Preview: Ireland v Wales

When Wales head to Croke Park for their Six Nations clash with Ireland on Saturday all the talk will be of possible Grand Slams and Triple Crowns.

When Wales head to Croke Park for their Six Nations clash with Ireland on Saturday all the talk will be of possible Grand Slams and Triple Crowns.

What started as gentle whispers, for fear of tempting fate, have now blossomed into genuine statements of intent. There is a genuine belief that Wales can win the Grand Slam – England were taken by surprise, Scotland beaten late on and Italy destroyed – now all that stands between Wales and a second Grand Slam in four years is Ireland and France.

It won't be easy. For while Wales have been hogging the headlines of late, Ireland have been quietly going about their business. Their business being building belief again, looking for the form that saw them make so many headlines of their own but a year ago. It has taken three games, and a lot of criticism, but Ireland are, to a large extent, back on track.

On track for what is a different matter, as with several players in their ranks not likely to be involved come the next World Cup one has to question Eddie O'Sullivan's motives. However it would have been a rather radical move to start from scratch with a complete new-loom team, even given the manner in which they limped home from France last September.

Instead O'Sullivan, rightly or wrongly, has gradually changed the dimension of his team. Gone are the likes of Peter Stringer and Simon Easterby and in their place the exciting young duo of Eoin Reddan and Jamie Heaslip have arrived. But the aging heads have not gone totally, O'Sullivan has kept them close enough to rescue things if needs be.

Truth be known those players coming in have made such an impact that O'Sullivan may have wished he called upon them a little sooner. There are still a few players who are a little long in the tooth, John Hayes comes to mind, but some change is better than none at all. Hayes will have a job to do on Saturday, ensure the Irish scrum is solid so that O'Gara has a stable platform to operate from – long in the tooth may be advantageous this time then.

The mini-revival witnessed in Paris, followed by a convincing win over Scotland have suggested Ireland's confidence is on the rise, although anything but a continuation of this on Saturday and it could soon be on the wane.

Wales have had a dream start under Warren Gatland, of that there is no doubt, but it may have been too good. For as hard as they try it will be difficult for Gatland's charges not to get a a little over confident – it is only natural given the manner of their campaign to date. But in all honesty they have yet to receive a thorough examination of their credentials.

They may be on top of the table but England should have finished them a long time before Wales hit back, Scotland could have won if they possessed a finisher and Italy were anything but challenging. So Ireland will fancy their Celtic rivals are ripe for the picking – especially given that their new defensive system is nowhere near the finished article.

Gatland himself has been somewhat preoccupied this week, focusing on his past rather than the future – a side we have not seen from him before. It is as if this game is personal to him, and when you let emotions get involved one's better judgement can become clouded. He will hope his players can maintain a sense of self-control then, even if he can't.

His selection of Stephen Jones at fly-half may look a little conservative, especially given that James Hook is equal to Jones in the kicking department. What Jones lacks, which Hook doesn't, is the ability to change a game with one searing break. There will be those who argue he can enter the fray late on when legs are tired and minds a second slower to do just that, but by that time it may be too late.

Regardless of all this, Gatland must remember it is a learning curve, not just for him but for the entire Welsh set-up. They are a new creation and it will take time for them to find their true selves and sooner or later they will lose, but the question is how do they react to it? With France to come a week later this could be a very testing two weeks for Gatland and Wales.

Players to Watch:

For Ireland: Having not played since the World Cup, Shane Horgan will be relishing his return to the Test arena – not least because he, like so many others, has plenty to prove. He starts by default, admittedly, but start he does, having recovered from damaged ribs and proved his fitness with both Leinster and Ireland A. If he is anything than 100 per cent fit then Shane Williams will expose him, a scenario that is a very real possibility anyway given the fine form that Williams finds himself in of late.

For Wales: Since making his debut against Argentina in 2006, Alun Wyn Jones has established himself as a regular in the Welsh pack, quite a feat for a 22-year-old second row. That he was in the running to become captain when Gatland took over speaks volumes for his ability as a player and leader. His absence at the line-out in the last two games has been notable and his return will provide welcome relief, especially when you take into account Ireland's two formidable line-out exponents. A relentless work-rate gives Wales an extra dimension in the pack and Gatland will be looking for a monumental performance from the restored Wyn Jones.

Head-to-Head: With all that has happened in the last six months we could easily have been watching a fly-half battle between two promising young players. However due to a change in individual fortunes the wily old heads of Ronan O'Gara and Stephen Jones are pitted against one another. O'Gara, one of several big-name scapegoat for Ireland's dismal World Cup, could easily have been cast aside by Eddie O'Sullivan, but instead he gambled with his 'old mate' and it's proving to be a shrewd decision. Jones, dropped by Gatland for his part in Wales's equally disappointing World Cup, has wrestled the illustrious fly-half jersey back from James Hook as Gatland looks for a more controlled approach at Croke Park. Both have excellent tactical games, cultured boots and the ability to release their outside backs, but only O'Gara is accustomed to the Croke Park atmosphere – a factor that could see him edge this intriguing battle.

Recent Results:

2007: Ireland won 19-9 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
2006: Ireland won 31-5 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2005: Wales won 32-20 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
2004: Ireland won 36-15 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2003: Ireland won 35-12 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2003: Ireland won 25-24 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
2002: Ireland won 54-10 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2001: Ireland won 36-6 at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
2000: Wales won 23-19 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1999: Ireland won 29-23 at Wembley Stadium, London
1998: Wales won 31-20 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1997: Ireland won