Player Ratings: Ireland

Perhaps it's not really a day for rating individual performances? Feel free to give every one of them 10 out of 10...

15: Rob Kearney

Wales, England and Scotland all played to try to minimise his strengths - rarely does he face high ball into him these days - but this was still an excellent and highly committed performance. Had a renewed conviction to his kicking after the break - gave up on the chippy ones.

14: Tommy Bowe

Had been questioned but answered the critics in spades, running in the decisive score straight after Brian O'Driscoll's. Ireland spotted the potential for the big Ulsterman to make plays down Shane Williams wing and he and Ronan O'Gara executed brilliantly more than once.

13: Brian O'Driscoll

Again, a quite incredible performance over the 80 minutes. Highlights were the immense guts for the try and an amazing, tumbling turnover on Gavin Henson at a crucial point in the second-half. Just missed an offload that would have got Luke Fitzgerald in for a try but to his credit, never went into his shell.

12: Gordon D'Arcy

Superb defence all day and the bit of magic in his feet garnered Ireland two key breaks that got Wales scrambling, one of which ended with O'Driscoll's try.

11: Luke Fitzgerald

Could have grabbed the headlines if O'Driscoll's offload been on the money but will have to make do with putting in yet another admirable and highly professional display. Has a touch of class and just never gets anything wrong - despite plenty of top level exposure, opposition coaches have yet to find a weakness.

10: Ronan O'Gara

Couple of errors - missed a key kick at goal early on just after having been clipped by Ryan Jones and skewed an up and under into touch - and, as expected, had plenty traffic come his way in the opening exchanges. Kept it together brilliantly and his masterful kicking set up Bowe's try and allowed Ireland to dominate. Knocking over the drop-goal at the end seals his reputation. A born winner.

9: Tomás O'Leary

Service was not an issue and but for one or two poor decisions to take Ireland down one side rather than the other, this was a very good performance in which his athletic ability also played a role

1: Marcus Horan

One of three of four who could lay claim to 'man of the match' honours, Horan eschewed the wing and was the dominant front rower in the centre of the park, carrying and rucking well, and also notching a vital turnover.

2: Jerry Flannery

One mistake when carrying a ball early on cost Ireland an early chance but otherwise, Flannery mucked in to good effect. Superb lineout delivery has been a key plank in Ireland's march to the Slam.

3: John Hayes

Set-piece dominance starts with Hayes, and Ireland had a very strong platform. 'The Bull' can play a bit too, and contributed around the park when the chances came his way.

4: Donncha O'Callaghan

Just about got the tone right when standing up to Ryan Jones after the Welsh captain's cowardly trip on O'Gara. Did the dirty work, and notched a key lineout steal at the front of the line - tougher than those soaring takes in the middle.

5: Paul O'Connell

Massive display and Ireland would have been nowhere near a Slam win but for his Herculean efforts. O'Connell dominated young pretender Alun-Wyn Jones.

* Uncertainty over whether O'Connell or Donncha O'Callaghan gave away the penalty that put Wales ahead late in the game - with replays suggesting O'Callaghan may have been the culprit - have meant a change to the above text and the rating.

6: Stephen Ferris

Sadly forced out the game very early on with a disclocated finger but showed his class by coming out and celebrating with his team-mates as though he'd scored the winning try. A superb flanker who will surely start the Lions tests at blindside wing-forward.

7: David Wallace

Wales were smashed in the contact area and Wallace's leg-drive was the motor behind countless successful defensive plays in the ruck area. Carried with the usual exceptional quality as well.

8: Jamie Heaslip

Another who put in a top display of nitty gritty, again showing his capacity to get that little bit extra out of each situation that sets apart the very best.

Sub: Denis Leamy

Circumstances meant there was no room for him in the starting back row but Ireland lost nothing when he came in and may have to get creative with team selection to get him in the side as well as the other three in future. An iffy first five minutes or whenhe came in, but once he got up to speed, Leamy was huge in the contact area.

Coach(es): Declan Kidney (and friends)

Not sure he'd appreciate getting 10 out of 10 as Kidney is the first man to say that wins like this are all about the players. We'll call it a collective mark.

Truth is that Kidney is a master of priming a team, and then getting out of their way and letting them perform.

Key moves were simply to realise that Ireland had tended to over-train for years and would gain hugely from a slimmed down programme. Got the hires right too, bringing in great knowledge and personalities in the shape of Les Kiss and Gert Smal in particular. Deserves immense credit for name checking Eddie O'Sullivan in his very first sentence when interviewed by RTÉ.