Irish Grand Slam - Six Nations Rugby 2009 - YouTube Irish Grand Slam - Six Nations Rugby 2009 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Aug 2, 2009 Hightlights of Ireland's grandslam victory over Wales in the 2009 Six Nations Rugby Championship. Category BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Wales 15-17 Ireland Rugby Union Pens: S Jones 4 Drop-goal: S Jones Ireland (0) 17 Try: Bowe, O'Driscoll Cons: O'Gara 2 Drop-goal: O'Gara By Gareth Roberts Advertisement Highlights - Wales 15-17 Ireland Ireland claimed their first Grand Slam in 61 years in a sensational climax to this year's Six Nations Championship. The Irish overturned a 6-0 interval deficit with early second-half tries from Brian O'Driscoll and Tommy Bowe.

Stephen Jones kicked his third and fourth penalties and appeared to have won the Triple Crown for Wales with a drop-goal with five minutes remaining. But Ronan O'Gara's drop-goal regained the lead with two minutes left, and Jones's last-gasp penalty fell short. Wales, from being within two minutes of denying Ireland a Grand Slam, but not their first-ever Six Nations title, suddenly had to come to terms with finishing fourth in the championship. The hosts, needing to win by 13 points to retain their title, planned to target O'Gara from the off, but skipper Ryan Jones set a bad example with a trip on the fly-half in the first minute. Ireland celebrate historic Grand Slam Ireland lock Donncha O'Callaghan objected to Jones's actions and a minor tussle between the players earned an early warning from English referee Wayne Barnes, but O'Gara failed with the long-range penalty attempt. Ireland responded with a Gordon D'Arcy break only for Gavin Henson's tackle to thwart Luke Fitzgerald, and a testing O'Gara cross-kick that Shane Williams and Lee Byrne failed to deal with.

The immediate pressure on Wales was relieved when Ian Gough's challenge knocked the ball out of Jerry Flannery's hands and Henson sent a huge clearance kick downfield. But when Wales had their first defensive line-out, the hosts were in danger of cracking as Matthew Rees's throw could not be cleanly gathered and Shane Williams rescued his side, but was forced to concede a five-metre scrum. Wales held firm in defence, Mark Jones's tackle on Ireland captain O'Driscoll forcing him to knock-on in a passage of play that led referee Barnes to warn both captains about off-the-ball incidents. O'Gara kicked the ball out on the full twice, perhaps indicating the early attention Wales paid to him was paying dividends. TOM FORDYCE BLOG After 61 years of waiting, it came down to the last two seconds and the last two metres of the final match of the season Lock Paul O'Connell led the way as Ireland stole home line-out ball on successive occasions and as both sides belied the occasion to vary their attacking play, that advantage boosted the visitors' confidence. The Grand Slam chasers were happy to kick for touch in the belief they could successfully attack Wales' line-out.

But after Lee Byrne departed with an ankle injury, Henson switching to full-back to accommodate Jamie Roberts, Denis Leamy held on too long in a tackle on Martyn Williams at the back of a line-out and Stephen Jones kicked the 33rd-minute penalty. Another throw to Williams at the back spelled danger for Wales as the veteran flanker was unable to gather, but Fitzgerald blocked the defence from tackling O'Gara and Jones struck from 49 metres to give Wales a 6-0 lead going into the break. Ireland began the second half with a Bowe burst down the right from O'Driscoll's pass and an O'Gara cross-kick that Mark Jones made safe, but failed to mark before he stepped into touch. Ireland celebrate in Cardiff as they win a historic Grand Slam That gave Ireland the platform and territory their forwards craved and after a series of close-quarter drives, O'Driscoll's good leg strength and body angle was enough for him to claim the score. French television match official Romain Poite had to make that decision in the 44th minute, but two minutes later Bowe claimed O'Gara's chip and raced away from the pursuing Shane Williams to score under the posts.

