Pounded. Physically and spiritually. One by one, the Irish players leave their dressing room, washed and suited and scarred. For each of them, the dream of a Grand Slam fled at various stages of the afternoon. It is all a matter of perspectives really.

"I don't think we were at it - they were a different class to us today," murmured a dejected Ronan O'Gara.

"We just have to compliment them on it, really. We had a big wind in the first half and still went in behind. We needed to be ten points up to be in with a realistic chance of winning. But ah, the better side by a mile won."

Earlier, Clive Woodword paid the Irish a sort of compliment by observing that they now stood where England were two years ago. Ronan screws up his face when this is put to him and has a think.

"Ahh . . . I wouldn't have much interest in what Clive Woodword thinks to be honest - he thinks differently to a lot of us. They were just the better team. Better equipped all over the pitch. They destroyed us."

And the evidence of that is writ large on the Irish faces. Big John Hayes, the Bull. Bespectacled and solemn.

"Disappointed. Yeah. They have a good defence, it's a system they have been working on for the last three or four years, you know. And anytime they came into our half, they scored. It's disappointing, but as Eddie (O'Sullivan) said to us afterwards, it's not the end of the world."

Heavy days like these affect men in different ways. Life's extroverts retreat inside themselves, quiet men grow talkative. Through good and bad, David Humphreys has remained the same. Polite and measured and on the money.

"In the second half, they showed why they are the best team in the world. Before that, we had the opportunity to score some tries and against England, if you do not take your chances you are going to pay. There were stages when we threatened but the final pass just wasn't there. I don't think the scoreline reflected the game - years ago, if you saw a score like that you would think the heads had dropped in the last 20 minutes. But we kept going, kept tackling and trying to run the ball, we kept playing until the end. But for those last 20 minutes, they were pretty impressive."

Strange, that period of the afternoon when all hope had been drained from the ground and there was nothing left for England to do but give an exhibition. And not once did they milk it. Their superiority was more of an understatement. They really are that good. After all the miles Ireland have travelled, the final act was a disquieting end to the season.

"There was no shame in those last 20 minutes," Denis Hickie says. The winger looks tired but not distraught. He knows these days, has the read on them.

"See, I think we played some of our best rugby today, it's just the game didn't go our way. At half-time, we felt we had performed quite well and that they maybe got a lucky try and that was encouraging. So that was how we approached the second half. But when their scores did come, it was telling. They deserved their Grand Slam.

"And maybe we have to be in that position a bit more often to gain the experience. They have been knocking on the door for a few years with people calling them chokers or whatever. In fairness, they are a good team. And Ireland still had a good season. Just because you get in a situation and don't come out of it doesn't mean you didn't do well to get there."

Coming out last is Geordan Murphy, sensational even through this dark, final hour. He smiles at the thought of going back to Leicester where Martin Johnson, who spoke fondly of his young team-mate afterwards, awaits with a bagfull of smart comments.

"I spoke to all the Leicester boys on the pitch and they all said hard luck. I'm sure there will be a bit of good-natured ribbing when I go back. You've got to take it on the chin and get on with it. This was tough. With a bit of luck, we might have got over for a try early on and then it might have been different. But you know, that's what if. . ." And all the 'what-ifs' got pounded.