AFTER going toe-to-toe with England's bruisers and coming out on top, Dragons captain Cory Hill is confident Wales will win the physical battle to beat Ireland and win a Grand Slam.
The lock scored the key try in the round three win against the English in Cardiff, powering over after 35 brutal phases at Principality Stadium.
Hill suffered a tournament-ending ankle injury in the process of scoring and will be on the sidelines in the capital this afternoon (kick-off 2.45pm) as Warren Gatland's men hunt a first Six Nations clean sweep since 2012.
The Dragons skipper believes the confidence from standing firm against England's power will help them repeat the trick against an Irish side ranked second in the world.
"We have to stop their big-game players. It will be a big challenge because they are pretty physical and run off 9 a lot," said Hill.
"We more than matched England's physicality so know we are up to it. That game was certainly a physical one, and our bodies felt it afterwards, but we'd had a hell of a week of fitness building up to it.
"We went to dark places together as a squad and that showed out there against England when we got the upper hand in the last 20 minutes – we felt that we could kick on while they looked pretty tired.
"We've had that same intensity in training this week and the boys have a real edge about them."
Hill has stayed in camp to help with the preparations, acting as a lineout mentor for fellow lock Adam Beard.
The Dragons skipper is confident that the whole squad – not just the 23 that get to take to the field – have put in the graft to earn the title.
"We've got a big team ethos and it is a squad game – those that aren't playing have a massive part in preparing the boys in attack, defence, scrums, lineouts," said Hill.
"There is nobody who trains with a bad attitude and everyone has done what is best for the team for Saturday. It's a great environment.
"This is a special week and this is a special group to be involved with, but we haven't won anything yet and we know that we have to rise to a big challenge."
Wales are yet to hit their straps in the tournament yet are 80 minutes away from glory.
"Win the Grand Slam this week and nobody will be looking back at the first half against France and the second half against Scotland, we'll just be Grand Slam champions," said Hill.
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