With O’Donovan having discussed the composition of his side for Sunday’s first Test with O’Sullivan from his New Zealand base, they have fashioned a mix of old-and-new to take on the Cherry Blossoms, ranked 17th in the world.

The road to the 2007 World Cup selection will begin this weekend for the likes of debutants Matt McCullough and Roger Wilson, so too young backs Gavin Duffy, who fills Brian O’Driscoll’s number-13 shirt, and Tommy Bowe, who lined out for the U21s this past season after making a try-scoring senior debut against the United States in November.

O’Donovan knows this tour’s success depends not just on racking up Ireland’s seventh and eighth wins of a 10-game season but also on providing O’Sullivan with an extended pool of players for the autumn Tests against Romania, New Zealand and Australia – and beyond.

“It was never going to be a case of just throwing a bunch of young players together. We’re here to win two Test matches – that is the priority,” said O’Donovan in Osaka, the venue for Sunday’s opener.

“We’re also trying to widen the pool of players available at senior level. So if we manage to get six or seven players from this group to add to the regular pool then it will have been a successful trip.

“There’s a good opportunity for some of the younger guys to put themselves in the management’s minds – to play well and put their foot in the door, so to speak.”

While O’Donovan’s selection which contains O’Sullivan regulars – Girvan Dempsey, Kevin Maggs, captain David Humphreys, Peter Stringer and Frankie Sheahan – is quite a onservative one, the centre nod for Harlequins full-back Duffy is an interesting one.

“Looking at who is missing from the squad, almost our entire backline is away with the Lions.

“That gives us a good chance to experiment and an opportunity to see how Gavin goes in the centre,” added long-time forwards coach O’Donovan.

“He’s done well before when he’s come on as a replacement, most notably when he scored a try against Scotland in the Six Nations. He has the ability to play a number of positions which is great from a coach’s point of view.”

The Irish squad had a day off training today, travelling to Kyoto to visit the Kiyomizu Temple.

They resume on-field work tomorrow with Ulster fly-half Humphreys set for his first captain’s run in two seasons.

The 33-year-old’s last outing as skipper, almost two years to the day, saw Ireland succumb to a 45-16 defeat at the hands of Australia in Perth.