Irish bench made 'massive impact' - Sheehan
Irish replacements Bundee Aki and James Ryan played a key role in Saturday's win in Cardiff
- Published
Ireland captain Dan Sheehan hailed the impact of his side's bench in Saturday's 27-18 win over Wales in Cardiff as they survived a major scare to clinch the Triple Crown and keep alive their Grand Slam hopes.
"That was exactly what we expected, a proper Test game in a beautiful stadium in front of some seriously passionate fans," Sheehan told BBC One.
"Fair play to Wales, that was a proper Test match and I'd say we'll feel it for a few days, but I'm proud of the boys.
"We said it all week, they'd have their purple patches and their moments of strength.
"We just have to stick to what we do all the time, that's our process, it's staying calm, we didn't panic and we had to eke it out one minute at a time. That's what all those lads have practised for years.
"We rely heavily on our bench. They came on and made a massive impact, James Ryan, Bundee [Aki] both made a huge impact to lift the boys with fresh energy.
"That was the making of the game there, relying on our bench to bring that energy."