Once more into the breach then. Last Sunday's win over Samoa having been treated as merely a diversion, the Irish management duly reverted to the starting line-up which conquered England for Saturday's meeting with New Zealand. If it's good enough to beat the all whites, then it deserves a tilt at the All Blacks.

This was both understandable and predictable. After all, if you can't hold your place after beating England, somebody really doesn't like you. "The team probably reflects the performance against England," admitted Warren Gatland.

"We made a number of changes (against Samoa) and at the end of last Sunday's game we only had three of the team that started against England, so that was pleasing. A number of players came through."

Gatland said that Ronan O'Gara, especially, played well against the Samoans. "We were very happy with the way he played. It's a nice position to be in, to have two outhalves, particularly, in real form. We were also pleased with Kieron Dawson, who we thought had a really good game and worked really hard as well. But again, I think the team has been selected for the way we played against England.

Another to press his claims had been Geordan Murphy. "He looked sharp and played very well. He definitely was close," conceded Gatland.

However, an additional factor, aside from loyalty to the chosen XV against England, was "Shane's (Horgan) defensive qualities" the Ireland coach admitted. Not only is he physically more of a match for the gargantuan All Black Jonah Lomu, but Horgan also has some form against the winger, dating back to when Ireland met the Barbarians in Lansdowne Road in May of last year.

"He played very well against Lomu and restricted him well. He's big, he's physical and that was a consideration in the selection there."

There are, invariably, injury concerns amid the freakishly intense early-season itinerary of late, this being a fifth international in a nine-week period in addition to four European Cup weekends.

Amid a constantly changing casualty list, it transpired Eric Miller missed the closed morning session in Greystones while David Wallace and Anthony Foley took only a limited part, while a fresh doubt has emerged over Brian O'Driscoll.

"We've a slight injury problem over Brian, who retired after about half an hour with a knock on the knee which we hope is not too bad," said Irish manager Brian O'Brien, confirming this was unrelated to the knee injury which has troubled the Irish centre lately.

"So we're not out of the woods totally yet with regard to injury," added the Irish manager, although a silver lining was provided by David Humphreys taking a full part in proceedings yesterday.

Admitting that to all intents and purposes Ireland are effectively selecting from three provinces, Gatland admitted "our resources are quite stretched at the moment".

Today will be another light day, effectively making tomorrow the second of only two full-scale run-outs this week in the hope that the team will be "fresh and sharp" on Saturday.

Four of the side survive from the 63-15 thrashing at the hands of the All Blacks four years ago - whereas Andrew Mehrtens might be their only starting link - namely, Malcolm O'Kelly, Keith Wood, Miller and Denis Hickie.

Yet there are also some curious aspects to the Irish selection. For example, the team's most experienced player Peter Clohessy (who will get to within one of a cherished half-century of caps this Saturday) will actually be winning his first cap against the All Blacks.

Gatland revealed that the Irish management and players have discussed the ambition of being the next country to latch onto the game's leading quintet of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England and France.

"That's our aim and I suppose we'll know on Saturday how close we are to doing that."

Gatland also admitted that while the All Blacks have made a number of changes in their playing squad as well as hiring a new coach in the shape of his former Waikato team-mate and flat-mate John Mitchell, Ireland are "playing with a bit of confidence and self-belief. I think possibly in the past we would have lacked that" .

In contrast to Ireland's closed sessions, the All Blacks' session (from 2.30 p.m.) in Blackrock College's grounds at Stradbrook today will be open to the public, and the tourists will sing autographs at the end of their session.

IRELAND: G Dempsey (Terenure College and Leinster); S Horgan (Lansdowne and Leinster), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock College and Leinster), K Maggs (Bath); D Humphreys (Dungannon and Ulster), P Stringer (Shannon and Munster); P Clohessy (Young Munster and Munster), K Wood (Harlequins, capt), J Hayes (Shannon and Munster), M Galwey (Shannon and Munster), M O'Kelly (St Mary's College and Leinster), E Miller (Terenure College and Leinster), A Foley (Shannon and Munster), D Wallace (Garryowen and Munster). Replacements: F Sheahan (Cork Constitution and Munster), E Byrne (St Mary's College and Leinster), G Longwell (Ballymena and Ulster), K Dawson (London Irish), G Easterby (Llanelli), R O'Gara (Cork Constitution and Munster), M Mullins (Young Munster and Munster).