Easterby has hailed Peel as the championship's stand-out scrum half and is looking forward to tangling with his Llanelli team-mate during the Millennium Stadium showdown.

I've played against my Llanelli team-mates before when I've been on Ireland duty so I'm used to the feeling now, said the 29-year-old Scarlets skipper.

I'm good friends with Stephen Jones and have played against him a few times. He's left Llanelli now but I still don't speak to him in the week before a Wales-Ireland match.

I've had a bit of banter with Robin McBryde and Dwayne Peel this week - they're both good friends of mine off the pitch.

I've been really impressed with Dwayne during the Six Nations. He's the best scrum half in the tournament and it will be fantastic to play against him for a change.

Wales stand on the brink of winning their first Grand Slam for 27 years and face the final hurdle when Ireland arrive in Cardiff with title aspirations of their own.