IRELAND TOUR/John O'Sullivan/Letter from Fremantle:The only game in town, Perth, is Aussie Rules football. Rugby union resembles the maiden aunt who comes to stay for the weekend once in a blue moon. They're happy to see her but secure in the knowledge she'll be gone by Sunday.
There is no distraction for the locals in Australia's clash with Ireland at the Subiaco Oval today. No, their mood swings will be determined by how the Western Eagles Aussie Rules football team, soaring high in second place in the league, fare tomorrow at the same venue.
On the streets of Perth during the week there was precious little evidence of today's Test match. Ireland, ensconced 15 kilometres down the coast in Fremantle, visited the city on just one occasion, some players availing of a mid-week day off to get a headstart on stockpiling World Cup merchandise.
The Australian team only arrived late on Wednesday night from their Coffs Harbour base outside Sydney and have divided their time between the Duxton Hotel, nestled in Perth's financial district, and yesterday's captain's run at the Subiaco.
It therefore seemed slightly surreal accepting an invitation from the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) to a press briefing outlining their plans for the World Cup, which takes place in October and November in a city that is on no more than a nodding acquaintance with the sport.
Perth will be one of the 10 cities that host pool matches but that owes much to the ARU's politicking to get a franchise for Western Australia when, as expected, the Super 12 becomes the Super 14 in a couple of years' time.
Given the thoroughness with which the Australian rugby team prepares, it is hardly surprising that the administration of World Cup affairs appears well orchestrated. The ARU has 200 full-time staff working on the project and that will increase to 650, augmented by 800 volunteers, at tournament time.
Italy and Tonga may have grumbled about the draw for the final pools, but all the competing teams have signed the participation agreement. In May the manager or coach from every competing nation was invited to view hotels and training facilities. The ARU's head of media and communications, Strath Gordon, is content that the facilities met with approval.
"Accommodation, training facilities and transport have been tailored to meet with the specific requirements of each competing nation. All teams are treated equally. It doesn't matter whether you're number one or number 20, you get the same standards of training facilities and team hotels," he insists.
Despite complaints from several countries, only 30 players and 12 members of management per team will be officially accredited. There is permission to bring in extra coaching staff but they will not be given the same access on match days as those accredited.
On the demarcation lines between the hosts (the ARU), the owners (the IRB), and the Australian government, Gordon raised a few smiles: "The government is investing heavily in the tournament but the ARU is the host union, something that you have to remind them of from time to time. The tournament is owned by the International Board (IRB). It is not an event being run by a government, unlike the Sydney Olympics."
The Australians are planning a "céad míle fáilte" that assigns each team to a different community or locality.
Security is also an issue to which the host union has devoted much time and thought. Gordon admitted: "New South Wales, which is hosting most of the games, is going to be the lead agency for all of that security activity. Obviously the federal government has a role to play in terms of borders.
"The venues themselves will provide private security like any Test match but even their activities are being directed by a template which is designed by the New South Wales security services and applicable at every match venue. We have appointed a security co-ordinator, a 'chicken strangler', Jim Phillips, formerly of the SAS. His job is to put all this together."
The emphasis is on participation within the host cities and those unable to get tickets will be catered for with big screens at central city sites.
In terms of public interest, the response from the Australian public has been overwhelming. Gordon explained that of the 2.2 million tickets available for all the matches, most of the Australian allocation had been snapped up. A further 300,000 go on sale here from August 18th.
"We are only allowed to sell to Australians and we have sold 1.1 million tickets to date. We put tickets on sale to the general public in October-November last year and then we ran a ballot for the prime matches, the big games. No match is sold out.
"From August 18th, anyone in Australia can go and buy a ticket for any game."
Ireland holds the distinction of being the only participant in the finals for whom all tickets released in Australia to date for each of their four matches have already sold out.
On a more frivolous note, the Irish team unveiled their new mascot, Broc, at the captain's run in the Subiaco Oval yesterday. He will continue in this role for the World Cup and beyond. The only snag is that Broc, short for Brocaire (meaning terrier), means something else entirely. Our school Irish suggests that Broc actually means badger.
