Instead, and probably quite sensibly, O'Sullivan emphasised that the performance must come first and then, maybe, all the extras might come tumbling after. "I don't think you can wear that [taking risks] as your mantra for a game like this. You've got to go out and focus on a big performance. If you create the environment of a big performance, you can achieve that goal. You can't go out and be reckless in a test game and expect things will work out.

You've got to be measured in what you do. Certainly, there may be some point in the game, I don't know when, where we may have to look at throwing caution to the wind.

It's not an orthodox situation.

I think you've got to go out with the headset of getting the performance right and setting out your stall as you always would. I think if we do that, then what we want from there will follow on."

His captain, sitting on his right, insisted that all calls on whether to kick penalties at goal or to put them into the corner will be made out on the pitch and won't adhere to some pre-ordained plan.

"I'm not someone who thinks through these kinds of things, " said Brian O'Driscoll.

"I'm more of a react-in-thenow kind of person. There have been times before where I've had difficult decisions in the past and I've got some of them right and maybe some wrong in hindsight. But it's only when you get out there on the pitch and see how things are going, when you get the feel of the team and how your momentum is. It'll be that and obviously consulting the likes of Ronan [O'Gara] and Paul [O'Connell]."

O'Sullivan also confirmed that Andrew Trimble will be unable to take his place on the bench today because of an infection to his finger, and that Connacht's Gavin Duffy will take his spot in the replacements. The coach also gave some positive news concerning Ulster prop Simon Best, who fell ill during the week.

"He has been diagnosed as having an irregular heartbeat, the cause of which we don't know and will probably never know, " O'Sullivan stated. "He's had a scan on his heart on and got the all clear and as soon as they're happy for him to travel back home, he'll be released. That probably won't happen until Tuesday."