O'Gara converted both tries for a 14-6 lead, but Wales were soon back in the hunt. O'Callaghan's petulant push on Mike Phillips after the scrum-half had knocked on gave fly-half Jones the chance to hit the mark, which he did via an upright. A timely O'Driscoll tackle on Tom Shanklin helped thwart a Wales attack and Bowe was denied by a knock-on as he won an aerial joust with Ospreys team-mate Williams. The other aerial battle, at the line-outs, was also going in Ireland's direction. But Irish composure again failed them to allow Jones to kick a fourth penalty. Wales coach Warren Gatland attempted to solve his side's line-out issues by sending Luke Charteris on for Gough and Huw Bennett for hooker Matthew Rees ahead of the final quarter. A rare long-range Gavin Henson penalty attempt fell short after 68 minutes and Ireland brought on Peter Stringer at scrum-half for O'Leary for the final 10 minutes. And that is when the drama truly unfolded. For the first time in the game, Wales' strike runners began to make their mark.

Wing Williams slipped to end one attack, but after Phillips's thunderous charge through the Welsh defence, Jones dropped the goal that put his side back into the lead. O'Gara replied moments later after his opposite number kicked out on the full to give Ireland the attacking platform. Jones had one last chance to redeem the season for Wales, but his effort from just inside the Ireland half fell short and Ireland were at last able to taste Grand Slam champagne. Wales: Byrne; M Jones, Shanklin, Henson, S Williams; S Jones, Phillips; Jenkins, Rees, A. Jones, Gough, A Jones, D Jones, M Williams, R Jones (capt). Replacements: Roberts for Byrne (30), Bennett for Rees (55), Charteris for Gough (55). Not Used: Yapp, J Thomas, Fury, Hook. Ireland: Kearney; Bowe, B O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Fitzgerald; O'Gara, O'Leary; Horan, Flannery, Hayes, O'Callaghan, O'Connell, Ferris, D Wallace, Heaslip.

Replacements: Murphy for Kearney (66), P Wallace for Fitzgerald (76), Stringer for O'Leary (69), Best for Flannery (68), Leamy for Ferris (blood, 7), Court for Hayes (blood, 27) Not Used: M O'Driscoll. History : RBS 6 Nations Last Season 6 Nations History Played annually, the format of the Championship is simple: each team plays every other team once, with home field advantage alternating from one year to the next. Two points are awarded for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss and unlike most other rugby union competitions the bonus point system is not used. Victory in every game results in a 'Grand Slam' and back-to-back Grand Slams have been won on five occasions. Wales achieved the first one in 1908 and 1909, England have done it three times in 1913 and 1914, 1923 and 1924 and 1991 and 1992 while France did it in 1997 and 1998.

England hold the record for the number of Grand Slams won with 12, followed by Wales with 11, France with nine, Scotland with three and Ireland with two. Victory by any Home Nation over the other three Home Nations constitutes as a 'Triple Crown'. The Triple Crown has twice been won on four consecutive occasions, once by Wales between 1976 and 1979 and once by England between 1995 and 1998. England hold the record for the number of Triple Crowns won with 23, followed by Wales with 20 and Scotland and Ireland both with ten. Although this achievement has long been a feature of the tournament, it was not until 2006 that a physical trophy, commissioned by the Royal Bank of Scotland, was awarded. Meanwhile, the last-placed nation at the end of the tournament is said to have won a purely figurative Wooden Spoon. Several individual competitions take place under the umbrella of the Six Nations tournament. The oldest is the Calcutta Cup, which has been running since 1879 and is contested annually between England and Scotland.

The Millennium Trophy has been awarded to the winner of the game between England and Ireland with the first presented in 1989, and in the same year, the Centenary Quaich was contested between Ireland and Scotland for the first time. Since 2007, France and Italy have also contested for their own silverware - the Giuseppe Garibaldi Trophy. It was created to honour the 200th anniversary of the birth of Giuseppe Garibaldi, who helped unify Italy and was also a French military general. Up to World War I In 1871, England and Scotland played the first rugby union international with the latter coming out on top. After 12 years of occasional friendly matches between the teams, the inaugural Home International Championship, comprising England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales was played in 1883. England won the first series, along with a Triple Crown, and up until 1893 when Wales won and 1894 when Ireland won only them and Scotland had been crowned champions.

