Shane Williams knows what it takes to win the Six Nations championship.
The Wales winger managed it three times, two of which were Grand Slams, over the course of an 87-cap international career.
After defeat on the opening day to Scotland, Ireland can’t do the clean sweep.
They can, however, win the title, providing they beat Wales and England.
Williams reckons Joe Schmidt’s men are well placed to regain their title.
“I’m a little bit worried if I’m honest,” the former Ospreys man told RTÉ Sport about his old side’s chances when they meet on Friday week.
“I think Ireland will get stronger as the tournament goes on. I do believe they can go on and win it. England have to come to Dublin.”
That they do.
And even if it was a surprise to hear Schmidt referencing the final day fixture against the Red Rose after the win over France – “[The England game] will appeal a lot less to us if it’s not for the championship” – the general feeling is that he game against Wales is eminently winnable.
“Wales are a momentum team, they normally get stronger as the tournament goes on. I can definitely relate to that,” Williams says.
“Ireland, in that respect, started slowly against Scotland. Since then they’ve been great, against Scotland in the second half I thought they were superb.
“It says to me that they’re a team that learns very quickly.
“Against France they knew exactly how to get the job done, they battered and battered the French until almost the white flag came up. It’s the sign of a very good side.
“It’s an interesting game, there’s a lot at stake: pride for the lads, if we lose this game it’s two home games in the Six Nations we’ve lost, three on the bounce and there’s the possibility of dropping down the rankings to eighth or ninth.”
Williams was speaking ahead of the RTÉ2 programme The Toughest Trade (Wednesday 9.30pm) where he switched codes to Gaelic football and embedded with Donegal club Glenswilly.
The early part of Williams' rugby career was with amateur side Amman United.
However, it wasn’t long before he turned professional and while he can see reasons why some of the top players, “the Ronaldos and Messis of Gaelic football”, should be paid, his experience of the club game left him slightly melancholy for the good old days of playing for the love of the game.
"What I saw with the club was the spirit in which the town had for this club and the respect the players have," he said. "They give it their all.
“As well as training hard and playing hard these boys have got to go to work and earn their crust.
"They're not getting paid to play and you can see that in the way they train and play.
"Their heart and soul is Glenswilly.
"They are the Ronaldos and the Messis of Gaelic football"
"That side, you could see that professionalism could damage it, however, it’s a tough game.
"You are playing against some of the best players in that sport. You can see why a lot of people would feel that the game could go professional.
"A lot of time and effort goes into playing that. The lads like Michael [Murphy, the Donegal captain] and others, who are world class at what they do.
"Perhaps you think sometimes the professional game may suit these kind of players.
"I don’t know much about it because I don’t know the history of Gaelic football.
"The way in which these boys play, the skill level and what they are doing.
"They are the Ronaldos and the Messis of Gaelic football and in that respect making it professional and having players paid for that side of it would maybe be the right thing, but I’m not the expert.
"I'm a romantic. I used to love the amateur side of it when players played for fun.”
