Good, but it can get better

EVERYTHING seems to be sitting pretty for Ireland at the halfway point of the Six Nations campaign after wins over France and Italy but they have no easy matches left.

Such a cautious appraisal will be music to the ears of coach Declan Kidney, a canny individual who always speaks of having respect for the opposition and abhors the thought of anybody getting ahead of themselves.

But Ireland is alive with expectation and with good reason. Kidney and his management team have done superbly well to dispel memories of a pretty dreadful series of matches in the autumn to convince us that their way is the right way and it certainly seems to be something the players have bought into.