Dallaglio celebrates his try. (Getty Images)

By Andrew Baldock, PA Sport Rugby Union Correspondent, Lansdowne Road

Clive Woodward at last got his hands on that elusive Grand Slam after an England performance which will have rocked the rugby world.

At the end the coach, who had seen his side blow three previous Grand Slam opportunities during his five-year reign, went round each of his players and embraced them in turn.

And, with the smiles and the tears of joy, at last the pain of Wembley, Murrayfield and here at Lansdowne Road 18 months ago, had been exorcised.

England, Grand Slam champions 2003, has a ring to it. England, World champions, would be even better.

That must now be a distinct possibility after a performance of huge power and impressive style.

Five England tries, two from Will Greenwood and one each from Mike Tindall, Lawrence Dallaglio and Dan Luger, were the vital statistics. But they do not come near to telling the story of a compelling match, even if the scoreline was somewhat harsh on an Irish side full of heart and fight who contributed greatly to an afternoon which crackled with tension and tingled with emotion.

But if Woodward hugged man-of-the-match Jonny Wilkinson just a little more tightly than the rest then there was good reason.

Wilkinson was quite simply brilliant, orchestrating England's every move, scoring 15 points, including two drop goals and tackling anything and everything in a green shirt.

He went down with a shoulder injury, left the field with a bloodied mouth but always returned to inspire his team-mates.

Yet this day there were heroes in white shirts everywhere - in all six England players leaving the field to be treated for blood injuries, Matt Dawson even going twice after a wound to his nose, which had needed stitches after last week's encounter with Scotland, reopened.

Rarely has Dallaglio played with such passion or veteran Jason Leonard with more aplomb, seldom has England's pack produced such sustained mobility in a second half in which in the end they simply overwhelmed the green shirts.

It resulted in England's first clean sweep since 1995 when Jack Rowell and Will Carling were coach and captain respectively.

And it was their third Six Nations title in four seasons and the champagne, fireworks and lap of honour could not have been more deserved for a team which is the standard-bearer for northern hemisphere rugby.

There is little doubt another defeat in a Grand Slam decider would have been seriously damaging to England's World Cup cause, if only because last-gasp defeat has a habit of becoming a habit.

Four years ago they had squandered a Grand Slam against the Welsh at Wembley when they refused to kick at goal with only minutes to go.

In Scotland the following year they were stymied by the severe weather.

At Lansdowne Road 18 months ago poor planning again robbed Woodward of the ultimate prize.

That is why today was of such huge psychological importance.

The tension was heightened before kick-off when both teams took their position for the National Anthems in the same half of the pitch. England captain Martin Johnson refused to budge when apparently asked to move, determined not to give an inch from the start, prompting a chorus of booing from the home fans.

It was Ireland, not surprisingly, who started the swifter, punching deep holes in the England defence and fly-half David Humphreys took advantage with a drop goal to set the scoreboard ticking.

It was a start of such ferocity that it might well have unsettled lesser teams. Not England. Not this day.

Indeed, it took them just five minutes to mount their riposte - Dawson on his 50th cap racing away from a scrum 20 metres out before popping up the ball in the tackle to allow Dallaglio to dive over for the easiest of touchdowns.

It set up a furious half-hour's attack and counter-thrust which for excitement and raw, edge-of-the-seat entertainment can rarely have been bettered in this historic championship.

Irish full-back Geordan Murphy's running was brilliant, centre Brian O'Driscoll a constant menace and the Irish pack were mobile and steadfast.

And when Humphreys landed a towering penalty from all of 55 metres with the bracing breeze the score at 7-6 was as tight as the tension.

Either side might have built a lead for the action was swift and the lines of running imaginative but so was the resolve of both defences. But England had Wilkinson and he was proving an increasing influence.

His right-foot drop goal put daylight between the teams and another, this time with the trusty left on the stroke of half-time, saw England go in with a 13-6 interval lead.

If Ireland thought their prayers were being answered four minutes into the second half when Wilkinson injured his shoulder in a tackle on Murphy then they did not reckon with the fly-half's courage - the Newcastle man shrugging off the pain to continue directing operations.

Ten minutes later, however, he was led from the field, blood pouring from his mouth and Northampton's Paul Grayson took over.

The England forwards were beginning to take control but it was Bath centre Tindall who made the crucial game-breaking contribution - taking the pass from Greenwood and making a slicing, angled run to the line which left Ireland reeling.

Grayson converted, but gave way immediately to the returning Wilkinson as England demonstrated their power.

Greenwood then burrowed over amid an England forward drive and at 27-6 the game was up for the Emerald shirts. Indeed, the deluge began, two Greenwood tries making the victory emphatic while Luger's, deep into injury time, was perhaps more than they deserved.

Not that Woodward will bother about that. He had waited a long time for this day.

England - Grand Slam champions. It sounded good. Now for the world.

Teams:

Ireland: Horan, S. Byrne, Hayes, O'Kelly, Longwell, Costello, Gleeson, Foley, Stringer, Humphreys, Hickie, Maggs, O'Driscoll, Bishop, Murphy.

Replacements: Fitzpatrick for Horan (75), O'Connell for Longwell (56), A. Quinlan for Costello (65), O'Gara for Humphreys (63), Dempsey for O'Driscoll (80).

Not Used: Sheahan, G. Easterby.

Pens: Humphreys.

Drop Goals: Humphreys.

England: Lewsey, Robinson, Greenwood, Tindall, Cohen, Wilkinson, Dawson, Dallaglio, Back, Hill, Kay, Johnson, Leonard, Thompson, Rowntree.

Replacements: Luger for Tindall (71).

Not Used: West, Woodman, Grewcock, J. Worsley, Bracken, Grayson.

Tries: Dallaglio, Tindall, Greenwood 2, Luger.

Cons: Wilkinson 3, Grayson.

Pens: Wilkinson.

Drop Goals: Wilkinson 2.

Att: 45,000

Ref: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa).