Now it's starting to get a little scary. Buoyed by their tour opening win, taking shelter from both the first of the tour's rains and an unusual downpour of praise hereabouts, Ireland approach their pivotal tour game against New South Wales tomorrow conscious that they have a good chance of taking a healthy two-from-two record into the Tests.

While important in its own right, and perhaps more so for some than for others in Ireland's starting XV, there's no doubt that another win at the Sydney Football Stadium tomorrow would significantly enhance the tourists' chances of catching Australia cold in Brisbane a week later.

Ireland hasn't won a Test in the Southern Hemisphere since their 9-3 win in Sydney two decades ago which clinched the series 2-0, but the chances of emulating that win would seriously increase were every member of the 28-man squad to have sampled that winning feeling by the end of tomorrow.

The talent and technique are there, that much has been evident in both some high-quality training (the best of Warren Gatland's ever-developing rein) and the 37 unanswered points scored in a 34-minute period on Monday night against New South Wales Country.

Arguably the most crucial missing ingredient in this squad's make-up has been real self-belief. Warren Gatland has always felt that a couple of wins, or even one big one, could be the catalyst for this team - something which has been frustratingly out of reach, most notably in their two most recent meetings with the French. Likewise, establishing more self-belief, even to the point of arrogance, was quickly cited as one of Dion O'Cuinneagain's main goals as captain; this tour coming as it did after an anti-climactic finale to the Five Nations.

Boosted by an infusion of fresh young talent, and benefiting from effectively being in training camp for two weeks save for a 12,000 mile journey and one match, they seem to have regrouped well.

No observer could fail to notice how slick and professional this party have been on tour. Credit to the back-up team and the response of the players themselves, but everything has been run with the precision of Swiss timing. If the bus is to leave at 10.15, then it leaves at 10.15, or maybe 10.14. These are no jokey Paddies on tour, rather professional sportsmen who have worked their socks off to wear the green with pride.

Monday night's flawed but inventive display further reflected the focus on continuity in training, with a greater emphasis on the ball carrier staying on his feet. In the full-scale, semi-contact work, the ball carrier was more obviously turning into the tackle rather than taking that extra step so as to ensure the off-load without going to ground.

The point of impact in the rucking drills moreover, seems to be getting lower and lower, and its unlikely that the Waratahs will be inclined or allowed to spoil ruck ball to the same degree that Country did on Monday night.

The set-pieces also seem to be in sound order, and the real bonus of the first match was how well a largely untried combination (especially the backs) worked in defence. Gatland focused more on the starting XV and its defence during yesterday's session at the Waratahs Stadium in the Concord area of the less fashionable, more inland, westside. All in all, the tourists seem fresh yet focussed, and well organised. Were all of this also translated into a win tomorrow, then the Irish party would be entitled to another celebratory party before flying on to Brisbane. Gatland and co could also start planning for the first Test comforted in the knowledge that they still have a few tricks up their sleeve. The so-called `scum' ball, the out-half's behind-the-back reverse pass which has yielded a high dividend for blind-side leftwingers, failed on Monday. Even though Eric Elwood still executes this better than David Humphreys - it might make sense to keep the trick under wraps unless desperate measures are called for.

The Test team is likely to be: O'Shea, Bishop, O'Driscoll, Maggs, Dempsey, Humphreys, Tierney, Clohessy, Wood, Wallace, Johns, Davidson, Brennan, O'Cuinneagain and Ward. Whatever it's exact make-up, on that basis Ireland have played roughly two-thirds of their full-strength team in each of their opening two games.

The Waratahs are not the force of five years ago, or even the force of their under-achieving but decidedly useful Super 12 side. Maybe too much could be read into their training session on Wednesday afternoon, when they looked what they are: a slightly patchwork club side facing into the last game of their three-month campaign. The basic skill levels were high, even if there was a more lackadaisical and less intense approach to their work.

Ireland has a real chance here, and they know it, to embark on a Test series abroad in better health than they have done for 20 years. What's more, it wouldn't be stretching things to say it'll be disappointing if they don't take it.

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.