Wales' triumphs in 1908 and 1909, although won during the Home Nations era, were the first Grand Slams as they defeated France in both seasons. France officially joined in 1910, having played in four tournaments up to that point, with the Championship now referred to as the Five Nations. England won the first Championship of the new era while Wales followed up winning the first ever Grand Slam by winning the first Grand Slam of the Five Nations a year later. The competition was suspended during World War I before France were ejected from the tournament in 1931, which reverted back to being the Home Nations from 1932 through to 1939. Post War Proceedings were halted again during World War II and resumed in 1947 as the Five Nations with France welcomed backed into the fold. France won their first shared title seven years later in 1954 and their first outright title in 1959 and by the 1970s the Five Nations had become the pre-eminent series in Northern hemisphere rugby union.

Matches became all-ticket affairs, gaining huge popularity and a large television audience, however in 1972 the tournament was not finished after Scotland and Wales refused to travel to Dublin to play Ireland. The season after was unique for a five-way tie, with every nation having won and lost two games. The 1970s marked the golden age for Welsh rugby as they won three Grand Slams and one Triple Crown during the decade, an achievement the modern team could yet surpass having won Grand Slams in 2005, 2008 and 2012. There was no tangible reward for winning the Five Nations Championship until 1993 when a trophy was presented for the first time to the winners - who were France. Prior to 1994 teams that finished equal on points shared the Championship but from then on ties were broken by considering the points differences between the teams. Professional Era Wales were the second team to get their hands on Five Nations silverware followed by England, while Scotland's first success came in 1999. Scotland were the last team to lift the Five Nations trophy as Italy joined the following year in 2000 and the tournament became known as the Six Nations.

England won the first Six Nations competition in 2000 before repeating the trick in 2001, while Wales are the current holders having denied England the Grand Slam in 2013. In 2005 Wales became the first team ever to win a Grand Slam by playing more games away than at home - a feat repeated by Ireland in 2009. A year later France pipped Ireland on points' difference however the latter did receive the Triple Crown in trophy format for the first time ever. Italy collected the Wooden Spoon that year but achieved a historic feat by earning their maiden point away from home after drawing with Wales. In 2007 with four teams having a mathematical chance of lifting the trophy France retained their crown on points' difference again. Italy made further history by winning their first away match against Scotland in Edinburgh and also by picking up two victories for the first time after beating Wales in Rome. Scotland replaced Italy in settling for the Wooden Spoon while Ireland won the Triple Crown for the second straight occasion and third time in four years. Wales ended France's run in 2008, winning the Grand Slam for the first time since 2005 after a remarkable opening against England.

Trailing by 13 points Wales came from behind to win 26-19, thanks mainly to Mike Phillips' 70th-minute try, and dispatched Scotland 30-15, Italy 47-8, France 29-12 and Ireland 16-12. Wales wing Shane Williams was named the RBS Player of the Championship after scoring six tries while England, World Cup finalists in 2007, were forced to settle for second. Professional Era Continued Ireland took a leaf out of Wales' book a year later ending a 61-year Grand Slam drought in a 2009 tournament in stark contrast to the 2008 one. Whereas the excitement in 2008 came at the start of the tournament it wasn't until the end when the 2009 Championship came alive. Wales hosted Ireland in Cardiff with a Triple Crown on the line as well as knowing a 13-point win would be enough to retain their title. Drama ensued as with Ireland leading 17-15 at the death Welsh stand-off Stephen Jones missed a 50-metre penalty from halfway.

England finished second as a result in their first tournament under Martin Johnson while France and Wales contested the first ever game played on a Friday night. The 2010 Six Nations belonged to France as they won the Grand Slam for the first time since 2004. Les Bleus were rarely troubled, opening up with an 18-9 win over Scotland before defeating Ireland 33-10, Wales 26-20 and Italy 46-20. France had already won the Championship going into their final game with England after Ireland lost their second game of the tournament to Scotland hours earlier. But despite being pushed by England, who scored the only try of the game, France came out on top 12-10 at the Stade de France to win the Grand Slam. Ireland's 23-20 loss to Scotland in the final game of the campaign not only denied Ireland the Triple Crown but saw Italy receive the dreaded Wooden Spoon for the third year running. England ended a run of eight years without a title as they wrapped up the 2011 RBS 6 Nations title.

