Wales ended a 27-year wait for the Grand Slam as they defeated Ireland 32-20.
| Wales | 32-20 | Ireland |
RBS 6 Nations, Millennium Stadium, Saturday 19 March.
Wales ended a 27-year wait for the Grand Slam as they defeated Ireland at the Millennium Stadium.
Gethin Jenkins and Kevin Morgan both scored tries for Mike Ruddock's side as they claimed the RBS 6 Nations title in fine style in front of a partisan crowd in Cardiff.
The visitors did give the Welsh a late scare when Marcus Horan and Geordan Murphy touched down to close the gap to 12 points with five minutes left on the clock.
However, the hosts managed to hang on to their lead and claim the title after a hugely impressive campaign.
The home side's afternoon got off to a bad start when influential winger Rhys Williams failed a late fitness test so Llanelli's Mark Taylor came in.
Ireland, who could still claim the title and the Triple Crown, tore into their opponents and took an early lead when Ronan O'Gara landed a penalty after an infringement at the line-out.
Stephen Jones missed a decent chance to level the scores and Shane Williams and Morgan almost gave away a try as they dithered on their line in a nervy opening.
But Gavin Henson settled the hosts with a deflected drop goal and the stadium erupted three minutes later when prop Jenkins - one of the many heroes of the Welsh campaign - charged down an O'Gara clearance before kicking the ball on and pouncing for his third Test try.
Jones made it 10-3 and the Welsh began to look more like the side which had dazzled in their previous four victories.
Both sides threw everything at each other as the tackles flew in but it was Wales who were making fewer errors and they went further ahead through a magnificent 52-metre penalty by Henson.
The centre, who kicked a 44-metre effort to sink England in the opening win, struck an enormous kick and the ball squeezed through the posts after nudging the upright.
Jones made it 16-3 with his first penalty before O'Gara landed a lengthy kick of his own to take the Irish, who had not lost in Cardiff since 1983, into half-time 16-6 in arrears.
O'Gara blotted his copybook by straying offside three minutes after the break and Jones made the visitors pay with a simple kick.
The Irish fly-half almost pulled three points back shortly after but his kick was slightly wide and, after several thrilling passages of play, Wales went further ahead with a Jones penalty as the fuming O'Gara was replaced.
The game looked over when Morgan darted over for his eighth try in a Wales shirt after a scintillating break by Tom Shanklin and Jones extended the lead to 29-6 with a simple conversion.
But the Irish, buoyed by the introduction of Horan, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Eric Miller and Frank Sheehan, fought on valiantly and Horan barged his way over for his side's first try and David Humphreys converted.
But the replacement prop was at fault four minutes later when he looked to throw a punch in the scrum and Jones kicked his fourth penalty close to the sticks.
But back came the visitors and Murphy went over after Humphreys' cross field kick fell kindly to the full-back and Humphreys kicked a fine conversion.
The Welsh, who now climb above England and Ireland in the IRB world rankings, were not to be denied though and the final whistle prompted huge scenes of celebration in the Millennium Stadium.
The future of Welsh rugby appears to be bright again - with only six of the starting XV being born the last time Wales claimed a Grand Slam - and they have pulled it off with the same brand of thrilling running rugby.
Wales (16) 32 Ireland (6) 20.
Wales
Tries: Jenkins, Morgan.
Cons: S. Jones 2.
Pens: Henson, S. Jones 4.
Drop Goals: Henson.
Ireland
Tries: Horan, Murphy.
Cons: Humphreys 2.
Pens: O'Gara 2.
Att: 74,000
