Australian rugby coach Robbie Deans has warned reputations will count for little ahead of selection for the Wallabies' first Test of the year, against Ireland in Melbourne on Saturday night.

Since taking over as national coach just a week ago after steering the Crusaders to their seventh Super rugby title, the New Zealander has kept the 30-man squad guessing.

He wasn't about to give away his starting line-up before Wednesday's selection announcement and said each player in the squad started on equal pegging.

"You can see the form running in will guide the selection but in terms of the contest itself, reputations count for nothing," Deans said after arriving in Melbourne.

"I'm not too concerned about what's happened in the past. Obviously we've considered Super rugby performances in gathering the group but our focus now is entirely on what happens from now."

Despite his limited time in the coaching role, Deans said he expected the players to adapt quickly to his game plan.

"Hopefully it will be about six days," he quipped.

"You always prepare to win, that's what we'll be aiming for but to get there, there's a lot of steps you have to take along the way and that's what we'll be concentrating on."

The Irish opened their southern hemisphere tour with a 21-11 loss to the All Blacks, after holding them to 8-8 at halftime in a match played in brutally cold conditions in Wellington.

Ireland managed a try to Paddy Wallace, while Ronan O'Gara kicked two penalty goals and pushed the home side until the final whistle, but they were unable to match tries to Sitiveni Sivivatu, and Ma'a Nonu and three penalties and a conversion by five-eighth Dan Carter.

With the Australians, minus the Waratahs who lost to the Crusaders in the Super 14 final, not playing for almost a month, Deans said it would be a major challenge for his players to match the physicality of the Irish.

"The conditions were pretty inhibiting. I was very impressed with the physicality of it and the Irish clearly have some big frames and they'll be looking to use them," he said.

"That fixture was very intense around the contact.

"One of our challenges will be stepping up to that level of intensity in game one."

With the Telstra Dome roof set to be closed, the weather won't be a factor which was something Deans was pleased by, and no doubt the Irish with captain Brian O'Driscoll commenting after the New Zealand match he'd never played in colder conditions.

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