There is something almost Hollywood about Gavin Henson and it's nothing to do with the silver boots, the fake tan, the hairstyle that's a homage to the industrial-strength gel or the celebrity girlfriend in Charlotte Church. He's an inveterate showman on and off the pitch.

Henson was the last of the Welsh team to descend the stairs and head for the team bus, a little over two hours after the game finished. He said: "It hasn't really sunk in but it probably will when I have a couple (of pints). It was unbelievable to go clear of them by so many points, like last week (against Scotland). We let them back in again towards the end. It was a great performance from everyone. We were never going to lose that one. It was meant for us I think."

Ireland played pretty much as expected, Henson using the term "old" to describe them before adding, more charitably, they were experienced and good. "We thought Ireland might come here and try to slow the game down, which maybe they tried to do. We were conscious of trying to play an open and fast game."

The young centre didn't have to delve too deeply for the catalyst of Wales's revival.

"We just needed that big win and that England game was massive for us. We didn't play well that day but we got that win we needed and we just saw the team grow from there.

"I think we deserve this Six Nations because of all the teams we have played the best rugby. Most teams concentrate on defence but we have concentrated on attack and it has paid off for us. It'll be difficult next year because we have to try and defend this Grand Slam and teams (will) want to beat us (but at this stage) I imagine we are superstars and legends.

"I've always thought about playing for Wales, never about winning anything. To win a Grand Slam at my age is brilliant."

On the incident where Henson was deemed to have tripped Geordan Murphy as the latter went over for his try, prompting referee Chris White to award a penalty from the restart, Henson was contrite. "I thought he (Geordan Murphy) was going to dive so I slid with my feet and thought he might land on them. I apologised to Murphy. He said I don't think I touched him. I was lucky I didn't get yellow carded or whatever there."

Welsh outhalf Stephen Jones wore the slightly bemused look of a man who was struggling to comprehend what the team had achieved. He smiled: "Two years ago we didn't win a game. The same nucleus of players (have done it) but it's only with hard work and a little maturity and experience that we've turned things around. To be a part of a squad that has turned things around is a very special place to be. It was a squad effort. It's been that from day one.

"We've slowly progressed. In the autumn we didn't get a major scalp but we nearly did. We kept on moving forward and you have to give the man (Mike Ruddock) credit for that. Obviously it was very important to get our first major scalp and we were fortunate to do that at home to England.

"If you look at it from an analytical point of view, the rugby we played that day wasn't very good but we kept improving. Our performances have improved during the course of the Six Nations. We took a lot of confidence from it."

He also paid tribute to the wonderful atmosphere in the stadium. "Amazing. It was a superb occasion and there's no doubt it lifted the team."