By Gary Watton
April 26 2013
At long last, the Irish rugby union team were able to win every single match in the tournament for the first time since the late 1940s. This was a tremendous effort from the new coach, Declan Kidney, to coax this outstanding squad to new heights. Of course, the men in green just had to do it the hard way by almost snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in Cardiff. Wales had won the grand slam in 2008. Now they were reluctantly passing this coveted baton on to their neighbours across the Irish Sea. Yippee!
IRELAND 30 FRANCE 21; 7th February; at Croke Park
15 Kearney
14 Bowe
13 O'Driscoll (c) [TRY]
12 Wallace
11 Fitzgerald
10 O'Gara [3 penalties, 3 conversions]
9 O'Leary
8 Heaslip [TRY]
7 Wallace
6 Ferris
5 O'Connell
4 O'Callaghan
3 Hayes
2 Flannery
1 Horan
Replacement Gordon D'Arcy added a crucial second-half try to ensure a winning start. Ireland led 13-10 at half time.
ITALY 9 IRELAND 38; 15th February; at the Stadio Flaminio
15 Kearney [conversion]
14 Bowe [TRY]
13 O'Driscoll (c) [TRY]
12 Wallace
11 Fitzgerald [2 TRIES]
10 O'Gara [penalty, 4 conversions]
9 O'Leary
8 Heaslip
7 Wallace [TRY]
6 Ferris
5 O'Connell
4 O'Callaghan
3 Hayes
2 Flannery
1 Horan
Ireland had only led 14-9 at the halfway stage, but they emerged triumphant with the help of three second-half tries.
IRELAND 14 ENGLAND 13; 28th February; at Croke Park
15 Kearney
14 Bowe
13 O'Driscoll (c) [TRY, drop goal]
12 Wallace
11 Fitzgerald
10 O'Gara [2 penalties]
9 O'Leary
8 Heaslip
7 Wallace
6 Ferris
5 O'Connell
4 O'Callaghan
3 Hayes
2 Flannery
1 Horan
A late Delon Armitage try distorted the scoreline. Ireland were the better team, even if the interval score was only 3-3.
SCOTLAND 15 IRELAND 22; 14th March; at Murrayfield
15 Kearney
14 Bowe
13 O'Driscoll (c)
12 D'Arcy
11 Fitzgerald
10 O'Gara [5 penalties, conversion]
9 Stringer
8 Leamy
7 Wallace
6 Ferris
5 O'Connell
4 O'Callaghan
3 Hayes
2 Best
1 Horan
A second-half converted try from the replacement Jamie Heaslip proved decisive. Scotland had led 12-9 at half time.
WALES 15 IRELAND 17; 21st March; at the Millennium Stadium
15 Kearney
14 Bowe [TRY]
13 O'Driscoll (c) [TRY]
12 D'Arcy
11 Fitzgerald
10 O'Gara [drop goal, 2 conversions]
9 O'Leary
8 Heaslip
7 Wallace
6 Ferris
5 O'Connell
4 O'Callaghan
3 Hayes
2 Flannery
1 Horan
Two tries at the start of the second half overturned 6-0 arrears, but O'Gara needed a late drop goal to win the match.
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