For England, the grand slam dream is still alive. They’re not the finished article. They’re not even a very good side. But they showed today that they are good enough to win this Six Nations – the expectation now is that the match with Wales at Twickenham in two weeks is effectively a title-decider. They won comfortably enough against Ireland and had they in the first half shown the kind of clinical nature that will surely come with time, they would have probably thrashed the reigning champions.
Ireland, on the other hand, are now out of the running for a third title in succession. They showed great tenacity but couldn’t live with the power and athleticism of the likes of Billy Vunipola, Itoje, Kruis and Hartley. Their match with Scotland on the final weekend will like-as-not end up as a third/fourth play-off.
That’s all from me. Join us again in two weeks for round four. Thanks for reading, bye!
Updated
Full-time: England 21-10 Ireland
Ireland run it off the back of the scrum but go nowhere. Eventually it’s turned over and Daly’s chip over the top goes dead. England hold on for a win that wasn’t exactly comfortable, but certainly deserved.
80 min 18 carries, 96 metres made and 12 gainline breaks: take a bow, Billy Vunipola.
79 min Itoje takes and England get the driving maul going. England bash it through the middle, then Lawes knocks it on in contact just outside the Irish 22.
78 min Another penalty to England against Healy for coming in at the side of a ruck. Billy Vunipola is named man of the match, as if there was anyone even close to being an alternative candidate. Ford finds touch just outside the Irish 22 on the left.
77 min Into touch midway inside the England half on the left. He doesn’t find much distance from hand, does he? Haskell and Sexton off, Lawes and Madigan on. The former wins the lineout.
76 min Kearney is wrapped up by Ford and George in midfield and Ireland go back to their own 10 metre line. They reset and Earls gets it out to Henshaw. He carries it up into the 22, but Clifford gets himself over the ball and wins the penalty for England! You would think the game is up now.
75 min Ford finds touch just outside his own 22 but Ireland steal it at the lineout and batter away at England again...
74 min England get the penalty from the Ireland scrum! That’s excellent work by Cole against Healy.
No try!
I can’t actually see the ball being grounded but there’s no way he hasn’t grounded it. Kruis came round and to be honest his biggest contribution was to block the cameras. Ireland have been harshly done by, but those just don’t get given these days.
Ireland try?
74 min Van der Flier charges for the line from just a couple of meters. I think Daly has managed to hold him up here but we’re going to the TMO.
73 min Ireland crash it up the middle with Henshaw, then Ireland move right...
72 min Ireland have a five-metre scrum under the posts, which England have to defend without a scrum-half. With Hartley off, incidentally, Billy V is England’s captain. Heaslip has the role for Ireland.
It is Danny Care. He’s sin-binned for a cynical infringement. Haskell breathes a sigh of relief as he was in that ruck too and has already been binned.
Danny Care is sin-binned. “You’ve got the wrong player,” says Care. This could be bad news for Haskell.
Murray has taken an accidental boot to the head and leaves the field with a cut above the eye. He’s replaced by Reddan.
71 min Earls carries over the 10 metres line, then Dillane goes through a weak tackle from Cole and Hartley and offloads to Van der Flier, who takes it up to within five of the England line! England kill it on the floor. Haskell is the guilty party and he’s a lucky man to get away with it. Robshaw and Hartley are replaced by Clifford and George, while Strauss comes on for Best.
70 min Heaslip carries over halfway then they go across the pitch again. This is really lateral from Ireland, who do well to retain possession when the ball goes loose wide on the left.
69 min Dillane is on for Ryan for Ireland. England get it back from the kick and Ford puts it down the throat of Zebo, but he can’t get past the first man Nowell. Ireland switch it right, then left, but England keep them honest.
68 min Heaslip takes the lineout and Ireland drive purposely towards the corner. Another penalty as Robshaw comes in from an offside position. Back into the corner from Sexton. Ruddock takes but Vunipola steals it and Ford smacks it clear!
67 min Ireland get a penalty though, against Hartley for going off his feet at the ruck. Sexton kicks this one to touch on the right, 10 metres out. Ruddock comes on for Stander. Zebo replaced McCloskey earlier, by the way.
66 min England have a lineout then, five metres out from their own line. Daly comes on for Farrell as Care clears from the base of the pack.
Henshaw dropped it too. That’s a shame for Ireland – it was a brilliant break from Sexton.
65 min Ireland are looking for gaps but England’s line speed means they’re being knocked back at every tackle. Oh but Sexton goes through a gap on the loop and puts Henshaw away down the right! He’s flying for the corner but Nowell comes across and I think has just dragged him into touch! That came from nowhere.
