"Wales – if you don't count the performance against Italy from what was essentially a second-string side – are probably capable of playing the best rugby in the northern hemisphere and England looked very good against France. But Ireland have shown so far that they have the best team, a great bunch of old pros who have benefited from an injection of youth, power and pace. They remind me very much of Argentina at the last World Cup, with game-breakers all over the side, and the youthful exuberance has rubbed off on people such as Peter Stringer and Gordon D'Arcy who look revitalised.
"They have phenomenal discipline on the pitch and a great appetite for doing the hard yards. The way they have been playing has not been pretty of late but if you have waited 61 years for a grand slam you will put up with that.
"During the first game against France I thought they played some excellent rugby, with their heads up and always looking to offload, but the pressure is coming on and they are having to do it the hard way. There have been some great moments and magic – even in a dour game against Scotland Stringer's fast break was absolutely exceptional and set up Jamie Heaslip's try."
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