SIX NATIONS REVIEW:Declan Kidney and his coaching ticket restored self-belief and empowered the Irish squad to raise their game to an unbelievable level, writes GERRY THORNLEY

IRISH PEOPLE were probably still a little fuzzy around the edges yesterday, but by the same token we were floating too. Only in the bookies could there have been mixed emotions. As Stephen Jones’ kick hung in the air, about €2 million rested on its destination in Paddy Powers alone, and the thought occurred that maybe some of the late heroes of 1948 collectively blew it short as the ball died like a winged duck.

Still, it was Ronan O’Gara who ultimately needed the ice in his veins, or the desire and the technical skill, to take on and execute the winning drop goal, and that couldn’t have been more apposite. Amid the horrors of the World Cup, in the long, unfulfilling wait for the title and Grand Slam some of us always felt this group of players was capable of achieving, and in the mental strength they displayed to come through five tight games in the second halves with utter composure at the end, O’Gara was a barometer of this team.

O’Gara will forever be the hero of the hour and after the buffeting Wayne Barnes allowed him to take from the Welsh he deserves every moment of the glory that comes his way. That drop goal will remain in our sporting consciousness like Stuttgart, Italia 90 and the Giants Stadium, Ronnie Delany and Eamonn Coghlan . . . and all the other great moments.

With the advent of multi-channels and multi-media, we have less and less of what the Americans call “water cooler moments”, those seminal moments most of us witness together. And apart from general elections, and even then exceptional ones such as Barack Obama’s, or disasters, only sport can throw them up regularly.

Great sporting theatre, as seen in the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, is the purest form of reality television. No writer can script it in advance, no producer or director is directing its finale from behind a camera. Nobody is manipulated, because it is real.

It came down to the last kick, in the last minute, of the last match of the tournament between its top two sides. Even if a producer had come up with the idea they wouldn’t even have bought it in Hollywood, and if they had, it wouldn’t have been real anyhow.

It made for a vintage end to one of the most thrilling climaxes the tournament can ever have generated, and made for a vintage Six Nations in Ireland if not a vintage tournament generally.

You can’t help wondering what might have happened had Declan Kidney been appointed sooner. It was clear the players had developed a new-found togetherness and enthusiasm almost from the first whistle against the French. They’ve been much more relaxed and confident, even in their dealings with us in the media, and appeared to be making their own calls more than the automatons of before whose innovativeness had been destroyed.

The smile was back on the green jerseys. They were, in the coach’s own words, having the craic again and if an Ireland team – make that any team – isn’t enjoying playing sport – even with the onerous responsibility of playing for their country – then there really is no point.

Kidney and his coaching ticket helped restore their self-belief, empowered them and changed every regimented day. Apparently, their training time has been significantly reduced, with the net result the players endured the intensity of five mammoth games in seven weeks – three of them away – in better physical and emotional health.

There have been clear if subtle technical changes, too, to both the pack play and the defence. At times you could have thrown a blanket over the forwards, so tight-knit were they on the field, re-inventing the pick and go and the maul while dominating the air at lineout time. Aside from upping their line speed in defence, individuals or “shooters” have been entrusted to break the line and snuff out danger. This would never have been tolerated previously. Curiously, too, the outstanding work of video analyst Mervyn Murphy – who must live in a bunker – has been utilised with many clever plays such as Tommy Bowe’s try in Cardiff and, perhaps, Jamie Heaslip’s in Murrayfield.

Yet in all their utterances, what the players speak most often of is the honesty of effort, truth and integrity which Kidney and the coaching ticket have brought into the squad. George Hook reckoned if he was a priest he’d be Pope by now.

Kidney himself ventured that he is not trying to make himself out to be a management consultant but perhaps, most of all, he has served as a psychiatrist who has rehabilitated a chronically brainwashed patient. He is a unique coach, and a unique, quirky bloke.

This campaign has probably been something of a reality check for Wales and their superstars. They certainly don’t have the strength in depth they thought they had and battering rams such as Andy Powell and Jamie Roberts have been sussed as something of one-trick ponies. Yet, but for Martyn Williams’ slip in Paris and Stephen Jones’ last kick falling short, they would have won back-to-back Slams.

England have made palpable progress under Martin Johnson in this campaign, though it would be worth some of their cheerleaders remembering they were still deservedly beaten by both Wales and Ireland. They still need the spark which the likes of Danny Cipriani and James Haskell might provide them, but they will be absorbed on Johnson’s terms and they look set to be a stronger force next season.

France’s campaign was even more French than normal. Very good, bad, brilliant, rank awful and good again in that order, though the romp in Rome was utterly irrelevant.

Imagine Declan Kidney emulating Marc Lievrement’s astonishing admission that he was ashamed to be in the same dressingroom as his losers in Twickenham? Or making such inconsistent and baffling selections such as jobsworths at scrumhalf. They have not progressed and their Top 14 will continue to undermine les bleus.