Winger Chris Ashton was the spearhead, racking up six tries including four at home to Italy in a thumping 59-13 success. The Azzurri did however make history with a first championship win over France, stunning Les Bleus 22-21 in Rome. A controversial Mike Phillips try handed Wales a narrow 19-13 win over Ireland, but the Irish took their frustration out on England, denying them a Grand Slam with a convincing 24-8 win on the final weekend. And despite securing that historic victory over the French, Italy again had to settle for the Wooden Spoon after a 21-8 defeat in Scotland in their final match. Last Season The 2015 RBS 6 Nations will live long in the memory, not least because of a nerve-jangling final day that began with four teams still in the hunt for the title. It all began in Cardiff six weeks earlier, when England and Wales set the tone for a thrilling Championship.

A second-half comeback - kick-started by Jonathan Joseph, who would go on to shine throughout the competition - earned England a 21-16 triumph and a measure of revenge for their chastening defeat on the same turf two years earlier. Ireland and France also began with victories before facing one another in round two, when Jonathan Sexton kicked the men in green to victory. England, meanwhile, made it two from two as a pair of Joseph tries helped see off Italy and Scotland ran Wales close at BT Murrayfield in a 26-23 defeat. There was more heartbreak on home soil for Scotland, who lost 22-19 to Italy, in round three as Wales picked up a second win in as many games, at France's expense. But the biggest clash of the weekend was at the Aviva Stadium, where Robbie Henshaw's try ensured England tasted defeat for the first time in 2015. Ireland soon saw their unbeaten record slip, however, with a 23-16 defeat in Wales while England beat Scotland and France shut Italy out for a 29-0.

That left Ireland, England and Wales on six points with France on four and, with all three round-five clashes taking place on the same day, a nail-biting finale was on the cards. Wales were first up and they struck an ominous blow, not just moving to eight points but also boosting their points difference with a 61-20 triumph in Italy, George North grabbing a hat-trick. With a 20-point gap to bridge, Ireland did enough in Scotland - Paul O'Connell among the tries in his final RBS 6 Nations game as Joe Schmidt's side won 40-10. Attentions then turned to Twickenham, where England needed to beat France by 26 points or more to deny Ireland back-to-back Championships. A high-octane encounter kept everyone entertained, with 12 tries in total, but a 55-35 win was not enough for the Red Rose and celebrations began in the Scottish capital.

Ireland salutes first rugby Grand Slam in 61 years | Sport | The Guardian Close This article is 7 years old From Limerick in the south west to Bangor in the north east, all of Ireland united last night to salute the first Irish rugby Grand Slam in 61 years. After roaring back from a 6-0 deficit at half time to defeat the Welsh in Cardiff, the whole of the island partied last night in celebration of a historic sporting triumph in one of the most thrilling climaxes to a rugby championship. Ronan O'Gara's dramatic drop kick two and half minutes from time set Irish pulses racing all over the world - and then the team notched up their 17-15 victory and that elusive Grand Slam. Stephen Jones's last-kick miss ensured that the wait was over. Among those watching the famous victory inside the Millennium Stadium was Jack Kyle, one of the heroes of the 1948 Irish Grand Slam side. His team were until last night the only Irish side to achieve that feat. As "The Fields of Athenry" echoed all around Wales's home ground, back across the Irish Sea tens of thousands jumped for joy after the final whistle.

