A win is a win, is a win? Yes and no. The most important thing about the game at Lansdowne Road on Saturday was that Ireland did indeed win. The effect of another defeat would have been critical, leaving this team and the management in the pits of despair. Nerves, palpable fatigue, a lack of confidence, capricious weather, a must-win yet a no-win scenario, and a remodelled team coming off a Murrayfield hangover were undoubtedly some of the mitigating factors in a truly abysmal first-half performance.

At the break the crowd were probably annoyed that the big screen had stopped with the Grand National. At that juncture, they'd have taken the 5.00 from Caterick, never mind Aintree. Anything but this torture.

The "after you" response from the Irish forwards to Diego Dominguez's third kick-off of the half, where Victor Costello (mindful that he'd fluffed the first two) left it for Justin Bishop to fumble instead, told more about this team's lack of confidence than any other single incident. Although the sun was blinding into that corner, the Italians coped far better with Eric Elwood's restarts into the same corner.

There were many disconcerting aspects to that Irish first-half performance, of which the 13 unforced handling errors and ensuing turnovers were but one of them. There was no zip, no leadership, a lack of line-out variations indicative of a team which is still struggling with the decision-making process.

The sight of Ciaran Scally running across field to target runners and almost colliding with them looked clumsy, although here the onus was on the runners to make the call and so make allowances for the defensive formation. Suffice to say, it's one to work on, but there's lots more work to be done in a short period of time, because the most disconcerting aspect by far of this effort was the ponderous and often telegraphed attempt to run the ball into the wind.

Given the wind behind their backs, and a more focussed approach to Dominguez's restarts, Ireland could revert to kicking for position and establishing a platform in the Italian half. By applying more pressure on the Italian scrum and line-out, this gave Ireland an almost unbroken foothold in opposition territory.

But in many ways, it was back to Plan A, and a somewhat limited team, technically, were clearly far happier with this. They were at least able to execute some moves with Elwood looping around the centres, who checked the Italian drift, and created space wide out for the impressive Girvan Dempsey and Conor O'Shea. Elwood may not have the most instinctive or creative hands in the game, though the skip pass for Bishop's try was a beauty. In a structured game with pre-planned moves he can deliver. The strike runners held their depth and the tries were well taken, Gatland understandably taking some satisfaction that that the Irish backs can execute the basics.

The injury-ravaged Italian team wilted and the try O'Shea scored when picking up stray Irish scrum ball to carve through the visitors' back row, half-backs and full back would normally be the kind of try Ireland concede, not score. Think of Bobby Skinstad.

O'Shea's celebrations added to the light relief, and given his moniker within the squad due to a supposed likeness to the Roman emperor, hail the conquering Caesar and all that.

Elwood's kicking game, and the utilisation of O'Shea was spot on. In fairness to the crowd, they stuck with the team all the way, only groaning collectively when Elwood's pick up and pass to Bishop went embarrassingly wrong. The fear that they might turn against their own was ultimately never founded.

Credit to Ireland for winning the second period 26-7 (indeed 31-7 from first-half injury time) from not the most promising of interval platforms. "I wasn't happy," smiled Gatland of his interval teamtalk, though apparently it was Philip Danaher who really lost his head.

Exasperation finally gave way to relief, and management and crowd alike heaved a collective "phew" at the end. "Rome wasn't built in a day," observed the Irish coach, though he must be deeply concerned at the declining standards of his team.

Most of the plusses were in the backs, the outside three, Kevin Maggs and Elwood. Ciaran Scally had to do a fair bit of excavating as the pack predictably struggled to supply quick ruck ball against some of the best spoilers about - only the Scots eclipse them.

Several look tired, indicative of which was an almost anonymous Paddy Johns, while poor Victor Costello had a bad day at the office. Easily the best was Trevor Brennan, who was aggressive yet disciplined both with the ball in hand and in defence.

Here was a man on an Oz mission. Mission accomplished too.