Irish ready to make history

WELL this is familiar, four games won and Warren Gatland’s Wales to beat to earn a place in the history books.

Yet so much about this current campaign is as removed from the 2009 Grand Slam decider as the 12,000 miles separating Cardiff from next Saturday’s venue in Wellington.

This is a Rugby World Cup, after all, on neutral ground in New Zealand and Ireland will be gunning for a first semi-final berth in tournament history.