WALES boss Warren Gatland believes his Grand Slam winners still have room for improvement in their bid to conquer the world after being crowned as Europe's best.

Gatland's men will head to the World Cup as Six Nations champions after securing a clean sweep by hammering champions Ireland 25-7 in Cardiff.

Wales have won their last 14 Tests to climb to second in World Rugby's ranking behind New Zealand.

Their winning streak includes the scalps of all of the big guns apart from the All Blacks, who they haven't faced since 2017, and Gatland's hopes of going to Japan under the radar look optimistic.

The head coach led Wales to the semi-finals in 2011 and quarter-finals in 2015 and is confident that summer training camps can help eke even more out of his squad.

Western Telegraph:

"I'm excited for the World Cup because you get two or three months together and you can prepare like a club side," said Gatland,

"You can go into a lot of skill development and really fine tune your game. From that point of view, we'll be in great shape.

"In our previous two World Cups, we were one of the fittest teams in the World Cup. We'll be in good shape for this as well."

"We're just trying to slip under the radar. We know on our day that we're capable of beating good teams so I think we'll have a break now and start preparing for the World Cup," he continued.

"These boys will run through a brick wall for you. They're a really tight group and really close to each other.

"If we go there with a bit of luck and not too many injuries we've got a good chance of beating anybody."

Wales have conquered their demons since the last World Cup by managing to end their Australia hoodoo and have won their last four encounters with South Africa.

Their displays mean that they will head to Japan as one of the leading contenders – a fact not lost on talisman Alun Wyn Jones.

Western Telegraph:

"We have put a big target on our back for a lot of other teams, and you have to be comfortable with the pressure that comes with that," said the captain.

"We are not going to shy away from the fact that at times we have been pretty unconvincing as well, so we'd like to think we've got more potential in us."

It was a third Grand Slam for Jones with the 33-year-old Ospreys lock lauding the development of those experiencing their first.

He said: "When you see young men come into the side and see them grow over an eight or nine-week period... I can't tell these guys what to do, given the way they are performing.

"I've been involved in regional rugby and all its deficiencies, but it must be doing something right, because these guys are doing a job.

"I'm just really proud for such a small nation to be able to do that. It's very simple, and that was the message before the game, to be proud and represent who you are."