LAST AUTUMN the door was opened for Jake Ball when a deal was struck with Racing Metro to release Luke Charteris from the Australia opener so that he could feature against South Africa.

The Scarlets man grasped his opportunity alongside Alun Wyn Jones against the Wallabies before the Charteris-Bradley Davies combination failed to set the world on fire against Fiji.

It ensured that Ball kept his place for the encounters with New Zealand and the Springboks, leaving the former Newport Gwent Dragons to settle for being next in line at the start of the Six Nations.

Yet Charteris is now back in the XV and in pole position to slot in next to talisman Jones at the World Cup with the aim of being every bit as influential at England 2015 as he was at New Zealand 2011.

The towering lock was the victim of a Saturday night tackle cull with the statisticians reducing his official tally from 37 to 31, a staggering figure nonetheless and a Six Nations record.

Charteris, who capped an astonishing display by stealing a lineout at the death and then getting in the middle of a driving lineout, topped the tackle charts and was involved in at least five more hits.

"Let's be honest, he has not only done that, he's defended four or five mauls, he's been in 10-15 scrums. It just shows what an incredibly fit player he is," said defence coach Shaun Edwards.

"I think since he has come back into the team, he has been absolutely outstanding. He has certainly made a difference. His mobility is of the highest order.

Charteris was a constant problem for the Irish at the lineout with his steal inside the visitors' 22 setting the scene for Scott Williams' crucial try.

"We'd spoken all week about finishing the lifts in defence, just as we do in attack – that was a big focus for us," said hooker Scott Baldwin.

Wales stole four throws against a notoriously slick Irish lineout, fresh from enjoying a good evening in that department against France in Paris.

"We have been working pretty hard in recent games about improving that aspect of our game," said head coach Warren Gatland. "We know that has been a strength of Ireland for a long time.

"I thought Luke Charteris was brilliant today. We got Sam (Warburton) up in a pretty pressure situation too (when Ireland had kicked a penalty to the corner in the first half).

"When you spend a week together, it doesn't happen, but when you spend a month together and you are working on it every day, then it can come to fruition.

"A couple of times in other games we have been pretty close and a little bit unlucky, but I thought today was outstanding.

"Their success rate was about 67 per cent, which is probably the lowest it's ever been in recent years and for us to be able to get those balls and not allow Ireland to continue with momentum did play a big part in the match."

Charteris has Ball and Bradley Davies snapping at his heels but his influence in getting the Six Nations campaign back on track suggests that it will only be injury that prevents him from wearing 4 on his back come the World Cup September.