On May 25th 1987, Ireland set foot on the turf of the Athletic Park Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand to play in their first ever Rugby World Cup match.
The opposition that day was Wales who would defeat Ireland 13-6 on the way to beating us to top place in the group. Ireland would go on to reach that year's quarter-finals, losing to Australia 33-15 in Sydney.
But what became of the Irish players who appeared in that debut World Cup match against the Welsh?
Well, we've been finding out...
Hugo MacNeill
A winner of 40 test caps (37 for Ireland and three for the Lions), the 57-year-old scored three tries against Canada and Tonga as Ireland made it out of their pool in '87, while he also crossed the white line in the quarter-final defeat to the Australians.
The former full-back, who played his final test match for Ireland in 1988 against England at Landsdowne Road, is now involved with Ireland's bid to host the 2023 World Cup and recently spoke to Newstalk's Oisin Langan about that role. He is also a managing director at Goldman Sachs.
Trevor Ringland
The former Ulster, Ireland and Lions wing has been involved in politics. A former member of the Ulster Unionists, he left the party in 2010 shortly after the then leader of the party Tom Elliott responded that he was not prepared to attend an All-Ireland football final even if an Ulster team were involved, when Ringland urged him to make such a gesture.
Ringland became a vice-chairman of the Northern Irish Conservative Party in 2012.
Bernard Mullin
A winner of 56 caps and scorer of 17 tries, the 52-year-old former centre also went on to appear at the World Cups of 1991 and 1995. He scored a hat-trick of tries in the '87 pool game against Tonga. His post-rugby career took the financial services route.
Michael Kiernan
The Cork-born centre played until 1991 and scored two penalties in Ireland's first ever World Cup match.
Another player who represented the Lions, he scored over 300 points for Ireland during his career, including the late drop goal against England which sealed the 1985 triple crown.
Keith Crossan
Born in Belfast, he played in the 1991 World Cup as well as 1987. The Istonians coach and former winger was inducted into the Belfast Sporting Hall of Fame earlier this year, and is another who has been involved in financial services, namely with the Northern wing of Bank of Ireland.
Paul Dean
The former fly-half, who is now 55, won over 30 caps and is now a Sportswear Industry Consultant. He also toured Australia with the Lions in 1989.
Michael Bradley
The former Ireland captain started at scrum-half against the Welsh in 1987. He was among the try-scorers in the 46-19 win over Canada.
The 52-year-old Cork man has stayed in the game, serving in coaching capacities. He was head coach at Connacht from 2003 to 2010, followed by a two-year spell with Edinburgh.
He has been part of the Georgian national team backroom coaching staff since 2013 and will be involved at the World Cup, where the nation has been placed in New Zealand and Argentina's pool.
Philip Orr
A loosehead prop and Old Wesley legend, the 65-year-old was Ireland's most-capped prop for many years with his 58 caps. He retired after the 1987 World Cup and served as Ireland U20 team manager until 2009.
Terry Kingston
The Cork-born hooker played on for Ireland until 1996 and has worked as a business development manager and sales director since retiring from the game.
One of his claims to fame is being part of a Munster side which defeated Australia in 1992.
Desmond Fitzgerald
The 57-year-old is the father of current Ireland international Luke Fitzgerald and appeared at two World Cups as a prop. He has since coached at club and schools level.
©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Donal Lenihan
The captain of the side in 1987 is a familiar face on our TV screens as a rugby pundit. He also works as a financial consultant, while the Cork man also served as an Ireland manager until 2000.
Willie Anderson
The former second-row has been busy coaching at schools level in recent years but also served as an assistant to Matt Williams at Leinster and for the Scotland national team.
Philip Matthews
A Lions cap and another who was still on the scene for the 1991 World Cup, Matthews was appointed President of the National College of Ireland in 2010.
The 55-year-old played as a flanker until his international retirement in 1992.
Brian Spillane
Ireland's No 8 in '87, he scored a try in the win over Canada and was one of those who took on the Ice Bucket Challenge last year in a fairly unique style:
Derek McGrath
The other flanker in the starting side against Wales, McGrath is a qualified veterinary surgeon, although his job titles have tended to remain in rugby.
He was a chief executive officer of the European Rugby Cup which ran the Heineken Cup until 2014 when he joined the European Professional Club Rugby body, which replaced it.
McGrath studied veterinary at UCD and worked as a vet during parts of his career, before taking up a position with the Department of Agriculture.
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