RUGBY - SIX NATIONS: So the good ship Ireland is back on course. Not only have they regained the winning habit but, thanks to events in Paris on Saturday, victory over Italy in three weeks will ensure that Ireland will go into the final weekend in Stade de France with a chance of winning the championship for the first time since 1985.
Fanciful? Not that much, actually. For even though Ireland stand third in the table behind England on points difference, Eddie O'Sullivan's team are the championship's highest scorers thus far, and a third handsome home win over the Italians means victory over the French would guarantee Ireland eight points, the most either France or England can achieve.
However, though it might not seem like much consolation to Clive Woodward and his men right now, presuming they beat Wales at home in three weeks, they will go into the final weekend against the Italians in Rome 24 hours after the France-Ireland game knowing exactly what margin of victory would be required of them to retain the Six Nations crown.
This doesn't seem at all right; in many other major championships the last round of games kick-off simultaneously to avoid such an inherent flaw.
Ireland won't be concerning themselves about that for the time being though. Next up is a four-day get-together in Belfast, with a squad of about 30 linking up on Sunday night, after which the 22-man panel for the Italian game will be announced.
The additional eight or more players brought in will most likely come from the Grand Slam-chasing A squad, though it's also become customary to bring in young players for the experience.
"We'd be looking to bring in guys who are on the periphery of selection," said Irish manager Brian O'Brien.
Having stayed loyal in the aftermath of the defeat to England, there shouldn't be too many changes in personnel for the Italian job. Denis Hickie sustained a minor hand injury, and Eric Miller suffered bruising on his hip and thigh from some Scottish Riverdancing, but both will be okay. And most of the Irish squad will be available for their clubs this weekend or next.
"We couldn't afford to have guys not playing for three weeks," admitted O'Brien.
Given the break to the Italian match, Keith Wood could well come back into the reckoning, even if his hopes of making a return after three months' inactivity for Harlequins in the cup semi-final against London Irish prove too optimistic.
Should Wood return, then it would be a straight choice between Shane Byrne and Frankie Sheahan for the back-up role, with Byrne perhaps ahead in the pecking order.
Presuming Wood also reclaims the captaincy from Mick Galwey, then conceivably the Munster warrior, and Gary Longwell, could come under pressure again given Paul O'Connell should come back into the management's thinking after his untimely dental work a week ago.
Geordan Murphy, too, has a chance of recovering from his damaged knee ligaments, but then again Shane Horgan's performance probably did enough to keep his position.
As an aside, with his fourth penalty goal David Humphreys equalled Michael Kiernan's Irish points scoring record of 308 points. "It's an honour to hold it, but I've no doubt that with Ronan coming through it will probably disappear very quickly," said Humphreys.
Though set to establish a landmark against the Italians, "if selected" he points out, Humphreys doesn't place too much store with records.
"Perhaps in years to come when you sit down you can reflect on it more. It's funny to think though that I used to be regarded as an unreliable kicker. Back in my earlier days if you had told some of the Queen's alickadoos that I would one day equal the Irish points scoring record they would probably have offered you odds of infinity to one."
