They've got an Aussie and a Kiwi helping run their show off the field and Ireland's rugby players are prospering on the field.
With Australian David Nucifora as their performance director and New Zealander Joe Schmidt as their coach, Ireland have stormed to their highest world ranking of second heading into Saturday's Test decider against Australia in Sydney.
Ireland won 12 straight Tests before losing to the Wallabies in Brisbane, but hit back emphatically to win last week's match in Melbourne.
Northern hemisphere teams have often been the victims of end of season fatigue by the time they get to the last match of a tour in the southern hemisphere.
It's testament to the professionalism of the Irish program that their players have no complaints about that issue as they come to the end of a demanding but hugely successful campaign.
"We've been really well managed while we've been out here, the boys feel really fresh," Ireland halfback Conor Murray said.
"The coaches and the medics know exactly what they are doing with us.
"This year, out of every year year I've played a good few minutes, I've never felt fresher and I think that's the case for a lot of the lads
"The kind of buzz, the energy at training, you wouldn't guess it's the last game of the year."
Nucifora, who coached the Brumbies and Blues in Super Rugby, with Schmidt his assistant at the latter franchise, has overseen the widely admired Irish program.
"Some of the things that have really underpinned the success that Irish rugby has had this year have been things that we've been working on now for two or three seasons," Nucifora said in Sydney.
"The player management program is always something that is widely spoken about and other countries are trying to emulate.
"We've continued to work hard on developing that further to make sure that we do have the best management program in world rugby."
Nucifora explained why Ireland knocked back the offer to play women's Tests in double headers on the Australian tour.
"The opportunity that was presented to us was really to suit the Australian requirements," Nucifora said
'They have a series coming up against New Zealand, they are looking for some warm-up games. For us, we need to do what's best for Irish rugby,' Nucifora said.
"We've obviously got a number of our (15-a-side) girls who are busy preparing for a (sevens) World Cup in San Francisco next month and they wouldn't be available for a tour down here.
"We need to do what's best for Irish rugby, not what's best for Australian rugby and that decision was made along those lines."
Share
