The contrasts with the none-too-successful mission in Oz in 1994 are varied and almost daily. That was reputedly the last of the great amateur tours. Amid the high spirits and high jinks, there's a determination to make this the first of the great professional tours.

Harder tasks await, but mindful of the fact that the 1994 tourists had been lulled into a false sense of security by their 64-8 opening win over Western Australia, Ireland advance on to New South Wales forewarned and forearmed.

New South Wales were served up as the second course five years ago, and devoured Ireland by 5518. The tourists have a different approach in mind this time around according to a surprisingly bullish Donal Lenihan yesterday.

Reports of an under-strength New South Wales with supposed disarray and disunity off and on the pitch prompted a dismissive reaction from the Irish manager. "Five years ago all the talk was about New South Wales and I think the Irish players went into the game with an inferiority complex and they were 30 points down at half-time.

"So we've just told them to forget about New South Wales, we're the international team . . . Like, to be honest with you we don't care who they play or who they pick. We're putting pressure on our players to perform, so from that point of view we're not worried about it (NSW's troubles)."

Lenihan was speaking after declaring Ireland's hand for Saturday's game, and the anticipated 10 changes means all but Jonathan Bell, Jeremy Staunton and the recuperating Malcolm O'Kelly have been given starts in the opening two games.

Midfield and the back-row appear to be the more competitive areas for Test selection, although Lenihan was keeping his cards close to his chest when merely saying: "I think we have a lot of places sorted out, but there's still three or four places up for grabs and Saturday is a very important day for a lot of players in that respect.

"When we came out we said we that there were 28 players and the majority of them were in contention for Test places. There were a lot of front-up players who didn't play on Monday night who now probably feel more under pressure than they did at certain stages during the year, which is a good thing. I mean you've seen the reaction in training as a result. So Saturday will be interesting from that point of view."

The retention of Brian O'Driscoll, this time outside Kevin Maggs, further indicates that the management are seriously considering playing the 20-year-old in the Tests; with Maggs reverting to his customary role at Bath.

At a push, the scrum-half position (where Tom Tierney appears to have already jumped into the lead) and one of the wing positions might also be up for grabs still, to which end Matt Mostyn will be tried again, this time on the right wing.

The options in the back-row for the Tests may yet be more limited than at the start of the tour, however it emerged that an injured Victor Costello (who wore an extravagant brace on the lower half of his left leg yesterday to protect his ankle strain) will not be asked to resume physical work before Tuesday at the earliest.

Although Lenihan described him as "way improved, so we expect him to be available for the Test selection by next Tuesday" it's worth noting that Costello tends not to be a quick healer. Were he ruled out, it would be a tough blow for the rejuvenated Costello and perhaps for Ireland as well, removing the option of playing O'Cuinneagain on the blind side. Alternatively, it would be a straight choice between David Corkery and Trevor Brennan on the blind side, with the latter given the choice of playing himself onto the team this Saturday. David Corkery has a back spasm, but is expected to be okay.

So far the approach of the Australians to this tour has been to kill the tourists with kindness. The latest to pile on the accolades in light of last Monday's 43-6 win is the coach of New South Wales, Ireland's next opponents at the Syndey Football Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 2.30 p.m. - 5.30 a.m. Irish time), Matt Williams.

"They're certainly the best northern hemisphere team to come down here in three years," ventured Williams. "They're much better than the Welsh and the Scots. It's worth bearing in mind that the Poms sent down a bit of an unrepresentative mishmatch in their 76-0 miss-match here last summer.

Even so, Williams maintained that Ireland "are playing a very good brand of rugby. I think they have improved noticeably under Gatland. They play a high quality ball-in-hand game but they haven't lost their kicking game."

The New South Wales Waratahs's problems have already been documented, suffice to say that they will be short about 10 first-rank players. Aside from Tom Bowman, who will play at lock against Ireland in the first Test in Brisbane on Saturday week, they will also be deprived of six players who will be on the bench for that game - Chris Whitaker, Nathan Grey, Jason Little, Tiaan Strauss, Phil Kearns and Andrew Blades.

Furthermore, injuries have sidelined out-half Christian Warner, locks Daniel Manu and Jon Hart and former Waratah captain Michael Brial.

Williams admitted: "It's been a very difficult week to prepare with all the injuries. It's the worst I've ever seen in my five years at the club." That five-year tenure (two as manager, the last three as coach) comes to an end on Saturday as the Waratahs limp to the finale of another anti-climactic campaign.

For all the Waratahs's woes, however, the side they've picked to face Ireland has some impressive names in it and, all told, contains seven Wallabies, including Australia full back Matt Burke.

Admittedly the brilliant Burke has only played one reserve and two senior club games since recovering from his horrendous shoulder injury in the Sydney Stadium against the All Blacks last August, so he ought not to be at his best just yet.

Willie Ofahenguaue will play at number eight, and against expectations so too Wallaby lock John Welborn will also feature. He packs down behind a couple of international props in Richard Harry and Cameron Blades.

Burke, Fijian lock Sam Domoni, and international scrum-half Sam Payne are the three survivors from the team which beat Ireland 55-18 here five years ago, when Payne scored two of the Waratahs' eight tries.

When you consider the likes of Ofahenguaue, David Knox and Tim Gavin were on the bench that day, it is certainly nothing like that team. To which survivors of '94 will wipe their brow and say, "phew". More pertinently, neither are Ireland.

Ireland: C O'Shea; M Mostyn, B O'Driscoll, K Maggs, G Dempsey; E Elwood, C Scally; R Corrigan, R Nesdale, P Wallace, P Johns, J Davidson, T Brennan, D O'Cuinneagain (capt), A Ward. (Replacements to be finalised).

New South Wales: M Burke; M Dowling, J Jones-Hughes, M Stcherbina, S Staniforth; D McRae, S Payne; R Harry, M Crick, C Blades, S Domoni, J Welborn, S Pinkerton (capt), W Ofahengaue, K Gleeson.