O’Sullivan says he is further fortified in the knowledge that “there is a great buzz in the camp at the moment.

"It was evident in our training at home before we departed following our three World Cup warm up games and the question was could we bring it with us to Australia. Well we have brought that energy and intensity with us and that is a good sign.”

Ireland play the first of their four Pool A games in nearby Gosford on Saturday week against Romania.

That opener and the following Test against Namibia in Sydney a week later is reckoned to provide Ireland with an easy entrée to tougher following games against Argentina and champions Australia.

But O’Sullivan drew on a horse racing analogy to rebuke suggestions that Ireland might make light of those early ties.

“We have four hurdles to jump to get to the quarter finals and if we are thinking of the third hurdle before we jump the first we are likely to fall on our faces.

"It is a good analogy and we will be giving every game our full attention.” he said to knock on the head any perception that the Irish might fail to give the early games due recognition.

O’Sullivan heaped special praise on key players Keith Wood and Brian O’Driscoll who are commanding most attention in Australia on account of their reputations from the Lions tour of two years ago.

Of Wood’s influence, the coach said: “It is great to have him back after injury – he has missed about 20 Tests for us. Most people had written him off. But a testament to the guy is that he never gave up hope.

"He is retiring after the World Cup and I know he wants to give it his best shot and go out as high as he can in the game and everybody knows in the game he is a pretty special player.

"Not just for what he can do on the field, but also off it he is a very good leader and he has that respect in the squad. He is a very important person in our whole machine.”

Of star midfield performer O’Driscoll, coach O’Sullivan said: “I think everybody around the world respects him as an incredible game breaker with ball in hand. I think in recent times his game has rounded out and he is putting other people into space.

"This is the perfect foil if people close him down. It is something he has been working on. He’s still very young at 24. He has captained his country – he has a Lions tour under his belt – he’s very young but he is mature in terms of rugby.

"I think he has a phenomenal career in front of him. All that makes him very interesting to look and watch.

"I think the attraction is to see Brian O’Driscoll in action. He is a pressure player. He does deliver under pressure which makes him pretty special.”