Masters of timing - Wales know when mix is right

Such intentional mood swings typify the environment which is driving the Dragons towards the RBS Six Nations title and possibly even a Grand Slam.

There are frowns and laughs in equal measure. Humility and humour sit side by side. What Warren Gatland, Edwards and Rob Howley have so successfully instilled in their players is the art of timing.

Wales have become adept at flicking the switch between an ultra-professional work ethic and a sense of relaxed enjoyment. The mastery of this delicate balance was amply illustrated after they had ripped the Azzurri to shreds at the Millennium Stadium.

One minute, the coaching trio wore their business look as they studied statistics from the game. Then came a fit of giggles. Howley was asked what exactly his colleagues had done to prompt this Welsh revival, but Gatland chipped in. "It's a secret," he said to general amusement.

Shortly afterwards, Edwards declared that the players had learned to feel excited when the opposition gained possession, as it allowed them to unleash their new blitz defence. He meant it as a serious point, but Gatland, Howley and captain Ryan Jones all failed to keep a straight face.

Lee Byrne lifted the lid further on the atmosphere of fun and ferocious commitment. Asked why Wales had again been so much better after the break — having been lucky to go in 13-8 ahead — the full back joked:

"There has been a lot of speculation about this magic team talk that the coaches give us at half-time but there is no magic team talk! I think it's a reflection on our fitness that we can put teams away in the second half."

The 27-year-old, who deservedly won the Man of the Match award for his two tries, prodigious kicking from hand and supreme authority under the high ball, was the latest player to offer the light-hearted description of Edwards as 'scary'. He added: 'We all dread going into the video analysis room on a Monday.

"Shaun comes in with two bottles of champagne and gives them to the player he thinks had the outstanding game and that is the only smile you get out of him! I took the two bottles last time and Mike Phillips won them after the England game."

Now that Gatland and Co have their players laughing hard and sweating harder, the rest of Europe should be concerned. Ireland are next on the radar, with Wales alone in chasing the Slam after England's Parisian conquest.

"I'm pleased we're in this position and also quite surprised,' said the head coach yesterday. 'Now we have a chance to go to Croke Park and win a Triple Crown and if we do that we have a chance of winning the Grand Slam. At the start of the championship, I would have settled for us finishing third. Now we can do better than that, but let's not get ahead of ourselves."

That last point will fall on so many deaf ears. Welsh supporters will dream their dreams more than ever having seen their side put Italy to the sword. Yet, this was a genuine contest until half-time and Nick Mallett, the visitors' coach, was understandably apoplectic when Gonzalo Canale botched a glorious chance to score a rare Italian try.

Despite letting Martin Castrogiovanni seize a loose lineout throw to rumble over from close range, Gatland's men stood their ground during an abrasive opening period.

With the likes of Ryan Jones, Ian Evans and Jonathan Thomas taking Wales pounding the gain line and Byrne scoring his first try, the platform was laid for the second-half exhibition.

Once Tom Shanklin ran in an interception try from halfway just after the break, Italian resolve disintegrated. Byrne took advantage of slack tackling to scorch 50 metres for his second try and Shane Williams ran rings around the defence to touch down for a second time — prompting Edwards to leap from his seat and shout "what a player!"

All the while, Stephen Jones had directed the traffic with calm assurance, before James Hook arrived to twist the knife at the end. On this evidence, the older fly half may have done enough to secure the No 10 shirt in Dublin, but trying to predict Gatland selections is futile. As Hook said: "I haven't got a clue what Warren is going to do."

Still, Mike Phillips' impact in the second half means that the offcolour Dwayne Peel is surely destined to be among the substitutes against Ireland.

Gatland has plenty of dilemmas to wrestle with, but the problems are healthy ones. Fuelled partly by fear and partly by pleasure, his squad are gradually coming to the boil, with glory in sight.