WALES will win the Grand Slam again after a gap of almost three decades, predicts Phil Bennett, who captained the last Welsh team to achieve the feat 27 years ago.

Three games, three wins is the success story of Wales' Six Nations Championship so far this season under new coach Mike Ruddock.

England at home and Italy and France away have all been vanquished, making it three down and two to go, starting with Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday and then the hoped for Triple Crown and Grand Slam showdown against Ireland at the Millennium Stadium a week tomorrow.

It couldn't be more exciting and around 40,000 fans have either left Wales or are in the process of going on the trek to Scotland.

Bennett will be there, too, and he believes the time has come for Wales to emulate the great sides of the seventies who won an astonishing five Triple Crowns and three Grand Slams.

"It's the right time and the right season, the gods are coming together to make it happen," said Bennett, as passionate and as enthusiastic a Welshman as you will find.

"The Grand Slam is there for them, they can get over Scotland and not fear Ireland, who are ageing a bit. There is hope again and it's incredible for the players.

"Two years ago Wales were whitewashed and the WRU were sending players into supermarkets to try to sell tickets.

"England were putting 40 or 50 points on us as well, so this has been a long time coming. Ireland won the Triple Crown last year and what a wonderful day that was.

"As much as we argue and quarrel in the Celtic League and domestically, the shop window is the Welsh international team."

So how does Bennett account for the turnaround after so many years in the wilderness? "Wales are not a great side yet, that takes time, but they've got people in the side who are try scorers," he said. "We had players like Gerald (Davies) and JJ (Williams), now there's Shane Williams, Tom Shanklin and Rhys Williams who I feel will have a blinder on Sunday.

"These boys have got a confidence and belief and they're a young side. Some have not been on the losing side for the past two, three or four years so they've got a confidence, not an arrogance, which says 'let's not fear anyone, let's go out and play'."

But Bennett does have some words of warning for Wales, based in part on his own experience and his knowledge of the Scots.

Back in 1975 Wales had again won in France and beaten England when they came unstuck at Murrayfield.

"There are many similarities with today. We were very confident going up there, but they did us, they shook us rigid, it was hugely disappointing," he recalled ruefully, though adding swiftly, "We won the Grand Slam in 1976 and 1978.

"I've got the utmost respect for them, you can see their love of rugby and how proud they are, especially in the Borders.

"This side is aware Mike Ruddock is no mug and though Scotland are not a great side they will come out firing, for they are a proud people. They'll give Wales a torrid time and it won't be easy.

"But it's lovely to hear of so many Welsh people going up there in their droves. They want to be part of the experience of trying to win the Grand Slam."