While the Munster faithful took to the streets of Limerick city to celebrate the national side's win, in Betty Black's pub in Bangor , Co Down, Ulster rugby fans danced with delight as the whistle blew. Watching the Irish team celebrate, Phillip Murphy said: "I never thought I'd live to see the day Ireland would win the Grand Slam. They were incredible. They battled to the very end and deserved it." Colin Funston said: "I'd thought we had thrown it away. Ireland deserved this success. They've been easily the best team." The Cloth Ear bar in Belfast's Cathedral Quarter erected an inflatable rugby goal at the entrance to the pub. Down in Ballyclare, the members and supporters of Ards soccer club were celebrating. Ards fan Adrian Monaghan said: "[Coach Declan] Kidney kept the team's feet firmly on the ground and I was confident they could do it." All of the fans at the local game criticised Welsh manager Warren Gatland for saying Kidney's team were "all cliches and nothing". They agreed that the Irish camp had been right not to respond to Gatland's remarks.

In Antrim Town just a few miles away, inside the Cova Inn on Main Street, a rugby fan who grew up in Wales insisted he had no divided loyalties. Amid a sea of green jerseys, Bob Miller protested: "Yes, I grew up in Wales but I was born in Belfast City Hospital so I was shouting for Ireland as I always do even if my voice sounds completely Welsh." Officially, only 5,000 seats were allocated to the Irish in the 75,000 capacity stadium but the number who crossed the sea to support the team was far higher. Among the spectators who had seats was Ireland's President Mary McAleese, who sat alongside Prince William. At least 10,000 Irish fans had made it to Cardiff, with all accommodation booked for a 40-mile radius outside the Welsh capital. The Irish invasion included a wave of Irish-registered camper vans who beat the recession by taking fans over on the ferries. Prices for air travel to Wales were massively inflated for the weekend; most of the Irish campers stayed on the grounds of Llandaff rugby club.

Irish fans joked that they had turned St Mary Street into St Patrick's Street as the pubs both inside and out were engulfed in a sea of green. Before the game, Irish rugby legend Tony Ward praised the current national team for lifting the nation's spirits in these post-Celtic Tiger, credit crunch times. "They have given us some great moments over the past few recession-escaping weeks," Ward said. The comments highlighted the importance of this game for Ireland in the international arena. The struggle with the Welsh turned out to be as important in terms of prestige, on both sides of the border, as Northern Ireland's heroics during the 1982 World Cup, Stephen Roche winning the Tour de France in 1987, the Republic of Ireland qualifying for the World Cup in 1990 and Munster winning rugby's European Cup in 2006. And fans all over Ireland expressed their approval. Randal Stronge from Belfast said it was a day he never imagined would ever come: "I'm ecstatic," he said. "This is such a good result for Irish rugby. I have followed them since I was a kid and I always hoped to see this.

"My father didn't even witness the first one, so this is just amazing." Clonmel man Tom Bohanna had a very understanding partner to thank for being in Cardiff. "I'm thrilled," he said. "My wife is due this weekend but I told her I just couldn't miss this. She was grand about it. I rubbed her tummy before I left and told the baby 'don't you come out till Tuesday'." While thousands had made the relatively short trip across the Irish Sea, others came from around the world in the hope of seeing history made. Richard Sheridan from Dundalk has lived in New York for the past 10 years and decided last weekend the match was one he could not miss. "I booked the flights on Sunday," he said. "If ever there was a game to come for, this was it. I know the Irish bars will be bunged in New York but I just had to be here." Tom O'Neill from Bruff said the Grand Slam ranked even higher than his beloved Munster being crowned kings of Europe . "It's better than the European Cup," he said.

"It's great to be here." Six Nations roll of honour - BBC Sport BBC Sport Six Nations roll of honour 16 Mar 2013 From the section Rugby Union Share this page 2010 France (Grand Slam winners) 2009 Ireland (Grand Slam winners) 2008 Wales (Grand Slam winners) 2007 France (Ireland win Triple Crown) 2006 France (Ireland win Triple Crown) 2005 Wales (Grand Slam winners) 2004 France (Grand Slam winners; Ireland win Triple Crown) 2003 England (Grand Slam winners) 2002 France (Grand Slam winners; England win Triple Crown) 1998 France (Grand Slam winners; England win Triple Crown) 1997 France (Grand Slam winners; England win Triple Crown) 1996 England (Triple Crown winners) 1995 England (Grand Slam winners) 1994 Wales 1992 England (Grand Slam winners) 1991 England (Grand slam winners) 1990 Scotland (Grand Slam winners) 1989 France 1988

