Reaction A dank, dark, wet, windy, chilly beautiful November day. Manna from heaven. Cue to Bono and the boys, and Brian O'Driscoll leading his elated team-mates on a lap of honour.

Like the win over England 13 months ago, nobody wanted to go, and that's always the way it is on beautiful days.

A few po-faced supporters questioned the wisdom of the lap of honour, as if it was milking it too much, and might even lead to complacency or needlessly inflame the Wallabies for next year's clashes. But if players who've worked so hard can't savour a victory like this, and share it with thousands of drenched supporters, then what's the point.

Days like this, a first against reigning world champions to boot, don't, eh, come along often. The last time Ireland beat Australia or any of the Southern Hemisphere sides O'Driscoll barely had his milk teeth.

It was a huge day for defensive co-ordinator Mike Ford. Proof to himself, to supporters and pundits, but most of all to his players that his methods are working. "We're happy for Mike Ford. We've had a couple of really rough days out defensively in the last year," admitted Eddie O'Sullivan, "and today was a lot of good stuff coming to fruition. It's not just defending, it's making the big tackles when they count, and I think that really was the winning of the game in the last 20 minutes.

"They were always going to have the ball and come at us. We needed to keep our shape and our discipline, and I'm really happy with that."

All the players should grow a little more as Test players after this. Of them all, though, it was particularly huge for Victor Costello, whose international career had to be relaunched here and now. There mightn't have been another chance.

Most of all perhaps, it was vindication of O'Sullivan himself, not just for his selections of Costello and Shane Horgan, and for his inspiring choice of the inspirational O'Driscoll as captain, but for his status as Irish coach. This was the day when O'Sullivan truly stamped his name on his own reign.

Ever had a better day?

"No, is the simple answer. It's the best I've ever had. It's a big day for Irish rugby."

And for him personally? He can unclench his teeth a little, breath a little easier now.

"Yeah, I suppose I've had my ups and downs in the last year. Some good performances, some bad. And today I suppose the jury would still have been out on me a little bit. Maybe, hopefully, people will realise I'm not so bad after all."

The coach admitted if conditions had been different it would have been a completely different game, further revealing: "We had planned to throw the ball around a lot and I'm sure they had as well, but maybe we adapted a little better."

No harm to have a few plan Bs in the locker for, unlikely though it might be, as the Irish coach said, "it just might rain in the World Cup. I'm happy with our defence, our adaptability, and I'm happy we won. This has been a while coming against the big guns, and we talked all week about being in a position to win the game and then having the composure and the strength of character to go and win it. That was probably the most gratifying thing."

It would be nice to think that this could be a benchmark now.

"Of course you'd like to think that. Time will tell. We've got to play these guys before the World Cup. It will be a different game and they will certainly use this loss today as something to build on, and winning today doesn't mean we're going to win the World Cup. And if we lose next June it doesn't mean we're going to be a disaster in the World Cup."

On the day, the coach could reflect on a job well done.

"Victor had a super game, Shane, and then John Kelly came in and did a great job for Denis. So I was happy the selections worked out. Those guys know when they're picked ahead of somebody else they're under pressure and I was delighted for Victor, who's had his detractors. I spoke to Victor earlier this year, I explained to him what I needed from him to put him in the team and he delivered. Credit to the guy, he was given an opportunity today and he took it with both hands."