The puns are coming thick and fast, but then so are the victories and Wales now sit alone on top of the RBS 6 Nations table with a Triple Crown showdown to come in Ireland and a shot at the title guaranteed.

One Welsh newspaper on Saturday morning dubbed new coach Warren Gatland "The Gatfather" after he masterminded successive victories over England and Scotland.

Saturday's third win completed the "Gat-trick" and should he conjure up another in Dublin a week on Saturday to seal the Triple Crown then all of Wales will be under his spell.

From the doom and gloom following the World Cup disaster, Wales are now one step from silverware and two steps from rugby heaven and the Grand Slam.

Even if a repeat of the 2005 clean sweep proves beyond them - Ireland at Croke Park and France at home is a tough end to the championship - Wales' healthy points difference means the Six Nations title is very much in their own hands.

Whatever happens in Ireland, Wales will be playing for the title on the final weekend of the championship which, by his own admission, is not something Gatland could have expected when he took over a squad demoralised by their World Cup elimination.

"I am a little bit surprised," said the New Zealander. "We wanted to make sure we won the two games at home against Scotland and Italy. We have done that and on the way we have got a win against England as well.

"Going to Twickenham was all about the performance. The result was a massive bonus.

"We have an opportunity now to win the Triple Crown and set ourselves up for a championship too.

"We are in a nice position at the moment and things are in our control. Our destiny is in our own hands."

Gatland has learned from experience the value of a healthy bank of points and the plan was to win the game, and win the game well.

Wales were ruthless in the second-half, scoring 34 unanswered points and running in a total of five tries with Lee Byrne and Shane Williams claiming two apiece.

Tom Shanklin sparked the rout with an interception score just after the interval and fly-half Stephen Jones supplemented it all with 18 points from a faultless kicking display.

Between them, Jones and James Hook have not missed a kick at goal all tournament.

Wales have only conceded two tries in three games - from a cross-kick at Twickenham and a lineout error punished yesterday by Martin Castrogiovanni - and their points difference of plus 61 is 40 better than Ireland, 46 more than France and 53 up on England.

"The second half became really important for us yesterday because this competition could come down to points different," said Gatland.

"I experienced it twice with Ireland. Two years in a row we finished on the same points with the winners of the championship but didn't win it because our points difference wasn't as good as England one year and France another.

"That was a lot of the thinking about yesterday - to play well and get a lot of points."

In all three matches so far, Wales have been a far more dangerous outfit in the second half.

Wales only led 13-8 at the interval and were thankful Italian centre Gonzalo Canale dropped a simple pass with the line at his mercy.

But they bossed the possession statistics and eventually wore Italy down. The Azzurri's strength lies at the set-piece and Wales limited them to just seven lineouts by keeping the ball in play.

Italy had to make an incredible 135 tackles to Wales' 56 and after the interval they had no answer to some ruthless attacking rugby.

Shane Williams scored the pick of the tries with an electric break past four Azzurri defenders to move within one try of Gareth Thomas' Welsh record of 40.

Byrne insisted there was no "magic team-talk" at half-time and Gatland explained: "Rugby is about 80 minutes and setting a platform. It might take 60 or 70 minutes to wear an opposition down.

"We have been asking the players to play a completely different game and it takes time to get used to it.

"It is very tough on them and requires them to work incredibly hard - but that is what you expect at international level.

"In all three games there have been things we needed to address at half-time. Yesterday we gave a couple of stupid penalties away and had a bit of meltdown with some stupid kicks.

"We just had to make sure things got back on track again."

Gatland made six changes for the game yesterday and most of those who came in pressed their case for selection to face Ireland.

Hooker Matthew Rees struggled at the lineout and scrum-half Dwayne Peel seemed to be battling with an injury, but prop Gethin Jenkins hit an incredible 39 rucks and Stephen Jones made an impressive return to the team.

Gatland's biggest selection dilemma is now whether to start with Jones or Hook at fly-half in Dublin.

"I want competition within the squad. Ireland will be really tough to beat at Croke Park but we go there with a squad full of players with confidence and belief," he said.

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