Andy Farrell says Ireland are primed to accept the toughest of challenges from a Scotland team with their own eyes on the prize.
Forwards Tadhg Beirne and Finlay Bealham are absent through injury but the head coach has been able to recall fit-again Johnny Sexton, Garry Ringrose, Tadhg Furlong, Jamison Gibson-Park and Robbie Henshaw to his squad for the trip to Murrayfield on Sunday (3pm).
It's a timely boost for his unbeaten charges with second-placed Scotland impressing in all three games, victories over England and Wales and the loss to France.
Gregor Townsend's men will be determined to end their own lengthy spell without silverware that stretches back to 1999.
Ireland have bested South Africa, Australia, France, England and New Zealand (twice) over the last 12 months and are ranked number one in the world.
That's led Farrell to concede that preparations are going as well as can be expected.
"I do think that our past experiences will stand us in good stead, in terms of different ramifications whatever they may be," he said at Friday’s press conference at Dublin Airport.
"I feel we're in a good spot going into it, but the opposition always has a good say in that and we're playing against a good team.
"But, there's a few days to go and, again, who knows what's going to happen and how the game unfolds."
Farrell was part of Joe Schmidt’s backroom team when Ireland last won the championship in 2018 and was on the Lions coaching ticket for their series win in Australia in 2013.
As a player the Lancashire man had an incredibly successful rugby league career with Wigan.
With Ireland two wins away from just a fourth ever Grand Slam, he was asked what common characteristics he has noted from the successful teams he’s been involved in.
He said: "It’s in the process, isn’t it?
"It’s in the preparation and there’s only one way to fully believe really without it being plastic.
"You can’t prepare half-heartedly and expect to walk out confident.
"When you are in the cauldron it squeezes everything out of you.
"So our preparation is absolutely key to that and how we make each other feel all week and understanding if everyone is on the same page and everyone feels the same.
"That’s absolutely the key and it’s something we’ve been building towards for a while now.
"From what I’ve seen this week it continues to build, and with our week what we’ve got really good at is making sure that towards the end of the week the right balance is there between switching on and switching off, and being relaxed enough and not being too drained as far as the emotion of the occasion.
"So that’s something that’s been in the mix for quite some time now and it needs to continue to get better."
Farrell says he’s been keeping a close eye on the weather forecast and even been in touch with a meteorologist
"It changes all the time," said the 47-year-old.
"It doesn’t matter whether you talk to a specialist or not, it changes in their eyes as well.
"So, three o’clock to six o’clock [game time in Edinburgh] it was [forecast as] snowing yesterday and it could be sleet, maybe turning into rain; it all depends on how cold it is.
"The coldest day of the year so far was [Thursday] and we went outside and we trained fully for a good hour and ten minutes. So, we’re prepared. We trained pretty well."
"There’ll be times, if the weather does come in, that [Scotland will] still play [with width].
"You’ve got to earn the right to be able to play that game, haven’t you?
"The ball tends to slow down a little bit obviously, but I suppose the attacking game etcetera, being first off the floor and winning all the collisions etcetera, turnover ball and transition; they all come into play even more so in those type of conditions. And the set-piece."
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