Irish intent on gaining victory

HAVING had more than enough salutary lessons in the opening two matches of their tour already, the mood has discernibly shifted within the Irish A/Development camp as they approach their meeting with bay of Plenty in Rotorua tomorrow (kick-off 3 p.m. local time, 4.00 a.m. Irish time).

On quickly-announcing a team that shows 10 changes in personnel and two positional alterations to the side beaten 74-15 by the New Zealand Academy prior to their final training session before the game, coach Brian Ashton vowed: "We're going out to win."

The winning and the losing of these games was never the primary objective at the outset of this tour, but Ashton's frustrations with the soft underbelly of this squad is palpable. Nevertheless, he did add the rider: "It won't stop us playing the type of game we're trying to play."

Conor O'Shea has been retained at full-back ahead of Ciaran Clarke, and Richard Governey, by necessity, remains at out-half. More surprisingly, Kieron Dawson is again selected on the open side, and the management clearly will be seeking a big improvement from the London Irish flanker.

Elsewhere, Kevin Maggs is switched to the left-wing from centre and Dean McCartney moves from number eight to the blind side of the back-row. Michael Lynch, Andy Matchett, Rory Sheriff and Shane Byrne start their first games of the tour, leaving the Shannon centre Alan McGrath as the only non-starter so far.

It is not a form selection per se, with the likes of Rob Henderson, Dave Wallace and what looks like the first-choice second-row of Gabriel Fulcher and Malcolm O'Kelly being rested for Sunday's game against Thames Valley Ireland's likeliest chance of a win in this seven-match tour.

There is a growing feeling that Bay of Plenty can offer the Irish their first scalp. Certainly they are the least star-studded team the Irish have encountered so far, containing only one player from the Academy, left-winger Caleb Ralph, who came on as a substitute on Thursday night.

Coached by the New Zealand sevens coach - and perhaps the foremost sevens coach in the world - Gordon Tietjens, Bay of Plenty are expected to play a 15-man version of the same. Kicking is something done in Kung Fu movies, not in their game plan.

The Irish inside midfield defence had better be as tight as a drum, for the talented Bay of Plenty out-half Andy Miller is an elusive runner with a big side-step. Admittedly, the Bay's pack won't be as big as those encountered before, but they'll be a bustling, lively eight all the same.