Irish must prove they can handle all the intensity

First Test against New Zealand in Dunedin tomorrow morning (8.05 a.m.) In their preparations for a renewal of hostilities with the All Blacks here tomorrow, the Irish camp have used the starkly contrasting first Test defeat in the same Carisbrook venue 10 years ago, by 24-21, and the 59-6 thrashing in Wellington which followed a week later.

However, if Irish teams are ever inclined to have an inferiority complex it is against the All Blacks. No wins and one draw from 15 attempts dating back 97 years is a lamentable record and will remain a monkey on the backs of Irish teams until that first win is achieved.

To break the cycle demands a very positive mindset, and if they're not intimidated by the task facing them here and in Auckland, this first trek to New Zealand in a decade (and only the third ever) can be presented as a unique chance for a piece of history. The Munstermen of '78? Alone it won't stand any more.

Much of the week, therefore, will have been spent trying to instil real belief, which is arguably the biggest task. A little disconcertingly, there has been some semi-defeatist talk of catching the All Blacks on an off day, though at least the alternate scenario of a heavy defeat hasn't been talked up like it was before the record defeats to France and England.

Without Peter Clohessy and Mick Galwey, a post-European Cup Munster hangover hasn't been as acute as was the case in Argentina two years ago. There's a younger age profile this time around, there's been more time to prepare, a New Zealand tour has a far greater cache than one to the Americas, and, as Keith Wood stated this week, the players are simply that bit more professional now.

In the absence of his trusty lieutenants, Wood has assumed even more leadership off the pitch, though there must be a mild concern that there seems to be few other leaders in the team ranks. By comparison, the All Blacks - and the New Zealand media - make a big play out of Aaron Mauger and Mark Hammett being appointed vice-captains this week in place of Daryl Gibson and Tom Willis, though admittedly Mauger has only four caps and Hammett 16.

Ireland's leadership void has been compounded by the absence of experienced campaigners such as Kevin Maggs, Rob Henderson and Denis Hickie, which also means the team has no world-class finisher, or an as established defensive pillar in a system which has yet to convince.

It will be intriguing to see how Reggie Corrigan and Keith Gleeson step up to the plate.

But, for all the changes, mostly enforced, coach Eddie O'Sullivan has vowed: "We still want to try and play the game we've been playing, with ball in hand. We're not going to just kick it up in the air and stick it in the corners now because we're short a few backs."

The degree to which they'll be able to put that gameplan into operation hinges on the performance of the pack. Last week's improved lineout, albeit against a Divisional XV, reminded us how potent Brian O'Driscoll and the Irish backs can be. The movement to free up intended targets and the pack's collective concentration will be every bit as important as the accuracy of Wood's throwing.

So much of the mauling game hinges on the lineout as well, and here the All Blacks looked a good deal lower to the ground and more powerful last week. The Divisional coach, Noel McQuilkin, also pointed to the scrum as another source of potential damage for Ireland, so it's clear there's a fear the Irish backs might not get into the game.

To compound this, the forecast is for a southerly wind bringing large amounts of rain, and even snow, for the game.

After what proved to be his final game as Irish coach, against New Zealand last November, Warren Gatland highlighted the level of intensity at which the All Blacks play over 80 minutes as the key difference between the sides. In pointing to the biggest potential danger Ireland face here, O'Sullivan echoed those sentiments.

This game, the Irish coach said, will "be about playing to the level of intensity that will be presented to us by the All Blacks, which is always the problem playing one of the big nations in the world, particularly the All Blacks. So it's a question of us raising our level of intensity and still playing a similar quality of game.

"Obviously we're happy with the quality of rugby we played last weekend, but now can we deliver that quality at that level of intensity? That's the question mark over Saturday."

Meantime, the All Blacks have used the 40-29 scare last November to generate a real fear of Ireland. Tana Umaga has been recalled after just one game in five weeks due to a knee injury, and John Mitchell has clearly put it up to the dreadlocked centre in his head-to-head with O'Driscoll.

"O'Driscoll certainly got the better of Tana in Dublin and it'll be interesting to see how it goes on Saturday," the coach said.

In this and much else it is clear that the All Blacks have built Ireland up into something that they may not actually be. Mitchell also said: "Ireland were brilliant in Dublin and we were exposed for 60 minutes, so we know exactly what we're walking into."

The All Blacks have picked what they believe is their strongest team. On a mission to regain the Tri-Nations, they look to have a dead-eyed intent about them.

Successive "performances" by Irish teams have been beyond all touring sides since Ireland won two Tests in Australia in 1979. If this team can rattle the All Blacks' cage on consecutive Saturdays, it will be an achievement in itself.

NEW ZEALAND: L MacDonald (Canterbury); D Howlett (Auckland), T Umaga (Wellington), A Mauger (Canterbury), C Ralph (Canterbury); A Mehrtens (Canterbury), J Marshall (Canterbury); G Somerville (Canterbury), M Hamett (Canterbury), D Hewett (Canterbury), C Jack (Canterbury), N Maxwell (Canterbury), R Thorne (Canterbury, capt), S Robertson (Canterbury), R McCaw (Canterbury).

REPLACEMENTS: T Willis (Otago), J McDonnell (Otago), T Randell (Otago), M Holah (Waikato), B Kelleher (Otago), D Gibson (Canterbury), D Gibson (Canterbury), J Lomu (Wellington).

IRELAND: G Dempsey (Terenure and Leinster); G Murphy (Leicester), B O'Driscoll (Blackrock and Leinster), J Kelly (Cork Constitution and Munster), J Bishop (London Irish); R O'Gara (Cork Constitution and Munster), P Stringer (Shannon and Munster); R Corrigan (Leinster and Leinster), K Wood (Harlequins, capt), J Hayes (Shannon and Munster), G Longwell (Ballymena and Ulster), P O'Connell (Young Munster and Munster), S Easterby (Llanelli), A Foley (Shannon and Munster), K Gleeson (St Mary's and Leinster).

REPLACEMENTS: S Byrne (Blackrock and Leinster), P Wallace (Blackrock and Leinster), M O'Kelly (St Mary's and Leinster), AN Other, G Easterby (Llanelli), D Humphreys (Dungannon and Ulster), M Deane (Sale).

Referee: Joel Jutge (France)

Kick-off 8.05am Irish time. Live on Sky Sports and

RTÉ Radio 1 medium wave.