If the current team have raised expectations for the 2001 championship, however, the long-term future is even more encouraging.

While the RFU continue to fumble with the complexities of the professional game and work themselves into a frenzy over league structures and player contracts, the Irish appear to have the job sorted.

A total of 110 players are contracted to the Irish Rugby Football Union while a unified approach to domestic rugby has produced huge spin-offs for the national team.

‘‘I think Irish rugby in general has seen a change,’’ said international winger Denis Hickie, who will make his comeback from a broken hand against France. ‘‘European competition has been very good for the provinces.

‘‘I think there was an inferiority complex going to great clubs like Bath, Cardiff and Toulouse, places we’d only heard about. It was the club game that prevailed here, not the provincial game.

‘‘But Irish teams have adapted well to professionalism and the success that they’ve had over the last couple of years has filtered through to the national side.

‘‘The two are not completely a reflexion of each other but the exposure been very good for Irish rugby and, as a result, there is a bit of a buzz generally about rugby in Ireland at the moment.’’

Ireland coach Warren Gatland must be eternally grateful for the European Cup success of Ulster and, more recently Munster, and the proposed new Celtic League, involving the four Irish provinces and teams from Scotland and Wales, promises to provide intensive rugby for his players on an even more regular basis.

Brian O’Driscoll, also returning from injury on Saturday, admitted: ‘‘Our standards at provincial level have picked up a huge amount and, with new Celtic League coming along next year, we’re going to be playing with our provincial sides more and more.

‘‘I think they’ve got the structure right in Ireland and that’s enabled players to come back and play a quality standard of rugby week in week out.’’

Of the 22 players in action at Lansdowne Road on Saturday, all but three play their rugby in the AIB League, a far cry from the situation only three years ago when the home-based men were outnumbered three to one.

That is not to say, however, that the one-way traffic has been halted once and for all.

Zurich Premiership clubs would love to get their hands on Leinster golden boy O’Driscoll while Northampton and Sale have already made approaches for St Mary’s prop Emmet Byrne, who made his international debut in Ireland’s opening championship win in Rome 11 days ago.

O’Driscoll, arguably the hottest property in the northern hemisphere, has not ruled out one day trying his hand in England.

‘‘Never say never,’’ is his stock reply to the inevitable query over a move to the Premiership.

‘‘It’s probably worth asking me later in my career. I’m now enjoying life in Ireland. I’m still living at home, I have Irish friends, an Irish girlfriend, everything is just nice and handy at the moment.

‘‘That’s not to say it’s not going to change with development in life. I might want to experience new things and new cultures. I would never rule it out.’’