IT SIGNALS a new era in Irish rugby. Travelling to New Zealand and Australia earlier this summer in an observational capacity, Ireland coach Declan Kidney this week took charge of his first national training camp in Cork in tandem with a new management team.

Flanked by team manager Paul McNaughton, forwards coach Gert Smal, backs coach Alan Gaffney, and defence coach Les Kiss - kicking coach Mark Tainton arrived after the formal conference having been delayed working with players - Kidney outlined his aspirations for the season ahead in a mission statement of sorts, while denied the immediacy of a Test match. Instead he'll have to wait for the three internationals in November against Canada, New Zealand and Argentina to properly unveil the new regime.

That's not to denigrate the work that'll be accomplished this week, a quasi meet-and-greet as players and management get acquainted formally, in a camp that has incorporated the ongoing provincial pre-season physical conditioning coupled with pitch sessions. The familiarisation process included roughly 40 players of the 45 named in the squad.

Kidney admitted: "It's been great, nerve-racking in terms of trying to get everything right and things off to a good start. We have been trying to get a balance between the provincial pre-season - it's slightly shorter this year - and striking that balance between the rugby and the conditioning work.

"The aims, rather than giving you the outlandish ones of trying to enjoy myself and hoping that we do as well as we possibly, can (be broken down) to results and performance. November is more important than it has ever been this year.

"There's IRB ranking points (available) and wherever we stand on December 1st is going to have an effect on the draw for the next World Cup. It has a three-year effect (in terms of) how we go in the next three matches. The IRB system of ranking is quite difficult. For instance we could win all three matches in November and still drop a ranking place.

"There is even a certain irony in that losing to Canada can have a greater effect on your ranking than beating New Zealand."

There are plenty of challenges ahead for Ireland's new coach not least the introduction of 13 ELVs (Experimental Law Variations) that came into effect on August 1st. Kidney has kept a watching brief throughout the Tri-Nations, drawing on the experiences of Smal and in particular Australian, Kiss, who experienced them in his capacity as defence coach with the Waratahs in the recent Super 14 tournament.

Kidney admitted: "Some of the little things we've noticed, talking to Les (Kiss) and a few others is the fitness standards need to be up a bit, so they're allowing the players to be a kilo or two lighter if that means their aerobic fitness is better.

"The passages of play are going on for so much longer. There was one passage of play in a Super 14 match that went on for six minutes where a three-minute passage would have been considered very long (previously). We can expect more of those in a game now. It's going to put its own demands on the players."

In terms of the extended training squad, Kidney based his selection on those that had acquitted themselves capably in the summer Tests against New Zealand and Australia and also players who had excelled in the Churchill Cup tournament.

Acknowledging his desire to win every match, he pointed out it had to be tempered by realism. The November matches have wider ramifications than a simple three-match series while in terms of the Six Nations he pointed out that success might be judged in terms of winning more matches than the previous year.

Typically Kidney looked to downplay his importance observing: "If the coach is feeling any different to the players going out on the pitch then he probably shouldn't be there. The coach's work is done between now and the time they step on the pitch.

"What you want then is to organise it in such a way that the players feel confident enough and responsible enough to take the job on from there. The final whistle goes and the coach steps in again.

"Obviously the coach has a bit of an influence during the game in terms of substitutions; maybe a few pointers he can give at half-time through his co-coaches."

He also stressed the importance of working with the provinces contending "90 per cent of the work for this team is going to be done in the provinces".

Already Kiss and Smal have visited the provincial set-ups while Gaffney enjoys a dual role with Leinster and Ireland.

South African Smal's coaching CV is spectacularly successful, culminating in last year's World Cup victory by the Springboks. So how would he describe himself?

"Very competitive," he smiled. "I don't like to lose. I'm a team man, very loyal to the people and the brand that I am working for. It is going to be a great honour for me to be involved with the Ireland team and I'm really looking forward to the challenge."

Kiss too is very highly regarded and he too relishes the prospect of working in the new Irish regime. Gaffney's qualities need little elaboration. Kidney has surrounded himself with strong, capable people demonstrating his willingness to delegate in the pursuit of the optimum coaching network. It bodes well.

McNaughton said a proposed Test match between Ireland and South Africa in Dubai later this year looks unlikely. "It's 90 per cent not going ahead. Our understanding is the South African game won't be taking place but it is not out the door yet."