AUTUMN INTERNATIONALS/IRELAND v FIJI:OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS for the eight players called into the Irish team to face Fiji this Saturday, as it may well for the other three called into the squad in a much-changed line-up from the one which drew with Australia last Sunday.

For one of them, Keith Earls, it will be a slightly surreal experience as he lines up alongside an otherwise all-Leinster backline at the RDS. He'll probably feel he should be wearing blue.

But such familiarity with his surrounds and his team-mates may prove beneficial to the sole debutant in the starting line-up, Jonathan Sexton. Then again, against such unreconstructed and underrated opponents, and in such a ground, which is staging a Test for the first time, it might be arguably trickier to make an impression.

Remarkably, Sexton will become the first Leinster outhalf to play for Ireland since Alan McGowan against the US Eagles at Lansdowne Road in November, 1994.

"Jonathan has been in with us since the start of last year's Six Nations, so he's well aware of what we've been doing and he's been making great strides for the last few months," said Kidney. "This is another step forward for him and hopefully he'll enjoy the experience."

Aside from there being only one debutant, the other two called into the three-quarter line, Gordon D'Arcy and Shane Horgan, are, like Earls, British and Irish Lions. Eoin Reddan, Denis Leamy, Leo Cullen and - with Cian Healy having taken a bang to the shoulder which should clear up inside six days - Tom Court also return to the side.

Between them, Horgan, D'Arcy, Reddan, Cullen and Leamy have 182 caps. But for some it's a return from the wilderness of sorts. Horgan, who last started a Test in June '08 against Australia, thus makes his first start under Kidney. Reddan returns for his first start since Kidney's first match against Canada just over a year ago, while Cullen won the last of his 19 caps in the pre-World Cup tour to Argentina in June '07.

There could be another couple of debutants off the bench in SeáCronin and Seán O'Brien. And along with the latter, the fit-again Tony Buckley and Andrew Trimble have been called up to the squad. Trimble won the last of his 24 caps at centre in Eddie O'Sullivan's final game, the defeat to England in March last year.

All in all, not only is it a strong, experienced side with in-form players, it also gives management a chance to build a true squad.

"We've been talking about building a squad and that's always going to cause more debate in and around selection," said Kidney, adding: "When competition for places warms up you have to show belief in your players and I think that's what we've done here with the players we've selected."

David Wallace, Ronan O'Gara, Tommy Bowe, Donncha O'Callaghan, Tomás O'Leary and Paddy Wallace are rested, though the latter three are on the bench. While some of them would have seen this coming, one imagines Kidney was plenty busy with one-on-one conversations. Unsurprisingly, Kidney and co took the view that Jerry Flannery and John Hayes needed more game-time under their belts.

In further reflecting on the draw with Australia and looking ahead to the Fijian game, Kidney said: "Obviously our breakdown work will need to come on a bit; we got turned over there a number of times." In the region of 11 times in contact, all told.

"What we want to try and do is get a balance between playing and structure," he added. "We did lose the field position battle, but I wouldn't have anything bad to say about that either because we lost it trying things, and unless you try things we won't grow."

Brian O'Driscoll and his kindred spirits in the backs would agree, and the captain cited the experience throughout the team.

"Declan gives us the guidance but, like he says, we're the ones that take to the pitch and have to play a style that we're comfortable with at the same time, and if it feels as though it's on, well, you have to take those opportunities, and that's definitely the mindset throughout the whole squad. It's kind of heads-up rugby, it's playing what you see in front of you and ad-libbing at times."

O'Driscoll admitted a degree of structured rugby would have to be applied against such a dangerous counter-attacking team. Kidney pointed to Mike Brewer's insider knowledge, how the Fijians will benefit from the game against Scotland and another week together, and to two of the three Tongan tries coming off turnovers as a warning, particularly given the Fijians' offloading and running in broken play.

"We had to pick fellas as well that are really hungry for the game, because there's going to be 50-50 balls won on Saturday and you're going to need guys with a real hunger to go after them. In Saturday's game he who wins the 50-50 ball is going to come out on top," said Kidney.

And he reminded us Fiji reached the last World Cup quarter-finals, which is more than Ireland managed.