After sweeping aside all before them en route to a Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam, Andy Farrell had an ominous message for Ireland’s rivals: they are only going to get better.
For Wales, France, Italy, Scotland and England that will be hard to imagine after Ireland picked them apart one-by-one in one of the most dominant Championship campaigns.
Ireland averaged more than 30 points per match, scored 20 tries, conceded just six and finished with 27 points.
It culminated with a weekend dreams are made of – a first Grand Slam won in Dublin, against England, on St Patrick’s weekend.
It’s another milestone on a journey Farrell is hoping will end with a first World Cup in the autumn and, after watching his team see off England 29-16 in front of a jubilant Aviva Stadium, he admitted to already looking at what’s next.
“We are a good side that has nowhere near reached its potential,” insisted Farrell.
“I’ve been saying over the last couple of weeks that’s what we have been striving to do.
“Like Johnny [Sexton] said, we’ll get a few people back to compete, train hard. Everyone is going to get better in the summer when we get to spend more time together.
“We expect our side, when we get to the first game in the World Cup to be a lot better than what we are now and that’s the reality.”
With South Africa in their group, and either France or New Zealand likely in the quarter-finals, Farrell is aware of the challenges that lie ahead, which is what makes this success so important.
Ireland were notably nervous at the Aviva Stadium, with a determined England hanging around for long enough to put the result in doubt in the second half, despite a red card for Freddie Steward.
However, Johnny Sexton once again steered his side home, with a crossfield kick leading to Robbie Henshaw’s crucial try.
Sexton may be Farrell’s captain and arguably Ireland’s greatest ever player but the head coach was quick to pay testament to his entire squad.
“I’m just so glad for the group, it’s just so fitting when you look at the year that we’ve had. To be able to finish it off like that is so deserving in so many ways,” Farrell said.
“Garry Ringrose, getting his 50th last week and he couldn’t receive his 50th cap so we’ve just given it to him now in the changing rooms.
“Josh van der Flier, what a season he’s had. What a fitting moment it is to get his 50th cap on such an occasion like that.
“For captain Johnny here to finish his Six Nations campaign; he’s been saying all week that this is what dreams are made of, it doesn’t come around that often.
“It’s unbelievably fitting that in my opinion the best player ever to play for Ireland is able to sign off on a Grand Slam on St Patrick’s Day, in front of his home crowd.
“Just, there’s a lot of stars that have aligned over the last eight weeks and accumulated into this.”
Backing his head coach up, Sexton agreed and sent a rallying cry to every player hoping to break into the Test side.
“We need to keep building,” he said.
“There are a lot of guys that are injured, that missed this campaign and are going to come back and really put pressure on the guys that have been playing.
“That’s what we need. Come World Cup time we need 40, 45 players all at the same level, fighting for positions.”
