Matt Banahan has had his first taste of life with England's senior squad – and wants to take another step toward full international honours in Dublin tonight, writes Steve Cotton.

The 22-year-old Bath winger, who has scored four tries in his last five club outings, spent last week training with the Elite Player Squad in Portugal.

And he will start for the second-string Saxons against an experienced Ireland A side at Donnybrook tonight (7.35pm), hoping to catch the eye of the senior selectors.

"Training with the full squad in Portugal was a great experience," said Banahan.

"You are always going to learn from training and playing alongside players who are at the top of their game, but it was also a lot of fun.

"It was a good chance for me to show what I can do – and that will be the case again when we go to Dublin.

"The main goal for me, like anyone, is to be involved with the senior squad. You want to play at the height of the game for as long as you can.

"I am with the Saxons at the moment and I am really enjoying that – and I know I have got to wait for my opportunity before I can take the next step up."

And Banahan sees tonight's match as the ideal opportunity to stake a claim for a Test debut during the Six Nations campaign.

"Both teams have picked a lot of experienced and talented players. It should be a great game," he said.

"And Donnybrook is going to be packed. Ireland are at home to France in Dublin on Saturday, so we are expecting a vocal crowd there on Friday.

"I expect it will be similar to going to Toulouse with Bath earlier in the season, although possibly even worse. We all know how passionate the Celtic nations are and there should be a great atmosphere.

"But for me and for us as a team, it's another opportunity to show people in another country what we can do. It's really exciting."

Banahan is joined in the Saxons starting line-up by club-mate Nick Abendanon, England's man of the match in last week's 66-0 hammering of Portugal at Edgeley Park. Another Bath man, lock Stuart Hooper, is named on the bench.

Ireland A: G Duffy (Connacht); A Trimble (Ulster), D Cave (Ulster), K Matthews (Connacht), M McCrea (Ulster); J Sexton (Leinster), E Reddan (Wasps); C Healy (Leinster), S Cronin (Connacht), M Ross (Harlequins), B Casey (London Irish, capt), R Caldwell (Ulster), N Best (Northampton), S Jennings (Leinster), J Muldoon (Connacht). Reps: J Fogarty (Leinster), J Andress (Exeter), D Ryan (Munster), S O'Brien (Leinster), I Boss (Ulster), I Humphreys (Ulster), B Murphy (Munster).

England Saxons: N Abendanon (Bath); T Ojo (London Irish), D Waldouck (Wasps), J Turner-Hall (Harlequins), M Banahan (Bath); D Cipriani (Wasps), P Hodgson (London Irish); M Mullan (Worcester), D Paice (London Irish), D Wilson (Newcastle), J Crane (Leicester), G Skivington (Wasps, capt), C Robshaw (Harlequins), W Skinner (Harlequins), T Guest (Harlequins). Reps: R Webber (Wasps), D Cole (Leicester), S Hooper (Bath), P Dowson (Newcastle), J Simpson (Wasps), S Myler (Northampton), D Strettle (Harlequins).