Burke, Connors, Crowley, Finegan, Foley, Kearns, Larkham. Not the main street in Ballyshannon, rather some of the wizards from Oz. Ancestors back to haunt Pool E of the Rugby World Cup. The towering Australians padded their way through Dublin Airport yesterday looking ready for the challenge of this year's biggest rugby event.

Finally, a moment of reality after the hyping, talking, guessing, spoofing and analysing. Some of the best flesh and bones in the rugby world fanned out from the arrival's mall and stretched their precious limbs, Portmarnock the final destination after their tortuous Sydney-London-Dublin haul.

But the Aussies are nothing if not polite. And large, captain John Eales, at six feet and seven inches, one of the biggest. The best lock in the world, Eales's nickname is `Nobody' - because nobody's perfect. A shoulder injury during a weights training session at the beginning of the season has meant that the captain's indomitable figure has been missing this season. He is now back.

"I'm happy about my fitness and I'm happy about the way my performances have improved throughout the games I've played," Eales said yesterday. "I'm certainly looking forward to the first Test.

"We've obviously got to be careful of every team we play against. But Ireland are a side that Australia respects very highly. They gave us a great contest in Australia this year. We expect that what they did in Australia they'll do much better over here."

The Australians could afford to look tanned, suave and unconcerned yesterday. Romania, USA and Ireland don't exactly cast long dark shadows over a team who just sent the All Blacks back to the psychiatrist's chair after a 28-7 walloping in Sydney.

"We're under no illusions of how hard the game at Lansdowne Road is going to be," Eales said. "It is certainly more difficult to play a team on their home ground. A side like Ireland lifts and seems to grow another leg when they play. That's all part of rugby.

"Australia against the All Blacks. The guys put together a great performance to win that match. It's part of the challenge of rugby. The challenge of a World Cup is playing away from home. To win it you have to be able to meet that challenge."

Full back Matt Burke is another player recently returned after a shoulder injury forced him to miss the entire Super 12 series.

Back to his best, Burke kicked 23 points in the win against the All Blacks in Sydney, and scored 24 points against the men in black in Melbourne last season.

"Confidence in the camp is very good," Burke said. "After the last Test win against New Zealand the enthusiasm is high again. I think by our standard we played very poorly in the Tests prior to that against South Africa and New Zealand. Then to win in Australia in front of 107,000 people was fantastic. It gives renewed hope and we've got to carry that throughout the next seven weeks.

"Sure they (the crowd) might be against us a little bit this time but that's always fun," said Burke.

"Ireland always prove to be very difficult opposition. When we played (them) in Perth they showed great courage and commitment. We're always looking for a big strong game against Ireland."

Coach Rod Macqueen also buys into the feel good factor. "Ireland's like a second home to the Australians," he said. "In '91 they (the Australians) were based here and felt really at home.

"We can always be a better team," said Macqueen. "We're a little under done in some areas. We haven't gone quite as well as we would have liked. Larkham's (Stephen) had only a few games. Nothing's perfect but under the circumstances we're reasonably happy about where we are."

And Ireland?

"We're over here to do well in the World Cup and for us to do well we have to be successful against Ireland."