64 min You get the feeling England sense Ireland – 128 tackles so far – sense Ireland are stretched to breaking point and want to turn on the gas now. Indeed Eddie Jones has just walked down to have a word with Elliot Daly. Short restart and Ford puts it up high, where Zebo takes.
Conversion (Farrell 64) England 21-10 Ireland
Nicely curled over from the makeshift centre and England have a decent lead.
Try! (Brown 63) England 19-10 Ireland
Kruis takes at the front and England set themselves to drive with Billy V at the back of the maul. Mako carries it on then Haskell takes it on the crash ball. England go left and Billy steps through a tackle, before Watson steps down the left. Ireland are scrambling and England switch it right. There’s an overlap, Farrell sends it out and Brown is the man to slide over!
Updated
61 min Trimble knocks on in the chase then Van der Flier comes into the ruck from an offside position. Farrell kicks to touch on the left, midway inside the Ireland half.
60 min Mako Vunipola is also on for England, taking over from Joe Marler. Care box kicks the restart clear to Kearney, who is caught on halfway by Robshaw. Stander is then driven back so Sexton goes high.
59 min From wide on the left, Farrell hooks his kick. White and Healy replace McGrath and Ross, while Care comes on for Youngs.
Try! (Watson 58) England 14-10 Ireland
England form the maul around Vunipola in midfield and drive to within five. Ireland get sucked into midfield and leave England with approximately seven men over on the left. Robshaw sends a long pass out wide and Watson slides over!
Updated
57 min England go at pace off the scrum, Brown down the left then Ford switches right to Nowell, who makes it deep into the 22.
I’ve just mistaken Ben Youngs for Billy Vunipola.
56 min Sexton is hurt after getting hit by Youngs in midfield. It might have affected him too as he knocks on under no pressure a couple of phases later.
Updated
55 min Vunipola drives off the back of the scrum then Brown carries it over halfway in the maul. He’s held up by Murray though and Ireland get the scrum as Haskell returns from his record-breaking sin bin.
54 min Bet you’re surprised by this one.
4 - James Haskell has been sin binned more often than any other player in the @rbs_6_nations. Naughty.
— OptaJonny (@OptaJonny) February 27, 2016
Now Dylan Hartley has a chat with the referee, mentioning Ireland’s tendency of holding on to players around the rucks.
53 min Ireland go left and Itoje smashes Ross, but the prop offloads well out the tackle and Ryan carries into the 22. It’s knocked on though, prompting a scream of YEEEEESSSSSSSS from Owen Farrell that would make you think England had won the whole damn tournament.
52 min Itoje takes and looks to make a burst. That’s quickly shut down so Youngs kicks and Kearney takes inside the England half. They go left and Sexton makes a break, as does Kearney a phase later. Stander crashes it up to the 22 on the right.
Penalty (Farrell 51) England 9-10 Ireland
From 48 metres, just to the left of the sticks, Farrell makes no mistake. That’s an excellent kick.
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50 min England run it back now and they have a penalty, Toner taking Farrell out off the ball. Rory Best asks Romain Poite to have a look at the retaliation though. Can’t imagine Farrell, who is lining up a tough kick, would ever do anything petulant...
49 min Stolen by Kruis again! Youngs puts it up and Earls spills it badly.
McCloskey v Ford is really no contest at the moment.
48 min Eddie Jones does not look happy, as you’d expect. England ruing both Haskell’s ill-discipline and their own first-half inefficiency. Ford kicks long to Earls and Ireland put width on it, with McCloskey flying down the right with another powerful carry. Left they go and Earls kicks ahead past Nowell then drags the fielding Brown into touch.
Conversion (Sexton 47) England 6-10 Ireland
From wide on the right, Sexton nails it nervelessly.
Try! (Murray 46) England 6-8 Ireland
Murray darts in between Youngs and Marler and touches it down on the line! Poor from Youngs to leave that gap but that’s good opportunism from Murray.
Updated
45 min It’s a 20-metre penalty just to the right of the posts. Sexton goes to the corner again though, with England’s pack a man light. Toner takes it at the front and England shove the maul back but Best counters. Stander takes it on towards the line.
It’s highish, just slipping up off the shoulder, but it’s late on Murray too. Yellow card for Haskell.
44 min Stander takes it this time and McGrath charges into contact. Ireland are very narrow here, which will suit England, but they have an advantage for, I think, offside. There’s mention of a neck-roll too as Ireland fling it left. We go back for the penalty against England, though we’ll have a check with the TMO first. It’s Haskell with the possible high tackle.
