OSullivan has overseen the transformation which has elevated Irish rugby out of the mire of Celtic mediocrity and into the top tier of Test nations.

Victories over Tri-Nations giants such as Australia and South Africa are no longer the stuff of dreams; instead both sides have fallen victim to Irelands potent mixture of genuine ability and growing self-belief.

A first Triple Crown in 19 years was the return from last seasons RBS 6 Nations while they have also claimed second place in the championship for the previous two years, losing just once on each occasion.

But they know they must go one better and win the tournament if they are to really make the rugby world sit up and take notice - an objective which OSullivan believes is within their grasp.

Its very good for Irish rugby to finish second two years in a row. Weve won 10 out of our last 13 Tests, which is a tremendous record, he said.

Two years ago we lost to England in the Grand Slam decider. Last season we had away games against France and England, but still won four matches, so I think were knocking on the door.

If we continue to show consistency, match our recent level of performance and work on the areas weve targeted for improvement I think we can get through the door at some stage. Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later.

Were putting ourselves in position to win something bigger than a Triple Crown, but thats easier said than done. The last two years have been an excellent stepping stone for us.