ON RUGBY: When Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan takes his squad to New Zealand next month for a three-match tour that includes two Test matches, he knows the magnitutude of the tasks facing his squad. There is no more formidable territory for visiting teams than New Zealand.

He also has first hand experience as he was with the Ireland squad that toured New Zealand in 1992 as a fitness adviser.

On that tour, Ireland's first match was played in Timaru and the first match of the forthcoming tour will also be played there.

On Ireland's initial tour to New Zealand, in 1976, the opening match was also in Timaru.

On both previous occasions the opposition was provided by South Canterbury, not among the strong New Zealand provincial teams.

On the forthcoming tour, however, the match will be not be against South Canterbury but against a strong Combined team.

And that side will be coached by a man familiar with the Irish scene, Noel McQuilkin, the former Bective Rangers coach and father of Irish international Kurt.

O'Sullivan is aware that a win in the opening match of a tour is always important, not least for psychological reasons.

With Ireland due to play just three matches, two Tests in addition to that opening engagement, a win is vital. It certainly does not look like an easy opener.

"I think that team will be quite strong and will give us an examination before we travel to Dunedin for the first Test. I also gather that the Combined team is playing matches in preparation for the game against us, " Said O'Sullivan.

Dunedin will also be familiar territory for O'Sullivan, for it was there in Carisbrook that Ireland played the first of two Tests in 1992.

That was the match that got away from Ireland when they were unlucky to lose 24-21. A very bad refereeing decision was a major factor in Ireland's defeat and also a dropped pass in the final minutes with the line open cost Ireland what would have been a winning score.

But O'Sullivan knows, too, you do not get two chances against the All Blacks.

When one comes along you take it. Remember the match in Dublin last autumn when Ireland appeared to be heading for victory at the interval and then failed to build on their early superiorty.

In the second Test in Wellington in 1992, Ireland suffered a record defeat 59-6. That after Ireland had taken an early lead when Neville Furlong scored a try and Peter Russell converted it.

That lead was short lived. That afternoon so acute were Ireland's injury problems that, in fact, Ireland had to play three players who were unfit. The All Blacks were merciless.

Well the Ireland squad that O'Sullivan takes to New Zealand is understrength. "It would be ideal if we could have chosen from a full strengh squad, but we cannot because of injuries, but we must live with that," said O'Sullivan.

"Remember, one man's injury means another player's opportunity and this tour is a great opportunity for players to show that they can front up.

"You have to believe you have a chance of winning in every match you play and it would be great if we could win the Tests, indeed even one of the Tests. But whatever about the results, what we also want from this tour is that players will learn from it and come back better players for the experience.

"When you look at the programme that lies ahead next season, then there could not be a greater incentive for players to perform in New Zealand, " he said.

Well what lies ahead next season in fact is 14 internationals.

Two World Cup qualifying matches in September and prior to those a warm-up match against Romania in Thomond Park.

Three pre-Christmas internationals, Five Six Nations matches and then a tour to Fiji, Tonga and Australia embracing three Tests.

Then not much rest for there is also a proposal for a quadrangular international tournament in August involving Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Canada as preparation for the World Cup. There cannot be any warm-up matches for the World Cup after August of next year.

"What we want to do on the forthcoming tour," said O'Sullivan "is to lay down solid foundations. We also need two big performances in those two Tests and they represent a challenge and an opportunity for the players. They have a chance to lay down a marker for the future."

"We were very disappointed with the dispays against England and and France in paricular and with our set-piece play in particular during the Six Nations.

"If the set-pieces are not right - and they were not - then obviously that imposes its own problems for, and limitations on, the backs.

"I believe we have a back line that can trouble any oppostition once they get the opportunity and I honestly think our opponents realised that.

"Peter Clohessy has now retired and he is a great loss so obviously there is some reconstruction work to be done in the front row.

"I think we must also change our lineout and work out another system in that area. And we are working on that.

"The New Zealanders are adept at exploiting any weakness, they are tough and uncompromising and the players must realise that."

In addition to Ireland's tours to New Zealand in 1976 and 1992 - Ireland also played in New Zealand in the 1987 World Cup - there was a development tour to New Zealand in 1997.

Some of the current squad were on that tour, some more on it most certainly were not on another tour and others on it, disappeared from the represenative scene.

Ireland won just one of their six matches. As stated at the outset, no more formidable territory for the visitor than New Zealand, whose national team is now coached by John Mitchell, a man once involved with the coaching of Ireland.