Top politicians have little wager

From one extreme to another. Much was made in the Australian press of the Irish squad's original base on the fringe of Sydney's sin and sleaze capital, the notorious King's Cross red light district.

The nearby, 24-hour Bourbon and Beefsteak bar has already been the scene of two high-profile incidents involving celebrated Aussie sports stars. Drunken fights at the night spot inveigled a recalcitrant Ricky Ponting, the Aussie cricketer, as well as a group of Manly rugby league stars.

Having played the deftest of dead bats at the opening press conference, for better, rather than worse, as it transpired, a month ago Irish manager Donal Lenihan had brought forward the transfer from Sydney to Terigal, about 75 kilometres northwards along the coast. A spectacular coastal resort, enjoying unseasonal sunshine, this is an idyllic, Florida-type, opulent hotel overlooking a sandy beach. The rooms are spacious and splendiferous. This job has its moments.

In fact a visit to the said B & B last Wednesday night for the first of the rugby league showdowns between Queensland and New South Wales revealed a disappointing level of interest. The NSW try, - and the game's only try - coincided with just one round of clapping, and that was for the Karaoke player. You'd see more partisan sporting interest in any Irish bar.

Focus of attention hereabouts is liable to switch between any one of a dozen sports, and to put the All-Ireland in perspective, this week's first of three legs in the equivalent rugby league showdown between Queensland and New South Wales even commanded a high-ranking political bet.

On live TV, Premier Bob Carr wagered a bet with his Labour Party Queensland colleague Peter Beattie. The former agreed to allow the Queensland flag to fly on the Sydney Harbour Bridge should the Queensland Cane Toads prevail over the three-game series.

Alternatively, were the NSW Cockroaches to come through, then the latter's flag will fly over the Suncorpe Stadium statue of Kint Wally Lewis in Brisbane. The winning flags will fly for 48 hours.

Fast emerging as the new-found character of the squad is Mike Mullins. Aside from the blonde dye and ear-rings, the New Zealand-born 28-year-old first generation Irishman sports a body-full of tattoo's. One armband is of a celtic design brought home by his father Thomas Joseph, and fittingly given his father hailed from the Yellow Road, Mullins is joining Young Munster.

Another is a joint wedding symbol with his wife Francine. Not forgetting his mother's Moari extraction, one of the snake-like tattoo's on his back betrays a native NZ lizard in keeping with his mother's tribal family crest.

Eager to share his wide-ranging heritage, Mullins also reveals that his uncle Martin Mullins won three all-Ireland handball medals at the age of 16.

Mullins is part of the new wave of dyed blonds in the squad - his new colour was the result of a bet with his former Italian team-mate at West Hartlepool Mark Giacheri that Ireland would beat the Azzurri by 10 points, only to win by 9. A motion that all squad members do likewise or effectively go bald was voted down by the conservative, senior members of the squad, and it's hard to envisage the likes of Eric Elwood, David Humphreys, Paddy Johns and co following suit. Nonetheless Ciaran Scally is now a truly shocking blonder shade of blond, while Trevor Brennan has come over all ginger.