Eddie O'Sullivan will ensure Ireland enter this weekend's clash against Australia oozing self-confidence after their victory over the Wallabies in November. That historic 18-9 triumph at a sodden Lansdowne Road was Ireland's first over the Wallabies since 1979.
The players lapped up the adulation of Irish supporters, and O'Sullivan will use those scenes to inspire his men before Saturday's showdown at the Telstra Dome.
"If you have beaten a team before, you believe you can beat them again," O'Sullivan said. "You have to set your stall out properly, you have got to get the right mindset to go and do it - but there shouldn't be any doubt in your mind that it is achievable.
"We have a good history against Australia. We have got to believe we can win this game. It is a while since we have won a game in Australia and it is a very difficult task beating the Wallabies away. It's difficult but it is a possibility. We have to believe we can do it.
"We understand that if we get it right on the day we can give Australia a hell of a game," he said. "But we have huge respect for them as a team and we know if we get it wrong we could get a pounding because Australia have that firepower to punish you."
O'Sullivan suspects the Irish support that flooded into Adelaide for their victory over Argentina last weekend will be replicated in Melbourne, with as many as 25,000 expected at the Telstra Dome.
"The one thing the guys want to do, as well as win, is to go out and play well in a green shirt and give the fans something to cheer about," said O'Sullivan. "There is a bit of pressure on the team to go out, hit the ground running and get the crowd behind them, because my feeling is the crowd will be split 50-50 in the Telstra Dome on Saturday - and when you are 12,000 miles from home that is a hell of an achievement."
Kevin Maggs and Victor Costello are recovering from knocks sustained in the bruising encounter with Argentina.
O'Sullivan reiterated he has no plans to risk anyone ahead of Ireland's quarter-final, even though victory over Australia would book a last eight meeting with Scotland or Fiji rather than French.
