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The Six Nations Championship is the latest incarnation of a rugby union tournament that dates all the way back to 1883. Ireland (along with England, Scotland and Wales) was one of the founding participants in the tournament that these days also features France and Italy. Each nation plays each other nation in a series of games to determine which country is the best rugby union nation in Europe. Whilst the primary target may be to obtain the most points and thereby secure the championship, there is another bigger accolade that may sometimes also be attainable, namely the Six Nations Grand Slam.

The Grand Slam is achieved where one nation wins every single match against the other nations in the year's competition. It is a feat that had been achieved a total of 34 times in the lead up to the 2009 Six Nations Championship. However, in all Ireland's time of playing in the tournament, the Grand Slam had only ever been achieved by the boys in green on one solitary occasion, in 1948.

Going into the 2009 Six Nations Championship, it was reigning champions Wales who were favoured to retain the trophy. Indeed, Wales had triumphed in 2008 with a superb Grand Slam of their own and looked to have the fire power (especially amongst the backs) to achieve back-to-back tournament victories. The Irish team was regarded as having a chance but despite having an undoubtedly talented side had fallen at the last hurdle a few too many times in recent seasons and there were doubts about the age of some of their stars as well as the side's ability to handle pressure.

The tournament started well for Ireland, however, with a disciplined and hard fought win against a talented but inconsistent France in Dublin. The Irish triumphed 30-21 against one of the traditional powers of Northern Hemisphere rugby and scored tries through influential captain Brian O'Driscoll, swashbuckling number 8 Jamie Heaslip and centre Gordon D'Arcy.

Hopes were raised by this opening day victory and it was onto Rome next and a match against an Italian team who were hurting after an embarrassing debacle in their first match, against England. Ireland initially made hard work of the match but came good in the second half for a 38-9 victory. They scored five tries in the process with O'Driscoll again getting on the scoresheet, plus wingers Bowe, Fitzgerald (with 2) and flanker David Wallace.

Next up were England at Croke Park in Dublin. Ireland versus England matches are always big but this one was shaping up to be pretty

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