THE phoney war is over, the gloves are off and now comes the crunch for Wales coach Warren Gatland.

Surely the man who has revived Wales and guided them to an undreamed of start to the Six Nations with three wins out of three has got to select the best possible Welsh team for the Triple Crown clash against Ireland in Dublin next week. Hasn't he?

For so far Gatland has been anything but predictable as he has experimented and tried different combinations, the first coach to use the Six Nations in such a cavalier manner. He altered the side which beat England at Twickenham for the first time for 20 years, then he made six changes to the team which despatched Scotland.

Now Wales have beaten Italy by a record margin what is the grisly New Zealander going to come up with for the showdown against Ireland and a first ever visit by Wales to Croke Park?

Gatland has already in such a short spell extended Wales' options, broadened the scope of the squad and introduced some new blood. So what now?

Surely as the countdown to Wales' Triple Crown effort gathers pace Gatland will cease with the experimenting.

This time you would expect him to go for his number one choice given the importance of the game as well as his own little rivalry with opposite number Eddie O'Sullivan who controversially deposed him as Ireland coach some seven years ago.

But Gatland still has some major selection issues - at 10, nine and one. Who does he hand the keys to number ten? Will it be Stephen Jones or James Hook?

After the explosive opener against England when Wales won at Twickenham for the first time for 20 years it appeared Hook was not so much the young pretender as the king about to be crowned.

The coronation was Scotland, but Gatland wasn't ready for it and he took Hook off with 20 minutes left because he needed someone to land the plane safely. So he turned to Jones.

And so successful was the Scarlets outside half that Gatland retained him against Italy. Jones responded with an 18-point haul from six seven successful kicks and though Hook did go on it was at a late stage.

The game had been won by then which was not the case when Jones intervened against Scotland.

So on that evidence and given the importance of the game in Dublin coupled with the extent of Jones' experience the odds appear to have swung in his favour for the starting job. But again with Gatland you never know.

At scrum half Peel had been the favourite option especially with Gareth Jenkins, but he made a delayed start because of a shoulder injury by which time Mike Phillips, given his head at last, had stolen a march.

And when Peel did start against Italy he appeared so out of sorts compared with his previous form, though not helped by a bang on the head, that Phillips, who replaced him for much of the second half, now looks a firm favourite.

At loose head prop Gatland has to choose between Duncan Jones and Gethin Jenkins. He seems to like Jenkins as an impact player, but he's more powerful than his rival and even if he does have to switch to tight head later in the game he would appear ideal for the Croke Park cauldron.

Elsewhere, Huw Bennett appears to have ousted Matthew Rees, the back row is untouchable and Alun Wyn Jones may have to settle for a place on the bench after recovering from a knee injury.

Gatland could be tempted to put Jamie Roberts back in for Dublin where his size and youthful confidence could be an antidote to Shane Horgan if the big winger is recalled.

Elsewhere, though, centres Tom Shanklin and Gavin Henseon must be sure of their places while Shane Williams and Lee Byrne are imperious.

Riches indeed.