More of the same and Slam is ours

Given that they've been spot on right through the Six Nations, winning four out of four, mostly in emphatic fashion by taking the game right away from their opponents, there's no reason why the team of 2005 can't write their names into the history books just as those three decades ago did.

Ireland will present a far different challenge from the rather feeble one offered by Scotland at a scarcely believable Murray-field, fans either sat in sheer disbelief at proceedings or, if you wore red as so many did, simply roared your head off.

Whereas Scotland did what they said they wouldn't by kicking down Wales' throats to give them every opportunity to counter-attack so dangerously, Ireland will be so much more precise.

They will play it more like England - in that they will be pretty solid up front and, apart from the magical Brian O'Driscoll, steady and accurate behind.

However disappointing the Irish were - we all wanted a Grand Slam winner-take-all at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday - in that they allowed France to take control up front during a torrid first half, they will still present much more of a threat up front to Wales.

Their line-out is much more of a danger for a start and the entire pack will present far more of a stumbling block to Welsh hopes of glory.

And half backs Peter Stringer and Ronan O'Gara are also pretty formidable, Stringer with his lightning breaks close to the base and O'Gara with his strong kicking game.

But that is the glass half empty syndrome when we ought to be looking at the glass half full from a Welsh point of view.

And that is to attack the very essence of this Irish team.

For they are an ageing outfit, certainly at their peak - which wasn't good enough against France - if not slightly on the way down from the summit.

They know this season was their own best chance of achieving the Grand Slam for only the second time, and they blew it against France.

Now Wales have to exploit any disarray in the Irish camp, and they can do precisely that just by being themselves, by playing it the way they have all along.

For Ireland are not the most mobile of sides, they are hardly the quickest things on two legs and if Wales play the kind of mesmeric, ball-in-hand, multi-passing type of rugby which so flumoxed Scotland the Grand Slam will be theirs.

The way to win for Wales is to mix it up, to force the pace, to make Ireland turn and try to run them off their feet in the same way as they did the Scots.

Even then, the Welsh set piece has been considerably underrated. No wonder coach Mike Ruddock turned on the media man who questioned just that last week.

And neither is the Irish eight that powerful either with several members the wrong side of 30, the entire front row for example.

And tight head prop John Hayes must face a question mark over his scrummaging so often does he stand up in the scrum.

The big question mark against Wales is over their durability. Do they have another big game left in them? Can they step up to the mark again, especially with only six days to prepare, one less than Ireland, after their Sunday match at Murrayfield?

The answer should also be in the affirmative, for Wales only really played for half the game at Murrayfield, taking their foot right off the pedal early in the second half after they had soared into an unbelievable 43-3 lead.

The second 40 minutes were hardly taxing for Wales, while a number of players were re-placed as well to give them a breather.

So a season of surprises, shocks even, is set for a shuddering climax in Cardiff on Saturday. Four wins out of four, record victories, 15 tries, and now a chance of the Grand Slam and immortality. Unbelievable!

Welsh rugby in general can build on this, and so can the regions after the injection of finance provided by European Objective One funding specifically for the development of their academies.

That should guarantee a steady influx of home grown players from within, with the money to develop them properly, and with less reliance on players from overseas and elsewhere.

As Dai Rees, Newport Gwent Dragons Academy chief, says it opens up the way for clear development of top youngsters whether they are from Blaina or New-port HSOB or wherever into the senior Dragons set-up.

With central contracts sure to follow - most of the regions want it to remove their own financial burden and with the disappearance of benefactors there will be a much more integrated approach, player drafting also set to be on the agenda.

And with the WRU far more in control, rather than the traditional names like Newport being in regional titles it's more likely simple one-word names like Dragons, Blues, Ospreys and Scarlets will be formally adopted.

Wales are winning and the WRU are in a better position than for years so they are set to call the tune.