Andy Farrell’s side retained their a Guinness Men's Six Nations title thanks to a 17-13 win over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium – a triumph which left Ireland’s head coach beaming with pride.
He has had to pick his players up this week following that dramatic late defeat at Twickenham which ended dreams of becoming the first side to record back-to-back Grand Slams in the Six Nations era.
Farrell did just that, with tries from Dan Sheehan and Andrew Porter either side of half time securing a 17-13 win over a stubborn Scotland.
"I’m delighted for the lads,” he said. “Back-to-back Championships is so hard to do, history tells you that.
“It means so much to get this over the line and the players showed their intent early in the second half, they came out the blocks really strongly.
"If we had converted our chances, we could have taken it away from them but that’s Test match rugby. Everyone talks about Grand Slams but it’s so tough to do that back-to-back, that’s why it’s never been done before. That’s why everyone loves the Six Nations. We’ll take this any day."
Ireland sailed to a Grand Slam in 2023, Farrell's team looking untouchable as they lived up to the billing as the number one ranked nation in the world.
This time around things were a little different but their Round 5 destiny remained in their own hands and they knew anything other than defeat to Scotland would see the St Patrick's Day start a few hours early.
Gregor Townsend's team were intent on spoiling the party from the first minute and even after Ireland went in front through Sheehan in the 12th minute, the hooker benefiting from a Scottish overthrow at the lineout, Finn Russell’s second penalty soon had the visitors back within a point.
It was only as Scottish shoulders tired from a green deluge that Irish supremacy shone through and Porter's decisive score crowned the home side as champions once again.
With a glint in his eye as his players began their celebrations, Farrell added: "There were two sides going for a trophy tonight and conditions didn’t help in the first half, it was a war of attrition.
"We played some brilliant rugby in that second half and our final pass couldn’t get over the line. Scotland were tough, very physical and stayed in the game for the full 80 minutes. It’s nice to get a victory in a game like that.”
Celebratory scenes inside the Aviva are becoming regular – and you sense there could be plenty more as long as Farrell remains at the helm.
