New Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom has identified Ireland and Wales as the major threats to his side on a Grand Slam tour Robbie Deans says will be of huge value to Australian rugby.

While a small contingent of players departed for Japan on Friday, Deans and the majority of the squad left Sydney on Saturday evening.

The seven-match schedule starts with a Bledisloe Cup clash with New Zealand in Tokyo next Saturday and also includes Tests against the four Home Unions England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Deans' side will also play two midweek non-internationals against English club side Gloucester and Welsh outfit Cardiff.

Elsom is embarking on his first traditional Spring tour since 2006 following a World Cup campaign in 2007 and a successful stint with Irish province Leinster last year.

His time with Leinster, who he helped to win the Heineken Cup, gave him an appreciation of the qualities of European rugby, especially Ireland, who won their first Grand Slam in 61 years.

"Ireland have got a lot of attacking potential and they are going to be difficult," Elsom told AAP before the team's departure.

"They were playing really well last year, they had a lot of really good games and probably better than I'd seen them play for a long time.

"But there's also Wales who have been very successful the last few years and are really comfortable with the way they play.

"But I don't think we're going to get too many easy games."

Deans was characteristically cagey and practicably non-committal when asked who he regarded as the major threats to Australia's attempt to duplicate the Grand Slam-winning achievements of the legendary 1984 Wallabies squad.

"You know the answer you are going to get," a smiling Deans said at Sydney Airport.

"They (all four Home Unions) will have benefited from the experience of those who were involved in the British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa.

"They will take a lot out of those games and take it back to their home nations."

While some morale-boosting wins would be nice following a five-five record so far this year, Deans stressed Australia stood to gain further benefits from the tour.

"Outcomes aside, this tour is going to be of huge value to Australian rugby, there's no doubt about that," Deans said.

"The amount of rugby the players are going to get, the context of the games, the intensity as a result that will unfold in those contests and some great destinations we are playing at.

"This group is going to be better for the experience, either way."

Injuries permitting, all 35 players including the seven uncapped squad members stand to get some playing time during the overseas campaign.

"There's a fair bit of excitement to be honest because it's unusual going away on a tour with everyone anticipating and expecting to start a game, but this group can expect to get rugby, everyone of them."

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