Hickie blow tests resolve as French exam looms

AFTER the devastation of Saturday night, compounded by the dreadful injury suffered by Denis Hickie in a losing cause, no-one would argue if the fighting Irish were feeling a tad beleagured in Melbourne yesterday.

Not a bit of it. Coach Eddie O'Sullivan led from the front, bristling at the condescending nature of Wallaby commentators who patted "plucky" Ireland on the head for their part in a throbbing contest at the Telstra Dome.

"That implies that were a bit above our station," said O'Sullivan. "It refers back to the old days when we gave it a lash and set our hair on fire and ran after the opposition for the first 20 minutes and where, if they survived that, they beat us by 50 points.