Scotland have been hard to beat for everyone, but a little like Ireland in the late 90s, find it had to win simply by dint of their lack of finishing, and you wonder how much further Frank Hadden or anyone else can take them.

Italy have gone backwards, sadly. While they’re chronically short of a Test quality outhalf or pace out wide, what has been unforgivable has been the abject failure in their first-up tackling.

Two tries scored and 21 conceded. Ouch. At the start of the tournament you didn’t think you could feel sorrier for anyone than the out-of-place Mauro Bergamasco at scrumhalf. By the end, Sergio Parisse’s one-man show rivalled it. The Celts owe them a couple of places at the Magners League table, or else the Azzurri will continue to fall.

After the long wait, success can breed success, witness Munster, but back-to-back Slams have only ever been achieved five times, England in 1913-14, 1923-24 and 1991-92, Wales in 1908-09 and France 1997-98.

The ripple effect on the Lions should be significant. The upping of the ante between Ireland and Wales, along with revival of mutual loathing between England and Scotland, will make generating harmony this summer as difficult as ever. An Irishman, one of this team’s two totemic figures, will assuredly captain that squad, and maybe a dozen or more will make the party. But that’s for another day. This was Ireland’s day.

Such is the way of modern sport that the players will rejoin their provinces later this week and on Saturday week Munster and Leinster will go at each other hammer and tongs in the Magners League in Thomond Park. Heineken Cup quarter-finals await the following Easter Sunday, and it is not beyond the bounds of possibility they will meet again in the semi-finals at Croke Park.

You’d think everything after last Saturday will be an antic-climax but there’s plenty life left in this season yet.

gthornley@irishtimes.com

PASSED WITH FLYING COLOURS GERRY THORNLEY'S PLAYER-BY-PLAYER ASSESSMENT OF THE IRELAND SQUAD

ROB KEARNEY

Starts: 5.

Minutes on pitch: 374.

Pts: 2.

THE ROCK at the back, supreme under the high ball, strong counter kicking and running. His leaping catches will remain one of the vivid memories of Ireland's march to immortality.

GEORDAN MURPHY

Starts: 0 (+ 4 rep).

Minutes on pitch: 26.

ADAPTED PROFESSIONALLY to bench role and was a comforting classy presence for four endgames. At least one of the great, if under-appreciated, Irish talents of the professional age had the honour and joy of fielding Stephen Jones' last kick and sending the ball into oblivion. One wonders who has it now?

TOMMY BOWE

Starts: 5.

Minutes on pitch: 400.

Pts: 10 (2 tries)

ONE OF the ever-presents and one of the stand-out campaigners with his heads-up rugby. Pivotal support break against France, try-saving tackle in Murrayfield and brilliantly taken try in Cardiff.

BRIAN O'DRISCOLL

Starts: 5.

Minutes on pitch: 400.

Pts: 23. (4 tries, 1 DG).

PART CLOSE-range try-scoring prop, openside flanker, occasional outhalf and centre, he rivalled Paul O'Connell for the Superman shorts. Countless key moments, not least his try-saving tackle on Phil Godman and the tournament's joint top try scorer (happy days for those who backed him at 33/1). A leader-from-the-front tour de force from the captain.

PADDY WALLACE

Starts: 3 (+1 Rep).

Minutes: 174.

WOULD HAVE been cruel to end it as the villain of the tournament, after the facial damage he suffered in the first two games. Played well against France and tackled superbly until missing one late on against England.

GORDON D'ARCY

Starts: 2 (+ 2 Rep).

Minutes: 224.

Pts: 5 (1 try).

VITAL TRADEMARK try against France after a year out, quick-wittedly created one of Fitzgerald's brace in Rome, grew into Murrayfield and played best of all in second 80-minute outing in Cardiff. A heart-warming story. Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke either.

LUKE FITZGERALD

Starts: 5.

Minutes: 396.

Pts: 10 (2 tries).

AN EXCELLENT campaign for the baby of the squad. Pivotal try in Rome and there could easily have been more than two given the way he held his depth and also his support runs through the middle. Textbook tackling throughout, up to putting his body in the way of Mike Phillips and only missed the last four minutes.

RONAN O'GARA

Starts: 5.

Minutes: 390.

Pts: 56 (10P, 10C, 2DG)

A TOUGH tournament at times, notably with his kicking radar against England, but invariably hung tough and yet again one of the key men, directing the second half traffic and landing critical kicks with nerves of steel. A braveheart in Cardiff and then, cometh the hour….no better man.

TOMÁS O'LEARY

Starts: 4 (+ 1 rep).

Minutes: 300.

Despite a loose kicking game in the opener against France, this improved considerably as the tournament wore on, and O'Leary showed his big-game temperament, strength in defence and, occasionally, that he is perhaps the quickest player in the squad as well as adapting to replacement role in Edinburgh. Major contributor.

