He speaking after today’s announcement of the team to face Australia on Saturday in the Aviva, with Ireland hoping to make it three wins from three for the November series.

“Some of these southern hemisphere guys probably don’t know your name,” he said. “That’s the impression you get, but that won’t be the case with Cheika.”

Cheika managed Leinster for 5 years between 2005 and 2010 and, although this is only his fourth game in charge of the Wallabies, Ross expects to see his influence in their play on Saturday.

“Any team that he puts out fronts up and wants to win collisions, I’m sure Australia won’t be any different this weekend,” Ross said.

Michael Cheika

The prop was asked why he thinks it is that southern hemisphere teams seem much less focused on their opponents, whether it was a cultural difference.

“I think probably they’re more worried about getting their own stuff right,” Ross said. “And, especially when you look at New Zealand’s results, you can’t really argue with their approach.”

He also said there were big differences between the approaches of Cheika and Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt.

“Cheika is a bit more fire and brimstone than Joe would be, different coaching approaches but they’re both pretty effective,” he said.

“I think Joe has brought in a focus like never before on people knowing their roles. Knowing exactly what they need to do in every phase perfectly, that’s how the game plan works, if one guy is out of synch it affects the whole thing.”

At 34 Ross is one of the oldest in the Ireland squad, but he is one of only two players who have been in the starting 15 of all three games in this test series.

He was asked how he felt about going into games at less than 100% fitness, but said he felt that was almost unattainable in competitive rugby.

“Bar pre-season most guys will go into games with a bit of a niggle, I think that’s true in the majority of cases,” he said. “You’re never going to feel 100%, but if you’re 95% that’s generally good enough.”

Ross didn’t played with Leinster in the month leading up to Ireland’s first game of the series, against South Africa earlier in the month.

He said the important thing was for players to take responsibility for understanding their own fitness levels and using good judgement.

“You just have to go by how you feel yourself. If you feel you’re offering value to the group, whatever level you feel you’re at, then you go ahead.

“If you feel that you’re going to be a hindrance then it’s on you to be honest, and put your hand up and say, ‘Look, I’m not right for this.’”