Everyone in emerald green take a bow

Here we have emphatic proof of the priceless value of confidence in competitive sport. Only a matter of weeks on from the debacle at Twickenham, there are actually players, including points record-breaker Ronan O'Gara, who don't know what it is like to play in a beaten Irish side at the highest level.

Given the grief Warren Gatland endured over the thrashing by England, it is only right that we should acknowledge Saturday's victory as bearing the hallmarks of his coaching skills. An admirably tight defence gave very, very little away; the backs were enthusiastic and well-organised, while the set-piece game was similarly efficient. I think Gatland deserves great credit.

I've no doubt the England match remains there in the background for him, casting a formidable shadow. But in the matches against Scotland and Italy, he has shown us the future of the modern Irish game.

Gatland has proven the importance of competing for dominance of the set pieces, while recognising that under the current laws, you won't be successful unless you run the ball and run it out wide. That's what Ireland are now doing for the first time in three or four seasons.

When he arrived here, Gatland's first impact on Irish rugby was characterised by organisation, proper defence and getting the set-pieces right. What was missing was the ability to score. Now, in the wins over Scotland and Italy, the key ingredients have been brought together. I view this latest victory as a splendid reflection of his coaching skills.

I expect to see an unchanged side go into action against France and there are obvious benefits in that. There's continuity; an endorsement of how the team are playing and an endorsement of the players. And that's how it should be.

This is a very young side which exudes confidence. For the first time in quite a while, we saw an Irish team actually start confidently, as a result of the win over Scotland. The mood from the last 40 minutes against the Scots was clearly carried into Saturday's match, and it remained vibrant right to the finish.

Obviously, we must acknowledge that these were home matches for Ireland against opponents who are clearly not as formidable as England and France. We must also accept the reality of the England match and that it happened only a month ago.

While England obviously played particularly well against us and have since maintained that form, the Twickenham hammering left issues which still need to be addressed by the Irish team. But it is equally clear that the team have come a long way. For a start, the players are performing.

There is now an eagerness to make tackles and pressurise the opposition. That didn't happen against England.

In winning our last two matches, record scores were set. We're the leading points scorers in the Six Nations and are clearly in a very good position. This would suggest that we cannot be faulted at this stage of the season, but I wouldn't dwell on it any more than that.

We obviously benefited greatly from the fact that Italy's key playmaker, Diego Dominguez, looked off form for the first 10 or 15 minutes when Ireland established crucial supremacy.

O'Gara played very well. He had a tentative start against Scotland, which would have put him under pressure coming into this match. So, by landing a couple of early penalties to settle himself down, he proved he can compete. He read the game admirably, attacked the gain line very well and brought his centres and outside backs into play.

Peter Stringer showed for the second game in a row that he's a scrum-half who can deliver the ball with great precision and speed. This is giving the backline an extra few yards on the outside, which is very important. We scored six tries on Saturday and there have been seasons when Ireland haven't scored that many in an entire campaign, never mind one game. So Stringer and O'Gara are combining very well right now.

The pack also did themselves proud, notably in an excellent lineout and a very strong scrum. The back row were most effective, with Kieron Dawson performing really well for a third successive match, showing himself to be a real find as a genuine openside flanker.

It was an especially crucial match for Keith Wood. A captain will always be judged on results and it was certainly notable in the two matches prior to this weekend that Wood was playing well but not with the game energy as previously.

The Italian match has changed that. He's a world-class player who is now settling back into the role of captain. Any uncertainty in his own mind relating to his previous experience in the role will have been removed. Being captain of a winning side makes the job a lot easier and I expect he'll be there for a long time to come.

It is crucial that players like Wood, Peter Clohessy, Dawson, Stringer and Brian O'Driscoll are seen to perform, which they've now done for two matches. I expect them to continue to set the standard towards which everyone else will aspire.

The next game, away to France, is clearly a big test which will demand enthusiasm, energy and adventure. If Ireland can get through that, and remain in good shape for the final match against Wales in Dublin, it will have been a very good season. Especially if we end it with a win.

(In an interview with Dermot Gilleece)