It is another opportunity, and our guys do not want to miss it.”. “They were tired and they were beaten up but they had a sick feeling in their stomachs – not quite as bad as Telstra Dome after losing to Australia in the World Cup, but not far off You had the chance to do something and you missed it Still, they are in our backyard now. For a group of players who have been asked to change focus suddenly from Heineken Cup to Test-match rugby, there has been an energy and purpose that has impressed the coach. As Bloemfontein and Cape Town are recalled in the coming days, this can only intensify.”I can remember the atmosphere in that changing-room,” says O’Sullivan.

Meanwhile, he says he is still unsure about a couple of positions in his own team – he would surely have preferred it if Wasps had not needed Johnny O’Connor to play on Friday night.Training has gone well, however. He knows they will be stronger for the presence of the centre De Wet Barry, who missed the June Tests, and the winger Ashwin Willemse. You cannot just say to a player, ‘You’re not going to be at the next World Cup so you’ve no part in this team.’ That would be a nonsense.”It would be nice to think the Springboks are on a slightly downward, end-of-season curve, but O’Sullivan knows this is improbable – more likely, they are looking to end their season on a blast. As for Argentina, that will be a full-metal-jacket Test, as it always is against them I would like to begin expanding, building for the future. Then again, you’ve got to make sure you win those games – USA scared the pants off France during the summer [losing 31-39 in Hartford].”It’s easy to say I should put young guys in, but it’s still Test rugby and they are inexperienced It could unravel. You are hoping you might be able to get some guys on the pitch for the USA game.

The Heineken Cup has been very good, but it’s still not Test rugby. But that’s effectively it.”What’s hurting us at the moment is there are no A internationals,” O’Sullivan says “I have to begin to try and build for the next World Cup. There is a two-Test series in Japan next June – Niall O’Donovan will take over the coaching reins of the team while O’Sullivan is in New Zealand on Lions duty, assisted by either Michael Bradley, Mark McCall or both. And with the 2007 World Cup in mind, the coach admits that in a 50-50, all-things- being-equal situation, he will favour younger players.The problem is getting opportunities to experiment.