By Jim Stokes BBC Sport Online

It may be the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, but Ireland coach Eddie O'Sullivan is hoping that it does not turn into a tragic winter's tale.

Ireland are about to start their World Cup qualifying campaign against two nations who have more than a game of rugby on their mind.

Ireland's Siberian exile

First up is a trip of a lifetime to Russia on Saturday morning (1100BST kick-off).

Now O'Sullivan is one of the most astute and meticulous of coaches, but being sent to Siberia for a World Cup qualifier has tested his organisational ability to the limit.

Travelling from Dublin on Thursday across seven times zones in a specially-adapted charter plane is just the start.

It was snowing in Siberia last week, but the temperature in Krasnoyarsk, the hotbed of rugby in Russia, is expected to be in the low 20s.

However, while the temperature may be high, the atmosphere will be low as it was in Cold War.

Trying to get 26 rugby players, and as many officials, out to halfway along the Trans-Siberian railway on the Mongolian border has been hazardous and difficult to say the least.

Seats removed

Suspicions are still evident, even more so than when the Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist totalitarian state was in full flow.

Apparently, Perestroika is easier to spell than put into motion.

Red tape? How appropriate the colouring!

The first difficulty that the Irish authorities encountered was when the charter flight crew had their initial requests for visas refused. No plane, no game!

Since then it has been downhill all the way.

After reaching Moscow - and before they take off again for the four-hour second leg to the heart of Siberia - a navigator has to be taken on board.

That has O'Sullivan a tad worried.

As for the flight over, the Boeing 737 will have a number of seats removed to cater for some of the more stretched members of the Irish team, like second row Gary Longwell.

Gary Longwell will travel in comfort to Siberia

However, some of that space will be utilised for - wait for it - ball drills. Yes, ball work, 30,000 feet up. The mile-high club eat your heart out!

It is Irish conditioning coach Mick McGurn's plans to regularly keep the players active for the 11-hour flight.

All told, 87 personnel will be on flight number Exs 5023, with only 15 supporters.

They will finally make up the capacity 50,000 crowd at the cement-coloured Krasnoyarsk Stadium.

Everyone has been handed a list of do's and don'ts.

Mosquito protection is a priority, although IRFU officials are more afraid of getting stung by the local Mafia.

The list also states it would be a good idea to take your own toilet rolls.

The supporters will no doubt enjoy this one, though. Vodka is consumed with all meals.

Problematic

But this trip is all about rugby thanks to that inglorious evening in Lens back in 1999 when Ireland allowed Argentina to leapfrog over them into the World Cup quarter-finals.

O'Sullivan's men not only need victory over Russia, they also require a handsome win that will give them the edge as the top European side from the two qualifying pools.

There is no doubt that Ireland, who also play Georgia the week after the clash with Russia, and Italy will qualify as two of the four teams from Europe.

However, the team with the better points difference will get the plum pool in the tournament proper.

The leading European qualifier is down to face defending champions Australia, Argentina, Africa 1 and Europe 4.

The beauty of this pool is that travel is down to a minimum, with games to be played in Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Gosford.

But that is in the future.

The more pressing problem is Ireland pitting their wits against a Russian team hewn from the Gulags and taught in France.

That said, getting to Krasnoyarsk might be more problematic than the game itself.