Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan has refused to be drawn on claims the All Blacks are not showing his side enough respect ahead of their Test match in Auckland tomorrow morning (8.35am Irish time).
The Kiwis have named an under-strength side for the Test and coach Graham Henry has stated the series against Ireland was just a 'trial' ahead of the more important Tri-Nations series with Australia and South Africa.
But O'Sullivan has little concern for the machinations of the All Blacks selectors, instead choosing to focus on securing a record-breaking victory at Eden Park.
"I'm not going to get hung up in what New Zealand's opinion of Irish rugby is," he said. "We have a Test game to play and it's not something we need to worry about. They have picked the team they feel they need to win a Test game and so be it."
Henry has claimed that Ireland are the "best team in Europe" at the moment, but O'Sullivan is not buying into the compliment.
"I suppose it is a compliment to be considered the best team in Europe, but I don't think it really stands up either because we didn't win the Grand Slam," he said. "If we had won a Grand Slam you could say that but we haven't.
"I have to say I'm really not reading a lot of what New Zealand are saying. I don't care really. I'm here to prepare an Irish team. The game is going ahead tomorrow night at half past seven, it's going to be a Test game and we are going to have to play bloody well to win it."
O'Sullivan believes Ireland are well prepared heading into the match and is confident the team can secure their first victory over the All Blacks, smashing 101 years of history in the process.
"I'd like to think that in most weeks leading up to a Test, by the Friday you are where you would like to be," he said. "I would like to say yes [we are prepared] but we won't know until tomorrow night for sure."
Irish skipper Brian O'Driscoll denied the players felt they were being treated with disrespect by their counterparts and believes the All Blacks are taking the series equally as serious as any other.
"There's no harm in being a bit arrogant on the pitch but once you step off the pitch you respect your opponents and I think they have always done that," he said. "You can look at it any way you like but Test rugby is Test rugby. It's hard, it's physical and it's honest.
"They pull on a black jersey and they go as hard as if it was the World Cup final when they are playing any side in the world."
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