Watching Australia dismantle England at the breakdown and dominating them at the tackle again last Wednesday was worse than viewing it live on Saturday – and I knew it was pretty gruesome then.

In Dublin we shall find out whether the Tri Nations are simply too strong, too positive, too savvy at the breakdown or whether England made Australia look better than they really are. Ireland should be telling themselves that this game is there for the winning. It is still a relatively inexperienced Wallaby side in pivotal areas, stripped of players like Nathan Sharpe, Sterling Mortlock and Berrick Barnes and the excellence of young performers like Will Genia and Quade Cooper cannot be guaranteed again, although the scrum half looks special.

Ireland have to tear into Australia and force them and their half backs to play on the back foot. Mat Giteau and Genia had it too easy at Twickenham. The Irish back row has to swarm all over their old mate, Australian captain, Rocky Elsom and stop Wycliff Palu before the gain line. Do that and match winners like Brian O’ Driscoll can be so much more than auxiliary forwards. O’ Driscoll will do the dirty work but to scalp the world’s third best team they will need some of his magic behind the scrum as well.

England failed to test a young Australian centre partnership: it will be bitterly disappointing should Ireland fail to do so. One area where Australia may worry their hosts is at the scrum where Ben Robinson, Stephen Moore and Ben Alexander will target an aspect of the Irish game that is vulnerable to a powerful opponent.

Even if Australia do eclipse Ireland in the set piece it will be a major disappointment for the Northern Hemisphere if its Grand Slam champions fail to quell the admittedly rising, but still the weakest, of the Tri Nation powers.

Main Man
Stephen Ferris – The Ulster flanker comes face to face with the Australian captain, the former Leinster hero, Elsom. If he can win this individual collision it should serve to inspire Ireland and deflate Australia. He is potentially world class; Sunday would be a good day to drop the word `potentially’.