Despite the managing of player workloads, namely Seán O'Brien, in Carton House this week the Irish management were able to report that Tommy Bowe, who picked up a bruised calf against Samoa, trained and is expected to win his 53rd cap against Australia on Saturday.

Paul O'Connell will lead the team onto the field, with Jamie Heaslip as vice captain, so Joe Schmidt must decide who will partner the Munster player in the secondrow.

It looks like a straight call between Devin Toner and Mike McCarthy.

Defence coach Les Kiss spoke yesterday about the value of Toner on the tour of North America last summer, when he ran the lineout, a duty he also admirably completed in last Saturday's 40-9 defeat of Samoa. He continued to make the calls even when O'Connell came into the fray on 54 minutes.

But that would mean going into battle without McCarthy, a player who brings “a bit of mongrel” to proceedings, as Kiss noted this afternoon.

McCarthy appears the marginal favourite as he is a tighthead lock by trade, but O’Connell can and has played in both positions.

Kiss, incidentally, was assistant to Wallaby head coach Ewen McKenzie at the New South Wales Waratahs until being hired before the IRFU for the 2009/09 season.

Other positions under serious review are scrumhalf, inside centre, outhalf and openside flanker.

The latter two slots will probably be filled by a fit again Jonathan Sexton and O'Brien, in a straight swap for Chris Henry, who injured a hamstring against Samoa.

Last weekend's official man of the match, Jack McGrath, will come under pressure from Leinster team-mate Cian Healy. Declan Fitzpatrick was slated to do media yesterday so that indicates the Ulster prop will be retained in the 23 as cover for Mike Ross.

Both Ireland and Australia release their teams on Thursday.