Heaslip’s side were dominant in the first half at the Millennium Stadium, taking a 23-3 lead into the half-time interval thanks to tries from Simon Zebo and Cian Healy before Brian O’Driscoll extended Ireland’s advantage soon after the break.

Wales roared back through scores from Alex Cuthbert, Leigh Halfpenny and Craig Mitchell but Ireland clung onto the win, and Heaslip paid tribute to the work done in the first half from the backline.

“We always say we want to play as we train and I think you saw some good execution, especially from the backs,” he said.

“They said if we gave them quick ball then they can execute and I think you saw them exploiting some space.

“It was a game of two halves, we had quite a lot of possession and kept the ball in the first half and then the tables turned in the second half.”

Wales now travel to France where both sides will be looking to bounce back from defeats in the opening weekend, and Heaslip believes les Bleus will have a fight on their hands.

He added: “It seemed like wave after wave after wave of Welsh attack [in the second half], all credit to them, they showed the class side that they are and they’re going to be tough opposition for other people.”

Meanwhile, Ireland have delayed naming their line-up for Sunday’s clash with England with a number of players’ fitness being monitored.

Heaslip has a cut leg, Gordon D’Arcy has a dead leg, prop Mike Ross was suffering with cramp, O’Driscoll had several stitched to a head wound, Rob Kearney underwent a scan on his back and Keith Earls will have a shoulder problem assessed later this week.