With 14 of the Ireland team to face New Zealand this Saturday having won silverware this season there is an understandable air of optimism among the squad despite the good form not being replicated on the international stage thus far.
Seven of Ireland's pack and outhalf Ronan O'Gara are fresh from a Heineken Cup final win, the Leinster contingent including number eight Jamie Heaslip are Magner's League champions, while scrumhalf Eoin Reddan won the Guinness Premiership final with Wasps last weekend.
The odd one out is wing Tommy Bowe who, ironically, has been one of the better performers in an Ireland jersey this year.
Despite the rich vein of form, however, Ireland are still facing the All Blacks, a side they have never beaten - in 20 attempts.
No time like the present then, as the homeside look to cope without a host of established names.
Frontrowers Carl Hayman and Anton Oliver are out, enforcers Jerry Collins and Keith Robinson are also missing, while Tony Woodcock is suffering from a foot injury and is not available for Saturday's Test at Westpac Stadium.
Of the five players remaining from last year's World Cup squad in Saturday's starting forward pack only Ali Williams, Rodney So'oialo and captain Richie McCaw started the quarter-final defeat to France.
So'oialo will pack down at six this weekend with the recalled Jerome Kaino set to earn his third cap coming in at the back of the scrum.
Neemia Tialata, who was at the World Cup but did not play against France, starts at loosehead prop alongside hooker Andrew Hore and tighthead John Afoa, who is back in black for the first time since 2006 with lock Brad Thorn in the international fray for the first time since the 2003 World Cup in Australia.
On top of that, Saturday's Test will be the first match New Zealand have played since last year's World Cup failure.
No shortage of upheaval there, but despite the turmoil Ireland lock Donncha O'Callaghan does not believe the All Blacks have lost their edge up front.
"We've always respected the All Blacks forwards," he said. "Other people might run their mouth off on stuff like that but we certainly wouldn't.
"I think teams that perceive themselves to be bigger and stronger are going to make an issue out of it but it wouldn't be from us."
Unlike two years ago, when Ireland let chances to beat New Zealand slide, O'Callaghan believes the mental strength to put a game to bed is there now.
"If you ask any team, winning is kind of contagious, you get used to winning really close games. In the last 10 minutes, when you've been winning all season, you believe you can do it.
"That has happened to us a bit at Munster and hopefully we can carry it on into (this match). There is a self-belief now that we can win tight games.
"Hopefully, if Saturday is close, we might have the mental reserve where we didn't before.
"You look back two years ago with eight minutes to go we were two or three points up and you don't get many opportunities like that against the All Blacks. You've got to take them when they come about."
