O'Sullivan was reacting to the news that Springbok coach Jake White believes the Triple Crown champions will kick much more than in their 31-17 loss in the first Test in Bloemfontein.

We have been practising running the ball, OSullivan said. We don't want a downpour on Saturday. It doesn't suit anybody. If we have to, we will and have made plans accordingly as I am sure South Africa have done.

It is not the first time it has rained in Cape Town. It will spoil the game for everybody if it is wet and miserable.

In the only change to the starting line-up from Bloemfontein winger Shane Horgan, who scored the solitary try for the Irish last weekend, has been moved from wing to centre at the expense of the experienced Kevin Maggs, with Tyrone Howe filling the wing vacancy.

O'Sullivan conceded that the selection process was not easy and he was sorry not to have been able to find a place for Maggs.

It was a difficult choice but it is a different mix in the middle of the field that I want to look at.

(Brian) O'Driscoll and (Marcus) Horan played together in the European Cup for Leinster although Horan has not played much for Ireland at centre.

It isn't exactly the same dynamic as we have with Gordon DArcy or the same dynamic we have with Kevin Maggs. It is something in between. We are looking to see how it works. If our pack gives us a platform, we will have a hell of a crack at it.

O'Sullivan added that his team feel that they owe it too themselves to make amends for the disappointing performance in Bloemfontein.

I don't want to make excuses but we looked leaden-footed at the weekend to say the least. I am conscious at the moment that training the guys hard at this stage is just going to make them more tired and not get anything done.

But we have to be very focused in the time we have on the pitch and the response has been good. The team are disappointed at last week's performance.

There is no hiding from the fact that we under-performed as a team. They are more annoyed with themselves than anything else.

Ireland team: Girvan Dempsey, Geordan Murphy, Brian ODriscoll (capt), Shane Horgan, Tyrone Howe, Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer; Anthony Foley, David Wallace, Simon Easterby, Paul O'Connell, Malcolm O'Kelly, John Hayes, Shane Byrne, Reggie Corrigan.

Replacements: Frankie Sheahan, Marcus Horan, Donncha O'Callaghan, Alan Quinlan, Guy Easterby, David Humphreys, Kevin Maggs.