 Wales & France (Wales win Triple Crown) 1987 France (Grand Slam winners) 1986 France & Scotland 1985 Ireland (Triple Crown winners) 1984 Scotland (Grand Slam winners) 1983 France & Ireland 1982 Ireland (Triple Crown winners) 1981 France (Grand Slam winners) 1980 England (Grand Slam winners) POST-WAR YEARS - Five Nations 1979 Wales (Triple Crown winners) 1978 Wales (Grand Slam winners) 1977 France (Grand Slam winners; Wales win Triple Crown) 1976 Wales (Grand Slam winners) 1975 Wales 1928 England (Grand Slam winners) 1927 Scotland & Ireland 1925 Scotland (Grand Slam winners) 1924 England (Grand Slam winners) 1923 England (Grand Slam winners) 1922 Wales 1921 England (Grand Slam winners) 1920 England, Scotland & Wales PRE-WAR YEARS - Four & Five Nations 1914 England (Grand Slam winners) 19

13 England (Grand Slam winners) 1912 England & Ireland 1911 Wales (Grand Slam winners) 1910* England (*France joins tournament) 1909 Wales (Triple Crown winners) 1908 Wales (Triple Crown winners) 1907 Scotland (Triple Crown winners) 1906 Ireland & Wales 1905 Wales (Triple Crown winners) 1904 Scotland 1903 Scotland (Triple Crown winners) 1902 Wales (Triple Crown winners) 1901 Scotland (Triple Crown winners) 1900 Wales (Triple Crown winners) 1899 Ireland (Triple Crown winners) 1898 NOT COMPLETED Ireland Grand Slam Six Nations Champions 2009 - YouTube Ireland Grand Slam Six Nations Champions 2009 Want to watch this again later?

Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Mar 22, 2009 We are the Champions! Six Nations: Wales 15–17 Ireland | Sport | The Guardian O'Driscoll, O'Gara, Oh, Ireland have only gone and done it Wales 15–17 Ireland Paul Rees at Millennium Stadium Saturday 21 March 2009 15.47 EDT First published on Saturday 21 March 2009 15.47 EDT Share on Messenger Close Ireland have had so many hard-luck stories since winning the grand slam in 1948 that they were almost duty bound to put their army of supporters through an emotional wrangler before finally clinching victory in probably the most dramatic finish to a Six Nations campaign. Time was up when the Wales outside-half, Stephen Jones, lined up a penalty from the halfway line and a number of the Ireland players dared not look. Both sides had done their best to lose the game.

Five minutes of stoppage time were remaining when Jones had restored Wales's lead with a drop goal. Ireland had dominated the match in terms of ­territory and possession, but indiscipline had cost them and when Ronan O'Gara took the restart, a team that had gained the tag of chokers after a decade of near misses was facing more heartache. What Jones had taken away from Ireland, he immediately kicked back. Wales spent the entire match keeping the ball in play, not once trying to find touch from broken play, but Jones put the ball out on the full inside his own 25 after the ball had been passed back to him. Wales started the week cursing the experimental law variations and ended it hanged by them. Ireland won the line-out and launched a couple of drives, manoeuvring ­themselves into position for O'Gara to drop a goal, as he had done in the dying seconds of this fixture six years ago to set up his side for a tilt at the grand slam against England.

O'Gara had been off key in the first-half, but he unlocked doors after the break, mercilessly exploiting Wales's problem at full-back where Gavin Henson found himself filling in for the injured Lee Byrne after 35 minutes and looked as if he would rather be anywhere else as O'Gara sent a series of punts, chips and garryowens his way. There were at least 15,000 Ireland supporters in the crowd, three times the official allocation of tickets, but their cheers faded as quickly as they rose. Paddy Wallace, who had just come on as a replacement, conceded a needless penalty at a breakdown just inside his own half, the 15th time Ireland prompted the referee, Wayne Barnes, to raise his arm. By some way the superior team on the day, ­indiscipline looked like costing them. Henson had earlier missed a kick from halfway, wide on the right, but it was still a surprise when Stephen Jones picked up the ball and pointed to the posts. Jones had already landed one penalty from distance, but he was on the limits of his range. "Stephen said he fancied it and I knew I couldn't kick that far," said the Wales captain, Ryan Jones.

