Donal Lenihan: Unhappy with a bonus-point win over Welsh? Happy days

Given the manner of their defeat at Murrayfield in the Calcutta Cup clash against Scotland on Saturday, what England coach Steve Borthwick would give to be at the fine-tuning stage, like Ireland

BONUS-POINT CLINCHER: Ciarán Frawley of Ireland scores his side's fourth try. Pic: Ramsey Cardy, Sportsfile

How typical of this Ireland team that, despite a largely underwhelming second-half performance, they finished the job with a try after the clock had turned red to secure a third four-try bonus point in a row thus securing the maximum return of 15 points from the opening three Six Nations encounters.

Ireland now enter the final phase of the championship with games against England and Scotland to come over an eight-day period that will determine their quest to become the first side in the history of the Six Nations to win back-to-back Grand Slams.