All Blacks' main mission

Richie McCaw at training in Dublin. Ross Land / Getty Images

Horseracing is a massive part of life in Dublin, a city where New Zealand open their quest tomorrow for a different type of sporting double.

For the first leg, the All Blacks are warm favourites to conquer the Irish at Lansdowne Rd, but a week later their NZFRU employers are more of a longshot to win the rights to host the 2011 World Cup.

Despite public expressions of transparency, the World Cup vote is an ugly three-ringed circus where promises, politics, financial arrangements and the old-boys' network merge to arrange a result.

Predicting the outcome of many internationals is tricky but sorting a winner from the 12th Dublin meeting between the All Blacks and Ireland is less complicated than assessing an IRB decision.

The locals will deliver a passionate performance which could create some misfires in the All Blacks alternative XV. If the weather also stays dirty, the chances of a reverse for the tourists will rise.

But listening to those who regularly assess Irish rugby indicates a fair gap between the locals' gifts and the All Blacks, even the substitute side picked this weekend.

The tone seems to be that an Irish triumph would be even more remarkable than seeing Shergar, the equine equivalent of Lord Lucan, appearing as well.

Springbok coach Jake White gambled with an experimental selection last year against Ireland and came unstuck.

But there is a healthy strand of test experience through the All Blacks to coax John Afoa and Jason Eaton through their debuts - although there will be plenty of anxiety too. It has been three weeks since the side assembled in Auckland, and even longer for many since they last played.

That inactivity showed in lapses of combination against Wales and the less than fluid performance from a quality player like Tana Umaga.

Some picked this week, such as Ma'a Nonu and Sione Lauaki, must have been borderline selections for the tour. Sitiveni Sivivatu returns from injury and first five-eighths Nick Evans missed the initial cut.

Everyone will be pushing extra hard, aware that for all the talk about World Cup development this is their audition for next week's game against England - the international which looks as though it will decide the Grand Slam.

Before the All Blacks left, the selectors assessed their foes and chose two mixes they considered would cope with Wales then Ireland. As expected the panel has made noises about the equality of the XVs and their complete faith in each.

Some of that is hype, some nonsense when you single out someone like Daniel Carter who has daylight behind him as the premier first five-eighths.

If the All Blacks win tomorrow at Lansdowne Rd, the selectors will then have to mesh the best choices from the 30 who have started the opening tests. That will take a little time while England will have had the luxury of getting started against the Wallabies.

From the latest All Black pack, loosehead prop Tony Woodcock, lock Ali Williams and flanker Richie McCaw are certainties, if they stay healthy, for the England international.

On the second line of favouritism just behind them are hooker Keven Mealamu, second five-eighths Aaron Mauger and halfback Piri Weepu shadowed by wing Doug Howlett.

Mealamu and Weepu will be in the mix, it is just a case of whether it is best to start them or use them as impact players behind Anton Oliver or Byron Kelleher.

Weepu gave several classy displays in the Tri-Nations when Kelleher was on medical leave and a repeat tomorrow should increase the time spent on the halfback choice for England.

The decision of where best to use captain Tana Umaga will determine Mauger's continued selection. He had a quieter NPC but in concert with his captain was a potent midfield combination through the Lions and Tri-Nations series.

Umaga seems to be more at ease at centre and if the panel concurs that will be a boon for Mauger and a consolation for Conrad Smith.

Against Wales, Rico Gear set the benchmark for wingplay on this tour.

Howlett was sharp when called on for the final Bledisloe Cup test and during the NPC and this choice may be a split decision.

If the result of tomorrow's test is as close, there may have to be a decent rethink about the tourists' strategies.