The countdown clock had reached zero when the outside-half struck the ball. The crowd behind the points got to their feet in anticipation and then started to cheer, prompting a reaction from those who had a worse view. As the ball started its descent, it appeared that Ireland would take the title, their first since 1985, Wales would take the triple crown and the grand slam would be left unmolested. Wales had denied Ireland a grand slam 40 and 58 years before. History was about to repeat itself, but suddenly the red-clothed raised arms turned to green. The kick, from 50 yards, fell just short and the ball was gathered by the replacement full-back, Geordan Murphy, who savoured the moment before kicking it into the crowd and turning to hear the final whistle. Two of the survivors from the victory over Wales in Belfast 61 years ago that secured the clean sweep, Jackie Kyle and Bertie O'Hanlon, were among the sell-out crowd, delighted that a successful handover of their baton had been made.

"I am glad to have been here to witness this," said the 86-year old O'Hanlon, a wing in the 1948 side who got a ticket through his Welsh son-in-law, a London Welsh member, because he did not want to trouble the Irish Rugby Football Union at what he knew would be a busy time. "I have brought the match ball from our final game against Wales 61 years ago with me and it is more than time that we were joined in our place in history." There was little hint of what was to come in the opening exchanges. It was ferocious, rugby in the raw. A scuffle broke out after Ryan Jones clipped O'Gara, who missed the subsequent penalty. Ireland, dominating the scrum and breakdown, kept sacrificing position by conceding penalties. Wales were looking scruffy, poor at the line-out and getting turned over, but they have developed an indomitable spirit under Warren Gatland and they went into the interval 6-0 ahead through two Stephen Jones penalties. The game turned immediately O'Gara started the second period. Wales kicked the ball back and Rob Kearney launched a kick that had more height than distance.

Ryan Jones went to catch it but knocked on, Ireland moved the ball quickly right and Tommy Bowe sprinted into the Wales 25. The Wales wing Mark Jones called for a mark after a chip to the line but it was lost in the roar. Ireland were awarded a line-out and a few drives later Brian O'Driscoll burrowed over for his fourth try of the campaign. O'Gara's ­conversion put Ireland ahead and he created a second try four minutes later, chipping to the right into no man's land. Henson dithered, watched the ball bounce over his head and his Osprey colleague,Bowe, helped himself and sprinted over from 30 yards for another seven-pointer. Wales looked dazed but they mounted a final defence of their title. Two Stephen Jones penalties brought them back to 14-12 down and, at the moment Ireland had raised the chalice to their lips, they looked like being denied the drink. Shane Williams finally made a break, Mike ­Phillips looked as if he were going to carry half of Ireland over the line with him and Wales, as the game approached time added on, suddenly looked the part.

But Ireland were not to be denied what was rightfully theirs. Gatland was gracious in defeat, pointing out that it had been a contest between the two best teams in the Six Nations, and there was no gloating from his opposite number, Declan Kidney, who praised his predecessor, Eddie O'Sullivan, for helping lay the foundation. "This is unbelievable," said Kidney. 'I think I will be talking babble for the next five minutes." The rest of Ireland was already popping open the babbly. Six Nations: England v Wales TAGS: Jamie Roberts Martin Johnson didn’t make a whole lot of friends in 2003 when his England side broke protocol and stood in the wrong place at Lansdowne Road against Ireland, leading to some dirty shoes for the Irish president Mary McAleese, but they won a Grand Slam with their 42-6 win. They then peaked on the summer tour against Australia and New Zealand, before winning the World Cup without playing at their best later in the year. Since then nish, nada, nothing, apart from a Six Nations title in 2011, as the Grand Slam has remained as elusive as ever.

