Australia captain Rocky Elsom is going to ground this week in Dublin, at least until the final whistle blows on Sunday night, after which the party can begin. Win, lose or draw. And everybody is invited.
It is difficult to think of a more popular sportsman in the Irish capital than the powerhouse Australian flanker after his heroics in Leinster colours last season. Although he always stands his round, Elsom need not ever buy a drink in Dublin again, a considerable state of bliss by any criteria.
Leading by example up front, his sheer physical presence and devotion to the cause added steel to Leinster's pack, brought out the best in others and allowed the backs to do their stuff.
Leinster's Heineken Cup triumph was a superb team effort but it probably would not have happened without Elsom. He, more than anybody, transformed them from talented underachievers to ruthless, hard-nosed winners.
Such is the whirlwind existence of a top player these days that Elsom enjoyed only a couple of days savouring that great triumph before he was off on his travels again, returning to Australia. There are still thousands in Dublin who want to say their thanks, and get the drinks in.
"There might be more distractions than a normal Test week but you have got to manage that," Elsom conceded. "There's a lot to enjoy in the city without getting on it until 4am, although a lot of Dubliners would probably say otherwise.
"It's funny how things work out. I can't think how I could have had a better time in Dublin when I was here with Leinster. Now, I'm captain and against Ireland and Brian O'Driscoll, my old team-mate. It's going to be big. They won't be jumping out of the stands for us at Croke Park but the noise out of that 80,000 stadium is deafening and we'll have to address that."
Elsom is the rock solid, diehard Australian who gives stereotyping a good name. He is straight from central casting, the Australian warrior you would want by your side in the trenches or hacking a path through the Burmese jungle way behind enemy lines.
O'Driscoll cannot talk highly enough of his recent team-mate and opposing captain on Sunday: "Rocky is just one of the very best players I have encountered, absolutely exceptional. He took two matches to settle in last season, we lost 17-0 to Munster and then to Connacht, but from that moment onward he was immense.
"He was man of the match for us in virtually every game, even the games they gave the award to somebody else.
"It was a privilege to play with Rocky and we owe him a lot at Leinster, we won't ever forget his contribution. And believe me, he will make a very good Australia captain.
"I was delighted for him and think [Australia coach] Robbie Deans has been very smart making the appointment. I look forward to playing against Rocky and I definitely look forward to catching up with him afterwards."
Commentators have tagged this Australian squad a young experimental outfit picked with an eye on the World Cup in 2011 but Elsom is having none of that "blue skies" forward-thinking nonsense. As Australia captain he wants results now.
"If anyone was to talk about the next World Cup then I'd be reasonably annoyed," he says. "There's a lot of time between now and then. We can't win it now but we can win these games and particularly this one at the weekend.
"It's not going to be easy for us, we need to put everything into it and then worry about the fallout next week."
That is the approach that helped transform Leinster last season and Australia believe he can now do the same for them.
