Girvan Dempsey

Five starts, 1 try

Came into the championship with confidence at a low ebb but justified Eddie O'Sullivan's faith in him, to his utter credit, and was as solid, assured and reliable as ever, almost error-free, on Saturday. There's more there, however.

Shane Horgan

Five starts, 1 try

Played every minute and gave his all, constantly coming off his wing in looking for work to compensate for ball not coming his way very often. Rewarded when straightening through Italian posts like a centre.

Gordon D'Arcy

Five starts, 2 tries

Irish player of the tournament, and maybe player of the tournament full stop. O'Driscollesque speed of foot - opponents needed a ball and chain to bring him down - and tackled big too. Made line breaks in every game. An extraordinary talent has finally blossomed.

Brian O'Driscoll

Four starts, 3 tries

Missed French game, big comeback against Wales, perhaps over-criticised in Twickenham, defining touch of class against Italy and everything bar tries in virtuoso performance against Scots. Could also be the world's best flanker and, oh, an excellent captain too.

Geordan Murphy

Two starts, 1 try

Inching his way back, understandably, but gave glimpses of the rich talents he brings to the party even if he was almost something of a luxury item.

Ronan O'Gara

Five starts, 1 try, 7 pens, 11 cons (48 pts)

Unsure first half on Saturday, but typically found his range and his distribution remained good, and he was brilliant in Twickenham. Strike rate of 62 per cent, though eight out of nine in Paris and Twickenham, and 10 out of 20 at more capricious Lansdowne Road.

Peter Stringer

Five starts, 1 try

Ireland would struggle without this fellow. His thumb injury having healed, normal quickfire service was resumed. Work-rate outstanding as ever, box kicked pretty well and sniped better than ever on Saturday.

Reggie Corrigan

Five starts

A hardy campaign at the coalface and in the set-pieces. Corrigan is one of the team's unsung heroes and kept Marcus Horan at bay until the last quarter of the last two outings.

Shane Byrne

Five starts, 2 tries

Ireland's pre-eminent lineout was founded on his expert darts. Unstinting in defence, in defensive and offensive mauls, and in hitting rucks, plus some ball carries. Hooker of the tournament.

John Hayes

Five starts

One of only three to play every minute. His set-piece play has never been better, and when he hits, he hits. An indispensable bulwark of this side in every sense and another unsung hero.

Malcolm O'Kelly

Four starts (1 sub), 1 try

Replaced in Paris, then dropped, Big Mal came back with a vengeance in eclipsing Willie John McBride's record and becoming Ireland's second-most-capped player. Ruled the airwaves, put his body on the line and pumped his legs.

Paul O'Connell

Four starts

Along with O'Driscoll, the epitome of this team's irreverence and high achievement. More Johnsonesque than Martin Johnson nowadays, not remotely sated yet and better still to come.

Simon Easterby

Five starts

His third coming and at last his time has come. Another to have played every minute and though he'd have liked more ball carries, again did everything else. Playing more like Richard Hill than, well, Richard Hill.

Anthony Foley

Five starts, 2 tries

Possibly no one deserves these good days more than this Munster dog. A natural-born footballer and winner, immense as ever in defence and close in.

David Wallace

One start, 1 try

A hard to act to follow and did his best to impersonate Keith Gleeson at the breakdown on Saturday. His third try-scoring appearance in a row underlined that no Irish forward is more difficult to bring down.

Keith Gleeson

Four starts

Arch-poacher, rubberesque as ever at the tackle, key defensive co-ordinator and always clever, if less explosive on the ball than Wallace, he deserved to be there on Saturday.

Donncha O'Callaghan

Two starts (2 subs)

Handy impact weapon in reserve, the rich promise remains largely untapped after he unluckily hobbled off in the first half against Wales before O'Kelly kept him in check. Stade Francais beware.

Tyrone Howe

Three starts, 1 try

Gives his detractors the heebie-jeebies, but plays the game at a high tempo and with a big heart. His support trailers were an important factors in the Twickenham win before he made way for Geordan Murphy.

Kevin Maggs

One start (4 subs)

Made way for the O'Driscoll-D'Arcy axis, but superbly supportive squaddie who was just what the doctor ordered for the backs-to-the-wall last 20 in Twickenham.

Frankie Sheahan

Four subs

Came into the championship pushing hard for a place, but Byrne's excellence confined him mostly to bench splinters. Again, Stade Francais beware.

Marcus Horan

Two subs

Injuries limited him to last-quarter cameos in last two games. Yet again, Stade Francais beware.

Victor Costello

Four subs

Belatedly used in Paris, the only real chance he had for some trademark rumbling was after Gleeson was injured against Italy.

David Humphreys

Three subs

Looks to be playing as well as ever for Ulster but confined to bit parts. Probably Ireland's most luxurious item in reserve. Comforting, nonetheless, that he's there.

Guy Easterby

Three subs

Limited to two minutes or under in three cameo appearances.

Anthony Horgan

One sub

Confined to a walk-on part in Paris.

Simon Best

One sub

A walk-on part against Wales.

Gary Longwell

One sub

Token cap for the Ulster warhorse against Italy.