Since Johnson’s gnarled old mob ruled the roost, Wales have won Slams in 2005, 2008 and 2012 , France did the honours in 2004 and 2010, and Ireland emulated their 1948 heroes in 2009. If you beat England with a ‘more money and players than anyone else’ stick then that’s a pretty pathetic return. Rubbing it in: Wales have won three Grand Slams since England’s last one 13 years ago (Pic: Getty) Andy Robinson, Brian Ashton, Johnson and Stuart Lancaster have been in charge since Clive Woodward left Twickenham in 2004 but all have drawn a blank in the Grand Slam stakes. But it’s not as if they haven’t had chances. From 2004 to 2010 England lost two or three matches in every championship as they failed dismally to capitalise on the exploits of Johnson and his mates. Since then they have lost a single Six Nations game each year but have only been involved in two final weekend matches when the Slam was on the line.

In 2011 they travelled to Dublin with a starting line-up made up of just 313 England caps, lost 24-8 and were never in the game. Two years later, in Cardiff, they imploded 30-3 with Lancaster’s run-on team boasting just 290 caps and a coach (Lancaster) who admitted he had never been to a big game at the Millennium Stadium. This was the same boss who told us, when he was appointed, that the world-beating teams had 650-plus caps when they crossed the whitewash. Again, never in the game. New ground: Maro Itoje has just two caps to his name and will face a vastly experienced Welsh second row The England team of 2003 was awash with caps, 620 for their country, at the start of the Lansdowne Road game, and had European Cup winners and blokes who had played crucial parts in the 1997 Lions win, admittedly after losing a few big Tests in Europe.

They had beaten the Springboks away in 2000 and downed all three southern hemisphere big guns at Twickenham in 2002. This England team is nothing like that. Eddie Jones has changed a few things around since pitching up before Christmas but no matter how much money the RFU has, they can’t buy experience by chucking a load of cash at the team. But somehow Jones has come up with a XV for Saturday’s game against Wales loaded with 527 caps for their country. Warren Gatland will unload 675 Test appearances onto the Old Cabbage Patch at the weekend and, on Tuesday, Welsh centre Jamie Roberts summed up the difference between the two teams. Roberts said: “Where the stakes have been at their highest, notably 2013 and last year’s World Cup, we have delivered. There’s now a lot of experience and guys who have played in big moments. To be able to concentrate your focus and attention when the stakes are at their highest is something you can only learn with experience.” Shouting the odds: Jamie Roberts was right when pointing out Wales’ ability to deliver on the big occasion Roberts is right.

His side have delivered when the pressure is on in the Six Nations. Jones’s team – although not on his watch – have played three massive games, two against Wales and one against Australia, in the past three years and botched the lot of them. Woodward’s mighty team famously blew Slams in 1999, 2000 and 2001 before coming good but this England side are learning on the hoof. The fixture list has been kind to them, with a new boss able to bed in new systems against Scotland and Italy before hosting an injury-hit Irish side. But only eight of this England starting line-up were in Cardiff in 2013 and the same number started against Wales in the World Cup . Those exams were flunked and none of them have got a pass mark in a really big Test match. The Welsh have earned their spurs alright and that is making this Englishman a bit nervous. The bookies have England as 1/2 favourites for a match that will probably decide the destination of the Six Nations. The men in the trilbies, holding the satchels a week ahead of Cheltenham, usually know something.

They have got the experience of winning and losing day in, day out – unlike this England team who have yet to pass a big examination. Now is the time to do it if the Jones bandwagon is to stay on the rails. For the latest Rugby World subscription offers, click here . themadstork Yeah Woodward blew three Grand Slams and didn’t win any of the key games at the 1999 World Cup. Just as much of a disaster as Johnno or Lancster first time out. But CW got reappointed and won the 2003 Cup in Australia with the benefit of that experience. What’s the common factor? Administration losing faith in its appointments – arguably both Martin Johnson and Stuart Lancaster would have come much, much closer second right around – with the right support in place.

Question: Which country won the 2009 rugby Six Nations Grand Slam?
Answer: Ireland