"I just remember the ball coming across. It was a looping pass from Brian (O'Driscoll), and it was hanging in the air a bit. The main thought in my head was 'don't drop it!'

"Shane Horgan was outside me, we had a two-man overlap, and I made sure to catch and run over the line and score.

"It brought back memories of the game, and my try, at Twickenham in 2004 alright. I missed that (the claims that he touched down right on the spot where Michael Hogan was killed on Bloody Sunday). I didn't hear that."

ON IRELAND STAYING GROUNDED:

"I think the squad is experienced enough and we've been around long enough to know not to get ahead of ourselves.

"We still have two big games to come. Scotland are going to be looking for a bit of a backlash after (the loss to Italy) and it's obviously a big test going down to Rome to play the Italians. They are very much an improving side."

ON SHOWING A KILLER INSTINCT:

"If you look back, I suppose we just haven't had the killer touch at stages and we showed that on Saturday. Certainly there is a feeling in the camp that we don't want to regress."

ON GEORDAN MURPHY BEING DROPPED:

"I regularly room with Geordan and I have done over the last couple of weeks. It was obviously tough for him to take.

"Eddie O'Sullivan has said that he has had a number of big calls to make. That was obviously one of the bigger ones and I spoke to Geordan and I've been watching him play for Leicester and I think he's been playing exceptionally well. It's hard to take."