As it stands we're right at the heart of the 2025 Six Nations, Grand Slam and Six Nations glory sit so close, yet so so far for Simon Easterby's Ireland side.
Opening-round wins over England and Scotland have them sitting in poll position at the top of the table, and as the only side still unbeaten and in contention for a clean sweep of wins.
However, lying in wait is not only this weekend's clash with a much-changed and unknown Welsh side but also what will be the sternest of tests vs France and a final-day trip to Rome - all of which Ireland will have to win if they're to repeat their Grand Slam successes of 2018 and 2023.
Today Ireland may be on the cusp of an unprecedented three-peat of Six Nations titles and a second Grand Slam in three years. However, it would be easy to forget how rarely opportunities like this come around. After All, they have won just three Grand Slams since their first in 1948.
While because of the rareity, famous moments like Ronan O'Gara's drop-goal vs Wales and Johnny Sexton's vs France will always hold a place in the hearts and minds of Irish sports fans - the latter's drop goal also holds a special title in Nigel Owen's collection of 100 test clashes.
3 February 2018; Referee Nigel Owens speaks to Jonathan Sexton of Ireland during the NatWest Six Nations Rugby Championship match between France and Ireland at the Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
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Nigel Owens recalls Johnny Sexton's 2018 drop goal brilliantly
The man in the middle in Paris, 2018 was of course none other than Owens - the game's most famous referee.
Speaking to Tommy Bowe and Donncha O'Callaghan on The Offload, the Welsh man surprisingly revealed that Ireland's 2018 defeat of France was the most difficult game he ever took charge of, joking that people should be talking about the pressure that was on him not Sexton.
The toughest game I refereed was France against Ireland in 2018, when Johnny Sexton got the drop goal after what forty-six phases.
But I was quite aware (of the pressure in 2018. People say 'bloody hell the pressure on Sexton dropping that' after knowing that any mistake that's it, they've lost Grand Slam wouldn't have come that year. I tell them 'bloody pressure on Sexton, what about the bloody pressure the referee had'.
Any decision that I'm going to choose to make, or not to make will have an outcome on the game. You got to have confidence in your ability, you've got to be really focused and you've got to then emotionally detach yourself from that.
I'm quite fully aware in that situation, that if he drops this goal or gets a penalty they're (Ireland) gonna win, I'm quite aware of that. You can't let that play in your mind, you just gotta whatever happens I'll deal with anything that jumps out at me but otherwise you've just got to detach yourself emotionally from the game.
Coming from a man who took charge of a centurion of test games and was involved in over one hundred more, it's fascinating to hear just how much referees live and breathe the same jeopardy fans at home do.
For Johnny Sexton, who had his fair share of tumultuous moments with men in the middle, it will come as maybe a slight surprise that it wasn't his vocals but that famous phase of play that became the game's greatest referee Nigel Owen's most difficult moment to manage.
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