The wannabees v the Wallabies

YOU could call it the wannabees versus the Wallabies – the team that wants to get to the World Cup against the team that’s already there.

If reports of initially sluggish ticket sales suggest that, in these recessionary times, Ireland versus Australia in a friendly at Thomond Park hasn’t exactly captured the hearts and minds of the nation, then the same can’t be said of its lure for the men who actually wear the green shirt.

Of course, professional footballers will always tell you that they only ever take one game at a time but, even as the squad counts down for kick-off in Limerick this evening, it’s pretty clear the Irish players and management have one eye on tonight’s opposition and another on Cyprus in a month’s time.