The only pity looking towards Wednesday's game at Thomond Park is that Australia, sorry Australia 'A', are playing Ireland 'A' and not Munster, although with the province's form so miserable this season when their internationals are away, at least the 10,000 or so who are expected to head to the game during the week are guaranteed something close to a decent game of rugby. Of what exact standard, we're not quite sure because there are a couple of different thought paths you can wander down when talking about 'A' internationals. There are those out there who believe them to be one step above Heineken Cup level, but surely European club rugby's premier competition is of a more exacting nature, particularly seeing that 'A' fixtures usually involve about three days preparation for players who've rarely, if ever, played together. Perhaps, then, that last factor is the real worth of these games, seeing how certain players react and operate outside their own, usually cosy, provincial settings.

In that sense, there are a number of interesting case studies in the strong side that Eddie O'Sullivan has picked, but Michael Bradley will coach, for Wednesday. Luke Fitzgerald, named at full-back barely three months after getting his Leaving Cert results, has come a long way in an awful short period of time, aided and abetted by an open-minded coaching team at Leinster, and also, it must be admitted, by Eddie O'Sullivan, who's cast aside his conservative tendencies to throw the 19-year-old in at what is something close to the deep end.

If Fitzgerald can do what's expected at full-back, and throw in a couple of those delightful breaks here and there, he could well put himself in contention for a World Cup squad place. Another who can do something similar in the backline is Barry Murphy. Having made his way back impressively from a horrific injury, the Munster centre has looked bright in a couple of Heineken Cup matches, and he also appears to have bulked up considerably during the healing process. Although Thomond Park doesn't represent anything close to new territory for him, a decent performance here and it'll be more difficult for him to leave O'Sullivan's plans than it was for him to get into them in the first place.

Stephen Ferris sits in a similar category to Fitzgerald and Murphy, and while he's being picked out of position at blindside flanker for this game, it's his physical abrasiveness that O'Sullivan will be most interested in testing on Wednesday. A decent game for the Ulster man against Australia 'A', could see him come into the senior match-day squad for the fixture against the Pacific Islands, and if O'Sullivan is feeling particularly experimental, Trevor Hogan, Matt McCullough and Jamie Heaslip could also work their way into contention for that final November game.

Hogan has been in fine form for Leinster so far this season and regular rugby appears to be agreeing with him, while Heaslip, with his superb ball-carrying ability and general rugby brain, can count himself unlucky not to have earned a full cap already. As for McCullough, he seems to be rated by O'Sullivan and looks likely to be in his plans over the coming 10 months, but why is a different question entirely.

Which brings us to the confusing position of Ireland 'A's half-backs. Eoin Reddan hasn't been in the best of form this season for Wasps, but he's a more likely candidate to eventually fill Peter Stringer's boots than Isaac Boss and that will be proven in the build-up to the World Cup.

As for Jeremy Staunton, he must be utterly confused as to what O'Sullivan wants from him but the chance to start a game at number 10, with the Irish coach watching closely, should be looked upon as a boon. During the summer, he collected a whole host of splinters in his backside in Australia and New Zealand, while Paddy Wallace got to fulfil his job description and actually play in the Churchill Cup in the US and Canada. Now Wallace is the one who's likely to freeze his arse off in the coming weeks, allowing Staunton the opportunity on Wednesday to show just how far he's developed his game over the past 12 months.

For the out-half in particular, the 'A' international could prove as good as the real thing, and the coach himself seems to have a genuine appetite for the fixture.

"I'm very excited about this team because there are guys in the starting XV who are seasoned professionals and they know how it works, and there are some young guys who are going to be cut loose in Limerick, " he said, in a fairly animated state, during the week. "It's going to be a very tough day for the Australians. It's going to be a great game of rugby but I know the guys who are on the Ireland 'A' team know that it's a great opportunity for them as well. The Pacific Islands game is coming up, and obviously the World Cup, so it's a decent showcase for a lot of players."

ccronin@tribune. ie IRELAND 'A' v AUSTRALIA 'A' Wednesday, Thomond Park, 7.30