RUGBY: Even allowing for jet-lag there was a surreal air to Ireland's first day in New Zealand yesterday. A handbag used by Tana Umaga in a bar-room scuffle a week before dominated the Sunday papers and fetched 22,750 New Zealand dollars on an internet auction.

The New Zealand-Brazil soccer friendly and an upcoming little sideshow hereabouts called the World Cup even hogged some coverage. While the Irish squad's opening session featured very little rugby and instead high-spirited games of Gaelic football and soccer. Maybe it was all a dream.

Rarely have an Irish squad seemed in better spirits at the outset of an end-of-season tour, and in referring to the recent wave of success by the provinces and a relatively light injury list, Eddie O'Sullivan observed, "They're all pretty fresh and enthusiastic."

In contrast to the somewhat experimental approach of New Zealand's Graham Henry's to the two Tests against Ireland and one against Argentina, O'Sullivan, true to type, isn't inclined to do likewise.

"I don't see too many major changes in the Test side if everyone turns out fit and well early in the week, and at the moment that seems to be the case," said O'Sullivan. "We'll put our best side on the pitch for the next three games. You don't mess around and experiment in the Southern Hemisphere against teams like New Zealand and Australia. We're here to try and get a job done, and put the best team on the field we can in each game."

Translated, this means only one enforced change to the back row for the injured Simon Easterby. This could see Anthony Foley recalled and Denis Leamy switching to number six in an all-Munster pack - indeed numbers one to 10 from the Heineken European Cup-winning team.

Alternatively, O'Sullivan might be more tempted to keep Leamy at number eight after reinventing him there in the Six Nations as the team's primary ball-carrier, with Neil Best brought in at blindside on the premise this Test has come too soon for Alan Quinlan.

The only other potential alteration might see Denis Hickie pushing Andrew Trimble for the number 11 jersey, but O'Sullivan might be reluctant to backtrack on his promotion of the young Ulster centre to the left wing.

Henry has named a starting XV to play the Pumas on June 24th, with 25 players pencilled in for the Irish Tests, with only Anton Oliver doubling up in Hamilton next Saturday and Buenos Aires a fortnight later.

"I don't think that's a problem for them. They did the same in the Northern Hemisphere and won all their games, so I think Graham has got the strength in depth at the moment where he can do that, and I think most coaches would like to have that latitude," said O'Sullivan in denying it detracts from the Tests.

When asked what New Zealand could expect, O'Sullivan commented: "The game we're trying to develop is keeping ball in hand, taking teams on in different parts of the field, balancing our game with kicking and running, and a bit of Irish passion; we always like to go out with that as well."