BELFAST: Ireland can move to within one win of only their third Five/Six Nations Grand Slam if they shut down Welsh halfback pairing Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb on Saturday week, claimed Irish wing Simon Zebo on Thursday.
The extrovert 24-year-old, who has won over the critics by subduing his natural ball carrying attacking style to a more defensive routine, added that while the mood in the Irish camp was buoyant after wins over Italy, France and England, the Welsh could be a deadly side if they were allowed to hit its' stride.
Wales, coached by former Ireland handler Warren Gatland who rarely hides his rancour at being unceremoniously ditched by the Irish back at the start of the decade, also entertain hopes of the title having beaten Scotland and France since an opening loss to England.
Biggar and Webb have begun to establish what looks like being a rather fruitful relationship with the former scoring a most delightful try in the win over France last Saturday.
"Dan Biggar's try proved vital. It's pretty hard to come back from that. It was probably 50/50 up until then," Zebo told journalists during a training camp for 17 of the Ireland squad -- star fly-half Jonathan Sexton being one of the absentees as he undergoes treatment on his hamstring with the Irish medical staff.
"Two dangerous players, Dan Biggar and Rhys Webb, causing trouble. They are two players we will definitely have to shut down. They are a deadly side. They can beat anyone.
"We know how tough the task is going to be and we know how dangerous they are. We will just have to rest the bodies after a tough encounter against England and hopefully be raring to go from minute one, next week."
Zebo, who scored a superb try against Wales in the 2013 match in Cardiff, said that coach Joe Schmidt would as normal prepare a large dossier on their opponents and then leave it to them to play it out on the pitch.
"They (Wales) are an unbelievably dangerous side, with massive backs and massive pack, but you can know all you want - to go out and perform against them is a different story, so we just need to prepare well," said Zebo, who has five tries to his name in 14 Tests.
Flanker Tommy O'Donnell, like Zebo a Munster man, warned that the Irish need to bring down Wales' "very big ball carriers" whilst expressing his admiration for the pack.
"They don't take any prisoners in their pack, they're great defenders and good at the breakdown," said the 27-year-old, who scored a try in the opening win over Italy just his second for his country.
"To go over there to Cardiff will make it a small bit tougher.
"The likes of Samson Lee, a young guy stepping up, filling in after a Lion with multiple caps in Adam Jones. Being able to step in and fill his shoes more than adequately is a tribute. They've got quality in depth as well, so we have to be very wary of them."
O'Donnell, who made his first Six Nations appearance in the win over Wales last year in Dublin, recalls watching the Grand Slam clinching victory over the same opponents in 2009 in Cardiff a nervewracking 17-15 win with one of the present squad Tommy Bowe scoring one of their two tries.
"I remember sitting on my couch, screaming, willing the ball to go over from (Ronan) O'Gara," said O'Donnell.
"It was this incredibly tight, tense game and when you thought we were away, the Welsh came back and they nearly had the chance at the end. It's a fantastic memory."
O'Donnell, though, doesn't believe that match will have any bearing on the Irish attitude this time round.
"I think its a bit different. You can't go over there on past glories, you have to be in the moment and you don't make a tackle on last year's game, you know?" he said.
"You have to be there in the moment, keep going through it with the next tackle, next ruck and keep working to the best of your ability. That's what wins games."
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