Ireland A coach Michael Bradley has upped the ante ahead of tomorrow's Churchill Cup clash with New Zealand Maori by revealing a number of the players in his side are in the mix for World Cup selection.
Bradley has been in regular contact with Ireland head coach Eddie O'Sullivan, who is on tour with the senior team in Argentina, to give updates on his squad's progress.
O'Sullivan is considering a small group of the A team for the handful of places still available in his World Cup party, but Bradley insists they must deliver over the next two games to remain in contention.
'Eddie O'Sullivan is in daily contact with us during the Churchill Cup. We're giving him updates on the players and how they progress,' he said.
'There are probably four or five of these lads who have a chance of making it to the World Cup - they're already on Eddie's radar.
'Of course, much depends on their performances over the next couple of games.
'If they perform well against the Maori and then on finals day, they will have done their chances a world of good.
'And of course there may be some players in Argentina who don't perform well and they could fall out of favour.
'There are options available to Eddie and the Churchill Cup is great in that respect because it gives these guys an opportunity to prove themselves.'
With both teams making light work of Canada in their pool openers, tomorrow's showdown in Exeter has become a straight shootout for a place in the cup final at Twickenham on Saturday.
Bradley has reshuffled the Irish back division.
With fly-half Jeremy Staunton called into the senior squad as cover for the injured Paddy Wallace, Leinster's Johnny Sexton switches from full-back to fly-half.
The knock-on effect sees Ross McCarron start in the 15 jersey while Keith Earls moves from the left wing to replace Seamus Mallon at inside centre.
Leicester's Johnny Murphy comes in on the wing and fellow Tiger Frank Murphy starts at scrum-half after playing in the Heineken Cup final last weekend.
Bradley has made one change in the pack, with blind-side flanker Stephen Keogh making way for Munster's John O'Sullivan.
IRELAND team to play New Zealand Maori at Exeter, Tuesday, 8pm:
R McCarron (Leinster); P McKenzie (Ulster), D Cave (Ulster), K Earls (Munster), J Murphy (Leicester); J Sexton (Leinster), F Murphy (Leicester); R Hogan (Connacht), J Fogarty (Connacht, captain), M Ross (Harlequins), R Caldwell (Ulster), A Farley (Connacht), J O'Sullivan (Munster), J O'Connor (Wasps), R Wilson (Ulster).
Replacements: S Cronin (Munster), D Fitzpatrick (Ulster), D Gannon (Connacht), S Keogh (Leinster), C Keane (Connacht), S Mallon (Northampton), J Hearty (Connacht).
