Ireland begin their 2017 summer tour with a brief stop in the United States, ahead of the trip to Japan. The latter two tests of this tour will be a teaser of both the hospitality and hostility on offer at the 2019 World Cup, but first, Ireland return to the land of last year's famous victory against New Zealand.
The opponents this time around are the far less terrifying prospect of the US Eagles, and it's held in New York rather than Chicago.
If you do want to get a glimpse at some of the Irish stars of the future in the absence of our eleven Lions, then read if you are asking where to watch Ireland vs USA?
Where to watch Ireland vs USA?
The game is live on exclusive on Eir Sport 2, Sky channel 424 this Saturday.
What time is kick-off?
It all begins at 10pm, or 5pm local time.
What time does coverage begin?
Proceedings get underway on Eir Sport 2 at 9.30pm.
What is the Irish team likely to look like?
Shorn of our eleven Lions, Joe Schmidt has named a relatively inexperienced side.
Jacob Stockdale of Ulster makes his debut on the wing, with Dave Heffernan, James Ryan, Rory Scannell, and Andrew Porter in line for debuts off the bench.
Elsewhere, Rhys Ruddock captains the side from the back-row, where he is joined by Josh Van Der Flier and Jack Conan. Quinn Roux and Devin Toner are in the engine room, and they will scrum down with John Ryan, Niall Scannell, and Cian Healy ahead of them.
Joey Carbery and Kieron Marmion are the half-backs, Garry Ringrose and Luke Marshall are the centres, with Keith Earls and Tiernan O'Halloran completing the back three.
Simon Zebo, Dan Leavy, Dave Kilcoyne, and Luke McGrath are the experienced players on the bench.
Here's the Irish side, courtesy of the IRFU's Graphics Department:
Here's the Ireland team to play @USARugby on Saturday #TeamOfUs pic.twitter.com/dXXZ0gjFIo
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) June 8, 2017
Are the US in good form?
They have won four of their last five matches: the outlier being a 27-27 draw against an Argentine XV, securing the second Americas Rugby Championship having racked up 22 points. They haven't been beaten since November last year, when they were edged out by three points against Tonga.
Their coach John Mitchell is leaving in a few weeks to charge of Super Rugby side the Bulls, but before he leaves, they face a crucial couple of World Cup qualifiers against Canada.
There will be one familiar name in the American ranks: former Connacht out-half AJ MacGinty, who slipped through the Irish net despite his graduating from Blackrock College.
So a reminder on where to watch Ireland vs USA: it's on Eir Sport 2 from 9.30pm on Saturday night. Keep an eye on Balls.ie, we will be right across the best of the action and reaction.
