Few tipped the Principality to be challenging for the title after they were whitewashed only two years ago, and despite a marked improvement in 2004, defending champions France, Ireland and England were all thought likely to finish ahead of Wales before the tournament began.

But a thrilling brand of attacking rugby earned Ruddock's men their first clean sweep in 27 years, clinched amid jubilant scenes at a packed Millennium Stadium.

Now the Wales' coach is urging his new superstars not to rest on their laurels, but live up to the standards they have set in order to hold on to the trophy.

We ambushed a few people this year and caught them by surprise, perhaps, because we were written off,'' Ruddock said.

The test of the team now, will be to try and keep those high standards going, and to try and keep improving. We have got huge competition for places, and that should allow us to continue to be very competitive in the future.

If we can, we want to try and get this team peaking around about the next World Cup. Every nation wants that, dont they?

There will be a lot more work going into this team from the coaches, and particularly from Andrew Hore, who has done a magnificent job on the strength and conditioning side.

Ruddock also confirmed there will be no abandoning the attacking game that has won so many admirers this season.

I saw glimpses in the last World Cup about what Wales were doing, and it was certainly very attractive to watch and also very effective, he recalled.

When I took over as coach, I sat down with Scott Johnson (Wales skills coach) and discussed that style of rugby.

I think the game has changed now. With defences being so organised, if you seek contact, teams are doubling up in the tackle, stopping off-loads, slowing the ball down and then they fold around the rucks, so by the time you pass the ball back to the backs, there about 14 guys ready to defend against you.

It just makes sense in the modern game to try and avoid that scenario, particularly from set-pieces, to try and play that bit wider.

Everyone will want to beat us, and this is the test for the team now, to adapt to that.

But, having seen where this team came from and how much hurt and difficult times theyve had to cope with, I dont see them wanting to drop back.

There are always new challenges, and our new challenge will be living with a tag of being the team everyone wants to beat. But everyone has got their feet on the ground, and we know that if we drop our standards, we are going to be knocked over.