most interesting subplot is at out-half. Can Jonathan Sexton show enough at out-half to convince the Ireland brains trust that he is genuinely the man for the future?

Incumbent Ronan O'Gara - who ought to have been fairly pleased with a solid all-round display against Australia - will be among the more interested observers.

It is not O'Gara's form that will ultimately decide this selection tussle. It is all about whether Sexton can show the same combination of solidity, secure game management and personal attacking threat that he has delivered for Leinster in the past six months.

O'Gara, for all his virtues, does not pose a significant running threat. Sexton's potential to add size, strength and speed to the defensive line could also prove difficult to ignore for Kidney.

However, Test level is a step up in class for Sexton and donning the Ireland number 10 jersey for the first time poses a test of nerve and self-belief.

O'Gara lacks neither, and against Fiji, Sexton must prove he has those same qualities.

The St Mary's man will have the support of a large Leinster contingent around him in the backline. Directly on either side, Eoin Reddan at scrum-half and Gordon D'Arcy at inside centre in particular will hope the combination clicks.

A hint of extra space for Brian O'Driscoll at 13 would also confirm the Leinster pivot as a genuine contender, while Shane Horgan - with the highly unfortunate Luke Fitzgerald sidelined for a lengthy period - gets a deserved chance to show he can still do it at the highest level.

In the pack, a quick response to the breakdown debacle that unfolded underneath the surface against Australia would be desirable. Leo Cullen - often to the fore in Leinster's rucking - gets a chance to show he can get over the ball for the national side.

The back-row trio of Stephen Ferris, Denis Leamy and Jamie Heaslip must also try to do more. With a smaller, more energetic deck performer on the bench, the all-conquering Grand Slam foursome - including David Wallace - may start to wonder if Declan Kidney will consider shaking up the back-row mix in light of the new breakdown rules.

The compact and pacy Sean O'Brien's inclusion on the bench is a hint that Kidney may be looking for a Heinrich Brussow-type character of his own to supplement the power runners.

Aside from that, Kidney has opted to give several of his frontliners game-time in a number of cases. Rustiness was apparent against Australia and core players such as Jerry Flannery, John Hayes, Paul O'Connell, and the back-rowers are being given the chance to get it out of their system. Tom Court comes in for Cian Healy, who had his first cap last week, while Cullen can consider his selection a genuine nod to his claim for inclusion against bigger fish.

With the top class Aqapusi Qera at openside for Fiji, the potential for Ireland to be outplayed at the odd ruck is there and it is an area the coaches will be keeping an eye on with a view to the Springboks' massive capacity in that area.

Aside from that, the RDS crowd can hope for the usual champagne rugby from Fiji - sometimes cliches are 100% true - with Nicky Little and Moses Rauluni providing a guiding hand from 9 and 10.

But Ireland should have the set-piece platform, kicking game and attacking variety to prove more than a match for them, and the defence, with Sexton's speed a key addition, should also prove near watertight.

That said, the Irish mentality is unsuited to the clinical efficiency of the All Blacks or South Africans - neither of whom ever ease up - and that can make them prone to being drawn into dogfights even when they are the superior team.

Avoiding that scenario will be a test of Sexton's control.