Ronan O'Gara has revealed Ireland began plotting their path to the Grand Slam immediately after dispatching France in the RBS 6 Nations opener.
In public, the Irish camp steadfastly refused to look any further than the next match and were reluctant to discuss the clean sweep even during the build-up to Saturday's gripping 17-15 victory over Wales.
But O'Gara admits the greatest prize in European rugby was thrust on to the agenda as soon as they had edged France 30-21 - their first win over Les Bleus since 2003.
‘I remember being in a huddle before the Italy game and I told us to go on and win the Grand Slam,’ said the Munster fly-half.
‘We started talking about it after the France game. We hadn't beaten them for six years so we knew this was a good opportunity.
‘Once they were out of the way, the boys felt confident.
‘We knew it would be tough in Cardiff but the boys were a little bit surprised at how little Wales played.’
A nail-biting Six Nations title decider of ferocious intensity was decided in the dying minutes at the Millennium Stadium when O'Gara landed a drop-goal.
Wales had one last chance to deny Ireland a first Grand Slam since 1948 but Stephen Jones' long-range penalty fell short.
‘Maybe in Ireland people thought the Munster players didn't commit as much to the Irish jersey as they did to the Munster jersey - but I'm so happy that's gone now,’ said O'Gara.
‘The Wales game meant everything - and it's one of the best, if not the best, moment in my career.
‘The fellas in this team have massive mental belief in themselves. People go on about skill and physicality but that victory was about mental belief.
‘We were 6-0 down at half-time and under pressure but we tore into them in the second half.
‘It was a refusal to lose. Fellas wouldn't have come off the pitch until they'd won.’
Ireland started the Six Nations as joint second favourites, a result of an indifferent autumn that included a heavy defeat by New Zealand.
Head coach Declan Kidney, overseeing his first Six Nations, has stated throughout the championship he was surprised by the players' initial lack of self-belief.
But clear-the-air talks over Christmas helped drag Ireland out of a difficult 18 months.
‘It took time. But the important thing is to have an open forum to discuss your beliefs and that happened,’ said O'Gara.
‘There were a lot of honest and open meetings before Christmas.
‘Once we left that camp, fellas began to realise this was a team that was going places.
‘There was a time when we couldn't even pass the ball along the backline.
‘There was something wrong there and that needed to be addressed.
‘Declan's massive input is to create a happy environment and get the players to believe in themselves.’
