Wow. What an epic. We expected tension and drama but what we got went far beyond the great expectations. And as Irish fans around the world try to shake off the excesses of last night it will hit home again that they are Six Nations Grand Slam champions.

Super Saturday faced a tough task to lift this year's largely disappointing title-chase into the realms of classic Championships but it had the trump card of a potential Grand Slam up its sleeve.

France got things started by running in seven tries on their way to a half century against Italy in Rome with Sebastien Chabal bouncing back to form. But France coach Marc Lievremont, like many of his predecessors, will rue his side's inconsistency that once again cost them dear.

The England resurgence continued with a Calcutta Cup victory over Scotland that will offer further hope to Martin Johnson and fans who not so long ago thought their side had lost their way. England finish the Championship with the most tries and the greatest points difference and ran Ireland close in terms of tries conceded. England are far from the finished article but it appears they have ridden out the storm of criticism and are building towards something special once again. Scotland however are not. Despite his side's best efforts to rescue something from the campaign, Frank Hadden's time as coach appears up.

And then to Cardiff. The clash between Ireland and Wales lived up to the billing and then some. A thrilling encounter that swung one way and then the other before one final dramatic twist. It was an intense battle with players putting their bodies on the line and Brian O'Driscoll and his apostrophe chums (delightfully coined by Mick Cleary of the Daily Telegraph) Paul O'Connell and Ronan O'Gara leading the way.

Wales fly-half Stephen Jones and O'Gara traded drop goals before the stadium fell silent for the last kick of the game. Jones had the chance, albeit a tough one, to burst Ireland's bubble and clinch victory and the Triple Crown for his own side. Those who could bear to watch, including the Irish players, saw his effort drop just short of its target sparking jubilation and despondency in equal measure. The 61-year wait for only their second clean sweep was over - at last.

Such was the heart-pounding and nerve-shredding nature of the clash that you felt sorry for Irish legend Jackie Kyle, sat in the stadium, and the rest of the remaining heroes from 1948 who, like the rest of use, were put through ringer to the last.

And on a day of great performances, mention should also be made of referee Wayne Barnes for a job well done. His clear authority allowed the game to flow and was never in danger of getting in the way of the occasion as some may have feared.

This year’s Championship will go down as a classic, thanks largely to its thrilling finale and nowhere will that be celebrated more than across the Irish Sea.

Six Nations report card:

Ireland: A - The best team in the Championship led by the best player - Brian O'Driscoll. Answered every challenge laid before them to write their name in the history books.

England: B+ - Flirted with disaster but silenced critics by re-discovering an exciting element to their game. Room for further improvement.

France: C - Inconsistent to the point of being infuriating. Need to find a settled element to their side to capitalise on their brilliance

Wales: B - Brave defence of their title, unlucky to be on the wrong end of the best two performances in the Championship.

Scotland: D - Too many shortcomings although there are seeds of hope. Time for change.

Italy: F - Deserved Wooden Spoon. Never recovered from the worst selection decision in Championship history (Bergamasco's scrum-half nightmare) and appear to be going backwards