PRE-MATCH etiquette dictates favourites in team sport rarely publicly embrace the supposition of a cast-iron victory.

The Ireland management and players offered Canada due deference in preparation and attitude in the build-up to Saturday's Test match at Thomond Park. For many, though, the focus would have been not on the result but rather the performance, individual and collective, of those in green jerseys.

One sector that would have piqued the curiosity of the Irish rugby public was the composition of the backrow. Stephen Ferris, Shane Jennings and Jamie Heaslip were pencilled in to start by coach Declan Kidney, while David Wallace and Alan Quinlan were among the replacements, a fact that highlights the intense competition in that area of the team.

Kidney would have been pleased with the response from all concerned. Ferris deservedly won the man-of-the-match accolade, a reward for a brilliant performance in every aspect of the game, including the lineout. Heaslip, Quinlan and Wallace all scored tries. Jennings' contribution was a little less high profile but not his work ethic and commitment to the less glamorous nitty-gritty.

Tomorrow Kidney will select a team to face New Zealand at Croke Park on Saturday and the task will be simplified only in the knowledge all five players raised their hands in a positive manner. The irony for the quintet is they won't sleep any easier between now and tomorrow despite that.

Heaslip, who performed with typical excellence and athleticism prior to being replaced in the second half, supported that assertion when asked if he felt he had done enough to start against the All Blacks: "I don't know if I am sure at all. The way the backrow and all the options he (Kidney) can pick from . . . your guess is as good as mine. You have to get on the pitch first, which isn't easy in the backrow and we'll all have to hold our breaths until tomorrow."

While satisfied with his own contribution, he was quick to acknowledge the performance of the backrow as a unit and the contribution of the two flankers.

"We said at the very start to just make sure we share the workload and to make sure one of us is at the breakdown or near the breakdown; we did that well.

"I am very used to playing with Jenno (Shane Jennigs) and have played with Fez (Stephen Ferris) a couple of times. We got round the pitch very well and the boys did a great job, especially around the side of the scrum.

"Fez is a strong man, a powerful man. He can run with the ball, he's solid in defence, putting in some good hits. He reads the game very well, an all round good player. He was brilliant today, really good. He got on the ball and ran hard."

While the view from outside the Ireland camp was that victory was pretty much assured Heaslip was quick to elaborate on his coach's warning to the players prior to the match. "Deccie kind of put it in perspective (when he said) they are seven spots behind us in the rankings and we are the same behind New Zealand so if you write them off surely you can right us off against New Zealand? We don't think we are a write-off against New Zealand so they (Canada) would have felt the same way."

Heaslip also pointed out the conditions would have helped Canada to settle and Ireland had enjoyed one or two favourable bounces and also the benefit of a couple of interpretations from the television match official. One related to his try, his first for Ireland in his 11th appearance. "I didn't know if I got over the line. I knew I didn't knock it on; it went back but I didn't know if I got over the line or not. I'll take it, the ref said so. The front five did a great job of keeping the pressure on and getting that right-hand side up. It came out nicely for me and I got a good run."

One no doubt he will hope to maintain next Saturday evening.