Solid foundations have allowed Ireland build their Slam

When this Irish side are in top gear, they're a sight to behold.

Saturday wasn't one of those days, an evening where the size of the occasion dictated the need for substance above style, but throughout this Grand Slam run, and throughout the last 18 months, the attacking shape, variety of passing and moments of individual brilliance have made Irish games a joy to watch.

With four try-bonus points in the five wins, theirs has been the most dominant Grand Slam success since the bonus point system was introduced six years ago. By contrast, the 2019 Welsh Grand Slammers achieved their title without a single four-try win.

Twenty tries in five games, and an average of 30 points scored per game will win you a title most years, but those eye-catching numbers are built the boring, sensible foundations which Ireland are laying better than anybody else in the world.

Defence, discipline and workrate have allowed Ireland to scorch through teams on the days when their attack has been hot. On days - like Saturday - when it's been cold, it's allowed them to simply get the job done.

A missed tackle count of 120 in five games doesn't look great in isolation, but it's a figure that doesn't tell the full story. With a player like Garry Ringrose, who always has a handful of misses in every game, it's his aggressive style that sends ball carriers back into traffic. A missed tackle from one player in the right area, could lead to a dominant tackle for someone else.

The defensive unit as a whole has been performing at the highest level for some time now. As pointed out by rugby statistician Russ Petty, the 10 tries that Ireland have conceded across the last two Six Nations championships combined are still two fewer than next-best Scotland conceded in