Injury-free Irish ready for stiff Aussie test

IRELAND’S first foray to the southern hemisphere before October’s Rugby World Cup will unfold inside the neat and tidy Subiaco Oval in Perth this morning (kick-off 10am Irish time).

Judging by Australia’s sharp hour-long workout yesterday, the World Cup champions have lost little of the skill and intuition that has been their hallmark in recent times.

On the eve of the Test, both captains, David Humphreys and George Gregan, swapped pleasantries and were adamant that the opposition provided a litmus test with the World Cup countdown underway.