Farrell's Ireland don't need to wait for World Cup to cement their greatness

Ireland now have the chance to go where no-one has gone before in all the years since this thing got going in 1883.

16 March 2024; Andrew Porter of Ireland, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second try during the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Scotland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

There’s always a stat. Numbers, records, fun facts, did-you-knows: they litter sports like confetti on a wedding day. Sometimes the information dump obscures. Now and again it illuminates the way ahead.

One stat dominated above all since Ireland put a beat down on France in Marseille on Six Nations opening night. The one about how no side had ever stitched Grand Slams back-to-back in the Six Nations era. A nation dared to dream.