RUGBY:Rugby treks don't come much better than that. An under-20 Grand Slam, glorious sunshine for three days, the best of good food, wine and sightseeing, euros being spent like they were liras, and then a 50-pointer against a damn-fine Italian side in which possibly the best collection of backs ever to wear the Irish jersey gave full vent to their talents in carnival atmosphere at the Stadio Flaminio. And yet there was a feeling of anti-climax.

Nonsense really, but it was just the way things panned out. In front of a big screen in the Piazza del Popolo relaying pictures from Paris (would you ever have imagined rugby on a big screen in Rome?) an estimated 5,000 supporters, many of them Irish, mingled with their Italian counterparts. Some played games of tip rugby but most went through the gamut of emotions in that Parisian endgame, the Azzurri themselves turning up for a public salute after at last capturing the Italian public's imagination.

Back in the salubrious Westin Excelsior, the players, family, friends and supporters strained for every vantage point to view a widescreen TV. Brian O'Driscoll waved crutches, roared angrily and groaned as the Scots briefly put Ireland ahead on points difference, before the picture went and then returned again just as the interminable wait for Simon McDowell's verdict began.

The players slipped away to don tuxedos, unconvinced it had even been a try. To learn subsequently that, off microphone, McDowell had apparently expressed doubts he could award the try made the whole St Patrick's Day saga more cruel.

The media were all in attendance, granted a temporary office in the downstairs boardroom in case Ireland were to be crowned. No chance. Instead it was a low-key round of interviews with a philosophical Eddie O'Sullivan, the players passing by with their glamorous other halves, or mingling in the foyer.

Yet the disappointment had already started to ebb. This team wants to master its own destiny rather than hang on the favours of others and Ronan O'Gara appeared to be speaking for all when maturely reflecting on the one that got away.

"It's disappointing but when I have time to think about it, the damage was done in Croke Park against France. There's always ifs and buts, but sport isn't like that. Sport is cruel, sport can be wonderful, so I kinda think at this stage that it was tough s*** today.

"When you play at the top level you have to be ruthless. We weren't ruthless that day and that's the price we paid."

Looking ahead to the "bigger picture" next September, the tournament's leading points scorer and joint top try scorer added, "I don't think we'd be jumping around if we'd won a championship. I think it'd be good but . . . I'm not too bothered, to be honest. I think there's more in this team and I hope we go on now and build towards an impressive World Cup."

Although Ireland should now be carrying the mantle of European champions into the World Cup, that psychological edge rests with one of their pool rivals.

At least Ireland signed off as real contenders. The forward play underlined the dependency on the absent Paul O'Connell, but the back play had strong echoes of the swing-from-the-hip, last half-hour in Paris a year ago.

"I give huge, huge praise to Denis (Hickie)," said O'Gara. "He spoke last night as a senior member and I think it really hit a tune with the more experienced fellas in the team, that chances like this don't come along too often. You can hide in the fact that you can beat Italy by three points and get out of town, or else you can take it on and face up to the fact that we can win the championship. We went to bed buzzing, then we got up and saw the weather, and as a back line what more can you ask for?

"I thought today we finally expressed ourselves."

If only Ireland had been batting second in Rome too, for knowing their target undoubtedly helped France's late run chase. It's easy enough being wise after the event, though plenty of supporters would have been willing Ireland to see out the endgame in Rome differently, be it take a three-pointer from halfway, go for an attacking lineout, or just put the ball out of play. But who's to say France wouldn't have reached a revised target? Ireland could just as easily have been left ruing any late conservatism.

Certainly there were no regrets from O'Sullivan: "You have to remember the team didn't know what points they needed, so they had to go and play and play. And if you get into the headset with 15 minutes to go that maybe we've enough points in the bag and start defending, the chances are you'd have given up a few more tries."

"The way we were playing I felt there was another five or seven points in us," explained O'Gara. "Some of the handling was good and we got tries out of nothing because of the way we played it. So on balance I think we've got to be happy with the performance, although we were probably 40 points better on the day that was in it, not 27 maybe."

These are heady times. It had been another almighty Irish rugby invasion.

"Are Munster playing here today?" O'Gara had quipped on the bus to the Stadio Flaminio.

"I don't think Brian and Denis and Shaggy were too impressed. Rugby's going huge. Obviously it's a great weekend, Rome is a fantastic city and rugby is a small issue but I think all the fellas in the team appreciate the support we're getting. It would be great to be 20 and have another 10 years in front of you."

Because as they are realising more and more, opportunities like these don't come along often.

Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll and secondrow Mick O'Driscoll were both sent for scans last nights, the results of which will be confirmed today.

The pair were injured during the match between Italy and Ireland at the Stadio Flaminio on Saturday.

Brian O'Driscoll is thought to be the more seriously hurt. The initial prognosis suggests a torn hamstring, which would mean he could miss not alone Leinster's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Wasps at Adams park on Saturday week but also the rest of the season and the summer tour to Argentina.

Mick O'Driscoll retired after 50 minutes in Rome following a blow to the ribs. He wasn't sure in the immediate aftermath but thought he might have cracked a rib or popped cartilage.

He must be doubtful for Munster's Heineken Cup clash against Llanelli on Friday week.