O'Driscoll/Gregan lead Aid stars

Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll will lead the Northern Hemisphere team in the IRB Rugby Aid match at Twickenham.

O'Driscoll heads a star-studded cast for the contest to raise funds for the tsunami appeal. The South will be led by George Gregan, one of four Wallabies, alongside five Springboks and four All Blacks including captain Tana Umaga. South African flanker Schalk Burger has shaken off a leg injury to take his place in the starting line-up. He will join fellow Springboks John Smit, Cobus Visagie and Victor Matfield in the South pack, with Jacque Fourie among the centres. The North side have been hit by the withdrawals of Scotland duo Gordon Bulloch and Chris Cusiter, plus France captain Fabien Pelous.

But Leicester's England centre Ollie Smith has been added to the squad, giving him an opportunity to impress Lions coach Sir Clive Woodward, who takes charge of the North side. "I think it's fantastic for Ollie," Tigers coach John Wells told BBC Radio Leicester. "He was probably going to have the weekend off this week and I hope Clive gets the chance to see the qualities that Leicester and England have been seeing all year." Woodward will also assess other potential Lions candidates such as Scotland pair Simon Taylor and Chris Paterson, Wales scrum-half Dwayne Peel and Ireland lock Paul O'Connell. "I'm looking forward to working with such outstanding players," Woodward said. "Both teams are fielding top-quality sides and I really hope that the rugby public and community get behind this game to raise as much money as possible for such a deserving cause." Despite the withdrawal of Wales wing Rhys Williams, who is required for the Blues' Celtic League match with Munster, three other members of their Six Nations squad - Ceri Sweeney, John Yapp and Jonathan Thomas - will also play. "Not only it is for a good cause but it gives these players the opportunity to play with and against some of the best players in the world," said WRU general manager Steve Lewis. Supporters can watch the teams train for free at Twickenham on Friday, 4 March. Woodward will put his North team through their paces at 1030 GMT, with the South side, coached by former Wallabies coach Rod Macqueen, due at the stadium at 1330.

C Paterson (Scotland), B Cohen (England), B O'Driscoll (Ireland, capt), D Traille (France), O Smith (England), C Sweeney (Wales), D Humphreys (Ireland), D Peel (Wales); A Lo Cicero (Italy), P de Villiers (France), J Yapp (Wales), R Ibanez (France), P O'Connell (Ireland), M Bortolami (Italy), J Thomas (Wales), S Taylor (Scotland), L Dallaglio (England), S Parisse (Italy), Others to be added.

C Latham (Australia); B Lima (Samoa), J Fourie (SA) T Umaga (New Zealand), S Bobo (Fiji); A Mehrtens (NZ) G Gregan (Aus, capt); C Hoeft (NZ), J Smit (SA), C Visagie (SA), S Maling (NZ), V Matfield (SA), S Burger (SA), P Waugh (Aus), T Kefu (Aus).

E Taukafa (Tonga), E Guinazu (Argentina), S Sititi (Samoa), O Palepoi (Samoa), M Rauluni (Fiji), T Delport (SA), A N Other.
