All Blacks: Ireland confident of upset

The blarney has begun.

Ireland rugby coach Declan Kidney says his players are confident of thwarting the All Blacks' Grand Slam ambitions and Wayne Smith expects a tougher adversary that the team that struggled to subdue Samoa last weekend.

With the Brian O'Driscoll spear tackle controversy now five years past and the great haka debate so far yet to create a stir, the build-up to Sunday's (NZT) test at the new-look Lansdowne Rd venue opened tamely with the usual platitudes today.

A 10-point win over Samoa hardly appears the ideal preparation for a side that almost put a half century past Scotland but Kidney said his squad would be mentally sound even if he seemed to contradict Ronan O'Gara, the stand-in captain against the Pacific Islanders.

The first five-eighth reckoned "confidence is quite low" after the Samoans exposed serious deficiencies but Kidney disagreed.

"I don't think it (confidence) is that bad, our confidence is going to be a little bit better going into this week," he said.

"Anxiety will always be there when you've lost a few (four) matches."

The All Blacks also played the game, talking up another opponent that has never beaten New Zealand in 105 years of rivalry - assistant coach Smith echoed the complimentary assessment Scotland received before they were hammered 49-3 at Murrayfield.

"They'll be disappointed with Samoa no doubt, but they could have pinched the South African test (lost 21-23) at the end.

"I think they've just got to click, they're like the rest of us when you start a campaign you get a bit rusty.

"You saw that with Scotland and England against us."

There was also an upside for the Irish despite their 66-28 defeat at New Plymouth in June with Smith citing the four tries the All Blacks conceded during a disjointed second half as proof Kidney's men can shed their inhibitions and play expansively.

Smith also gave O'Driscoll a ringing endorsement despite suggestions the 31-year-old, 105-test veteran, was fading as a midfield force.

"O'Driscoll is probably the best midfielder in world," he said, momentarily neglecting Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith.

"If you look at his contact skills he's as good as ever. He's still got power and agility."

Meanwhile, Kidney appealed for Irish fans to get moving to the ticket office and at least ensure the All Blacks endure a hostile atmosphere.

He said Ireland's cause this autumn has not been helped by poor attendances at their new home - only 30,955 witnessed Samoa getting beaten unconvincingly.

Kidney insists the small crowds inevitably had an effect on the players.

"If you arrive at the ground 75 minutes before kick-off and it's half-full, then it's three-quarters full when you're warming up and then it's a full house when you come out, the adrenaline flows more freely," he said.

Ireland have delayed their team naming from Tuesday to Thursday - mirroring the All Blacks strategy.

The fitness of prop Cian Healy is being watched after he sustained a dead leg against Samoa, while fullback Rob Kearney was making encouraging progress from the knee injury suffered against the Springboks.

Veteran fullback Geordan Murphy has also been added to the squad for the first time this autumn.

- NZPA