PETER STRINGER

Starts: 1 (+ 3 rep).

Minutes: 106.

ADAPTED PROFESSIONALLY to impact role in three of the four games and even seemed to improve his game. Orchestrated pivotal first-half drive against Italy and endgames that day and against England before starring role in Murrayfield with match-winning break and offload to Heaslip and finished it by orchestrating the match-winning drive in Cardiff. Major contributor.

MARCUS HORAN

Starts: 5.

Minutes: 375.

ONLY A marginally less indispensable and vital cog in the wheel up front than Hayes. Overall, Horan more than survived in the scrums, worked his socks off in the close-in rumbles and covered acres of ground to make carries and vital tackles, such as stopping Martyn Williams in full flight in Cardiff at a key moment. Well, they were all key moments in Cardiff where, as usual, he finished strongly.

JERRY FLANNERY

Starts: 4 (+1 rep).

Minutes: 264.

ANOTHER VITAL cog in the wheel. His scrummaging has come on a ton in the last 12 months, his darts were invariably on the bulls eye and his locating of O'Connell will make him a viable Test starter for the Lions, while he augmented his donkey work up front by being one of the team's primary ball carriers.

RORY BEST

Starts: 1 (+ 4 rep).

Minutes: 136.

ONE OF the team leaders who never let his frustration at four stints on the bench permeate his contribution, which as ever was honest as the day is long. High (and technically precise) tackle count for a hooker, particularly given his time on the pitch, who invariably got stuck in as soon as he was introduced – save for being called to throw long immediately – which is never an easy thing to do.

JOHN HAYES

Starts: 5.

Minutes: 396.

A VERITABLE Bull alright. His work-rate and strength close-in are critical to the mauling and pick-and-go rumbling, and then there's his scrummaging and invaluable lifting in the tournament's best line-out. A phenomenal tenth successive campaign and 49th successive championship start in also becoming Ireland's most capped player of all time. A true heroic figurehead of this squad.

DONNCHA O'CALLAGHAN

Starts: 5.

Minutes: 400.

ANOTHER OF the unsung heroes and ever-presents, which tells you everything about his phenomenal work-rate and stamina, seemingly growing stronger as matches wore on. Little ball was called on him but he cleans out rucks and tackles until the cows come home. A little tetchy for his own or the team's good on Saturday.

PAUL O'CONNELL

Starts: 5.

Minutes: 396.

THE PACK and perhaps the team's reference point. The tournament's abiding force of nature, O'Connell was aerially supreme, being the leading line-out operator in the tournament as well as one of its leading ball carriers, and then there's his phenomenal close-in work, tackling and leadership. Awesome and, pound for pound, Ireland's greatest forward ever?

STEPHEN FERRIS

Starts: 5.

Minutes: 308.

UNFORTUNATE ENDING personally, but Ferris was simply immense, revelling in the never-ending collisions which are the staple diet of the modern-day game. There was dexterity too, such as the run and offload for Fitzgerald's pivotal try in Rome and the offload in the build-up to O'Driscoll's try against England. Looks tailor-made for confronting Burger and co with the Lions.

DAVID WALLACE

Starts: 5.

Minutes: 400.

Pts: 5 (1 try).

ANOTHER EVER-present, it was entirely fitting that Wallace pumped his legs in contact like no other Irish rugby player of the professional age has consistently been able to do in receiving Stephen Jones' kick-off and then in setting up O'Gara's Slam-winning drop goal. Superb, sometimes try-saving tackles in the open spaces to supplement his close-in work. Outstanding campaign.

JAMIE HEASLIP

Starts: 4 (+ 1 rep).

Pts: 10 (2 tries).

SAYS MUCH for his often classy efforts that he kept Leamy on the bench for all but one game. Set much of the tone with his try against France – probably Ireland's try of the tournament – and his try against the Scots was typical of his intelligent support running. Would revel even more if the team upped its offloading.

DENIS LEAMY

Starts: 1 (+ 4 rep).

Minutes: 139.

A REAL Lions contender largely confined to bit parts before being cruelly injured on his only start. But, thankfully for him, the best was kept until last with a quite stunning 73-minute contribution as Ferris' replacement in Cardiff when his presence, steals and big plays arguably made him man of the match. That says something for his mental strength as well as his abundant talent and honesty.

TOM COURT

Starts: 0. (+ 2 rep)

Minutes: 27.

MALCOLM O'KELLY

Starts: 0. (+ 1 rep).

Minutes: 4.

MICK 0'DRISCOLL

Starts: 0.

COURT WAS confined to a difficult last quarter in Rome but will hopefully have benefited enormously from the experience. Big Mal must have had mixed feelings after briefly extending his Irish record in Rome while O'Driscoll's lack of game time was assuredly a compliment to O'Callaghan as much as O'Connell.