Rugby/Ireland name team to play South Africa: Some coaches might be inclined to make 10 changes from one week to the next, but Ireland make one change from a season to the next.

It's a remarkable if predictable state of affairs when Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan can seamlessly move from an end-of-season summer tour to a new autumn campaign with only one change to his starting XV. Boring but definitely healthy, writes Gerry Thornley, Rugby Correspondent.

With Jerry Flannery the only casualty from the summer's frontliners, Rory Best assumes the hooker's role ahead of the fit-again Frankie Sheahan in the only change to the starting team in the 37-15 defeat to Australia last time out in June.

Others back from the casualty list who haven't regained their starting slots are Malcolm O'Kelly and Simon Easterby (two of the 11 Lions in the 22) who have to be content with nursing their combined haul of 129 caps on the bench. David Wallace was declared "fine" despite his dodgy ankles flaring up again in training on Monday.

Given his greater experience, 24 caps, and more proven lineout rapport with his fellow Munstermen at lock, there must have been an argument for playing Sheahan. By contrast, it will be Best's first time to start in the Irish number-two jersey, his previous four appearances having totalled about 21 minutes or thereabouts, the bulk of which was a 13-minute cameo at the end of that defeat last time out in Perth.

Nonetheless, with Sheahan "only back on the horse a few weeks" after a serious injury, O'Sullivan maintained "this was one of the less-difficult ones, to be honest". Best, he said, "is a very skilful player, with a very high work-rate. He's a ball-carrier and a distributor, which, in terms of where the game is going, is someone who can distribute out of contact. He's very good at ruck time, his lineout throwing is very solid, so I think he's just a generally good all-round footballer and his form has been excellent for the last season."

Typically, O'Sullivan was disinclined to discuss the nitty gritty of individual selections, simply repeating all were form selections, including his "toughest" call, at blindside flanker.

Bearing in mind O'Sullivan's own observation that the mountainous Springbok back five might not have one player under 6ft 5ins, the case for recalling Easterby must have been strong.

The coach readily conceded he has been a huge admirer of the Llanelli flanker - Ireland captain this time last year.

"I've been involved with Simon Easterby for over 10 years, I selected him on an Irish under-21 team back in '96 - so it was a very tough call. But Neil has been playing really well," he said.

Whereas New Zealand coach Graham Henry happily announces a selection policy in advance of their November programme, and states that his selection for the second Test against France in Paris on Saturday week will be his first-choice team, O'Sullivan maintained he was always going to unveil his strongest team for the seasonal opener and then adopt a wait-and-see approach.

To what extent O'Sullivan might be inclined to employ more of a rotation system come the games against Australia and the Pacific Islands would, he declared, be dependent upon how much "elbow room" he had "to move the team around a wee bit", and by this he meant "a good performance" and most likely a win this Saturday. Were that followed with another win against Australia, then he intimated he would like to make a significant number of changes against the Pacific Islands.

Taken as a package, O'Sullivan said of the upcoming three Tests: "It would be great if we won three games but I'll always go back to three good performances, and hopefully within that look at expanding the squad or look at other options. And if that gets three wins, great, and if doesn't we'll have to see what it gets us."

A mere four players were ruled out through injury, for aside from Flannery only Johnny O'Connor, Anthony Horgan and Tommy Bowe are currently deemed hors de combat. This added to the significance of the A selection to play their Australian counterparts in Thomond Park next Wednesday, especially with the composition of the 30-man Irish World Cup squad in mind.

The stability of the Test selection is undoubtedly in part a tribute to the Irish system. But, praiseworthy and all as the Irish system is, it is not without its flaws and, as was forecast here a long while back, by also being kept back on a 10-week pre-season the biggest victim of the system is undoubtedly Mick O'Driscoll, who is competing against the resident Ireland and Lions locks at provincial level.

Twice in the squad during last season's Six Nations, O'Driscoll appeared in all three Tests during the summer tour, albeit where his versatility was accommodated in the back row and while O'Kelly was ruled out. Now, though, he has shot down the pecking order of back-up locks to such an extent (from third to sixth) that he is only on the bench for the As behind Matt McCullough and Trevor Hogan.

"If we're sticking to the principle of picking the guys on form, the only way you can judge form is on the guys who are playing and if a guy doesn't make his provincial team - and they all know how the land lies on this - it's very difficult to pick a guy into a national team who's not starting for his province, particularly in the Heineken Cup," said O'Sullivan.

Luke Fitzgerald's star continues to rise, despite not starting a European Cup game, with his selection at fullback. He is one of 10 Leinster players in the A squad, as is another rapidly emerging international of the future, all being well, reserve scrumhalf Cillian Willis.