Interim Ireland coach Michael Bradley has named a 37-man squad for the Tests in New Zealand and Australia next month.

The over-size squad consists of 22 forwards and 15 backs for the Tests on June 7 in Wellington and in Melbourne a week later.

Ireland also face the Barbarians on May 27 and the squad will be trimmed to 30 when the Munster players have returned from their Heineken Cup final with Toulouse three days earlier.

Bradley is standing in for newly-appointed coach Declan Kidney, who misses the tour to allow him to focus on Munster's Heineken Cup final with Toulouse before taking up the Ireland reins.

"New Zealand is a undoubtedly one of the most challenging places to tour and to win Test matches and that is quickly followed up with a game against an Australian side that will have the fresh input of a new coach and are always among the top sides in the world," said Bradley.

"We are traveling on the tour with a strong squad conscious of the fact that IRB world ranking points are available and that is what we are playing for."

Brian O'Driscoll (pictured) skippers the side but he will be without his first choice centre partner Gordon D'Arcy, who requires surgery after complications with a broken arm.

Also unavailable for selection were back Andrew Trimble and lock Leo Cullen, out with a leg and shoulder injuries respectively.

Ireland squad

Forwards: Neil Best (Ulster), Rory Best (Ulster), Tony Buckley (Munster), Tom Court (Ulster), Bob Casey (London Irish, Ryan Caldwell (Ulster). Stephen Ferris (Ulster), Jerry Flannery (Munster), John Hayes (Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster), Marcus Horan (Munster), Bernard Jackman (Leinster), Shane Jennings (Leinster), Denis Leamy (Munster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster), Paul O'Connell (Munster), Mick O'Driscoll (Munster), Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster) , Alan Quinlan (Munster), Mike Ross (Harlequins), David Wallace (Munster), Bryan Young (Ulster).

Backs: Tommy Bowe (Ulster), Isaac Boss (Ulster), Ian Dowling (Munster), Girvan Dempsey (Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Connacht), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster), Shane Horgan (Leinster), Robert Kearney (Leinster), Geordan Murphy (Leicester), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Eoin Reddan (Wasps), Jonathon Sexton (Leinster), Peter Stringer (Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ulster).

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport