Ireland can travel to take on world champions England with an extra lift in their step after thrashing Wales 36-15 at Lansdowne Road here on Sunday, claimed coach Eddie O'Sullivan.
The 45-year-old was delighted to see his side score six tries in a match that was seen as the tipping point to see whether Ireland had been replaced as the coming power in northern hemisphere rugby by their opponents.
"It was a good performance for 60 minutes but sloppy for the last 20," said the 45-year-old. "We had had to make some changes which unsettled us but overall I am very happy.
"If we'd lost it would have been a setback but we've got some momentum going to Twickenham. Hopefully we'll get another six tries against England!" joked O'Sullivan.
For his Welsh counterpart Steve Hansen it was a cold dose of reality following yet more headlines about a new Welsh renaissance after years in the doldrums on the back of impressive showings against the All Blacks and England at the World Cup and then victory over the Scots last Saturday.
"Ireland's a good side and we saw that today," said the 44-year-old former New Zealand police detective. "It was a young side trying to break into the top echelon and an older side that has been under pressure and could cope with it.
"I'm sure we can come back stronger for it. The Triple Crown is a nice thought but you have to take each game as it comes. We are disappointed," added Hansen, who is due to leave the post at the end of the campaign and join up with his predecessor in the job and now All Blacks coach Graham Henry.
Hansen, though, was stoical in defeat despite seeing his dreams shattered of landing the Grand Slam in his farewell season. "No point being black about it, just got to cop the loss in the chin," said Hansen. "There is no point sulking about it. We made too many mistakes with the ball. Got cleaned out in the lineouts, didn't make first time tackles and ran sideways instead of forwards so I guess we'll work on that for the next fortnight ahead of the French match in Cardiff on March 7."
Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll was very satisfied with the outcome and by the fact he scored two tries on his return to the side after missing the opening 35-17 defeat by France with a right hamstring injury. "It is good to be back and it was great to get off to a fantastic start. We put up a great performance for 75 minutes and to score 36 points against a Welsh side that has looked so good is unbelievable.
"The tries are a bonus. I don't know how I managed to outflank Gareth Thomas as my hamstring was tightening up a bit and wanted to come off.
"It was hugely important to win - there was a lot to be said about it being make or break for our Six Nations. Now we can go over to Twickenham with some confidence," said the 25-year-old centre, whose two tries took him to 23 in his career and second on the all-time list of Irish tryscorers.
Wales skipper Martyn Williams, who replaced the injured Colin Charvis as captain, said that it had been uphill all the way from the moment Byrne scored the first try but added that they would rebound against the French on March 7. "Of course we can raise our game for the French as we've been through a lot together.
"We knew as a side we weren't a finished article but it takes time to get there and yes its a setback."
Ireland: Girvan Dempsey (Leinster); Shane Horgan (Leinster), Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster, capt), Tyrone Howe (Ulster); Ronan O'Gara (Munster), Peter Stringer (Munster); Anthony Foley (Munster), Keith Gleeson (Leinster), Simon Easterby (Llanelli/WAL); Paul O'Connell (Munster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster); John Hayes (Munster), Shane Byrne (Leinster), Reggie Corrigan (Leinster) Replacements: Malcolm O'Kelly (Leinster) for O'Callaghan, 36 mins; Kevin Maggs (Bath/ENG) for D'Arcy, 57 mins; Frank Sheahan (Munster) for Byrne, 65 mins; Guy Easterby (Rotherham/ENG) for Stringer, 78 mins; David Humphreys (Ulster) for O'Driscoll, 78 mins; Simon Best (Ulster) for Corrigan, 80 mins; Victor Costello (Leinster) for Foley, 80 mins.
Wales: Gareth Thomas (Celtic Warriors); Rhys Williams (Cardiff), Sonny Parker (Celtic Warriors), Iestyn Harris (Cardiff), Shane Williams (Neath-Swansea); Stephen Jones (Llanelli), Gareth Cooper (Celtic Warriors); Dafydd Jones (Llanelli), Martyn Williams (Cardiff, capt), Jonathan Thomas (Neath-Swansea); Robert Sidoli (Celtic Warriors), Brent Cockbain (Celtic Warriors); Adam Jones (Neath-Swansea), Robin McBryde (Llanelli), Iestyn Thomas (Llanelli) Replacements;: Gethin Jenkins (Celtic Warriors) for A Jones; Michael Owen (Dragons) for R Sidoly; Tom Shanklin (Cardiff) for S Parker; Alix Popham (Leeds/ENG) for J Thomas; Ceri Sweeney (Celtic Warriors) for I Harris; D Pel for G Cooper.