Six victories equals Ireland's best run but we must not get carried away, yet!

BRIAN O'DRISCOLL restrained himself this time and there was no lap of honour.

The players instead trooped off a joke of a pitch content with their day's work and quietly confident the new year will bring even better things. Unfortunately, the ever grating voice of the Lansdowne Road public address announcer informed us Ireland had equalled a record by winning six matches in a row. What he didn't reveal, of course, was at whose expense they were achieved.

Coach Eddie O'Sullivan is absolutely correct when he claims that he and his management team are putting together a squad of serious depth.