43 min But he declines and pokes it into the corner. That’s a big call from Ireland. Itoje steals it from Ryan though and Youngs clears his line, into touch on the 22.
42 min Still Irish ball but Trimble is cut down by Itoje. Sexton kicks ahead and McCloskey tackles Brown after a good chase. The England full-back holds on in the tackle and Sexton gets an early chance to level the scores.
41 min Here we go, Sexton restarts with both teams unchanged at the break. He goes deep into the 22 and Youngs box kicks clear. Ireland let it bounce before Kearney gathers and is tackled by Farrell, but Stander carries well down the right. Ireland go back inside and the ball goes loose again but Earls regathers it well.
@DanLucas86 "engrossing half. Proper rugby"? it's been just as awful as last night's match to a neutral
— F JanuchowskiHartley (@Nasolituratus) February 27, 2016
Come on, the carries from the likes of Itoje, Hartley and especially Vunipola have been absolutely awesome. It’s England’s lack of composure that has been frustrating from a slightly-less-neutral position.
One thing you have to ask of Ireland: is it any wonder that a team that regularly makes 180-odd tackles a match is suffering from an injury crisis? And is this the reason they’ve made an obvious effort to keep more ball in hand during this tournament?
Half-time: England 6-3 Ireland
McCloskey shows that pace with a brilliant break through the middle, but Itoje wins a brilliant turnover off Stander. The ball goes loose and into touch though and that’s the end of an engrossing half. Proper rugby. England should be miles ahead, mind you.
39 min Ireland scrum just outside their 22. The men in green have made 90 tackles already, which must be shattering them. They switch play off the back of the scrum but Sexton is emphatically slammed to the ground by Farrell.
38 min Hartley makes more ground on the crash ball then lovely hands send the ball left. The whistle goes though for a forward pass from Brown to Ford.
37 min Brown catches Sexton’s kick but Kearney chases well and wraps him up, although he can’t keep him off the floor. England go right and Nowell goes on a bullocking run up over thje 10 metre line. Back left and Vunipola crashes over halfway, then Joseph wriggles through.
36 min Vunipola takes the restart again and crashes forward before Youngs kicks to Kearney on halfway. England chase well and stop Ireland from running it back.
Penalty (Farrell 35) England 6-3 Ireland
Through it goes and England lead for the first time.
34 min Farrell will have a pop from 40 metres once again.
33 min Sexton finds touch on halfway, on the right. Toner takes and Ireland set the maul, but it’s not going anywher. They go left, then back right and Kruis smashes Toner. Haskell gets up to the breakdown in great time and earns his side a penalty.
32 min England have gained 248 metres. Ireland have made 19. But now Ireland are going to get a chance to exit as Marler is penalised for pulling down the scrum. Surviving that onslaught will be a huge boost for Ireland.
31 min Left again and Joseph knocks on an unsympathetic Ford pass under pressure from Ireland’s rush defence. This is pretty damn wasteful from England.
Energetic but occasionally headless rugby from England. Youngs firing ball put at 100mph!
— Brendan gallagher (@gallagherbren) February 27, 2016
30 min Another England scrum as the ball gets stuck in a ruck right under the posts. That was brilliant a moment ago from Best, tackling Haskell and pushing him back as the Wasps man stretched for the line.
Updated
29 min They go left and Ford is tackled by Murray eight out. Back right and Cole takes the tackle when he should ship it on. Youngs goes, then Haskell is just inches short. That was a great tackle by Best but England are still plugging away. Ford hesitates and is wrapped up, costing England 10 metres.
28 min “The first knock on was by green, then by white. Give the scrum to white,” touch judge Owens instructs referee Poite. He’s right, though. England have a scrum 15 metres out right in front of the Ireland posts; they really do need to make something of this massive territorial advantage.
27 min Scrum Ireland, on their own 22. They run it but McCloskey coughs it up into the hands of Watson and England launch another attack, sending it right. Nowell takes a pop pass running from deep and is stopped a couple of metres short. Back inside and Ford spills it. McCloskey miskicks and Vunipola picks it up, but then he knocks on. And there’s a flag from touch judge Nigel Owens.
26 min Brown palms the ball back into play and England run the penalty back. They maul it up into the 22 through Brown, Vunipola and Itoje but Ireland do very well to hold that up. Good job they did as those three have shown frightening power so far.
No try!
Hartley was stopped short but the supporting forwards drove him over. The TMO sees this as a double movement and so it’s a penalty to Ireland. Gordon D’Arcy disagrees with that, as does Dallaglio.
Really great line from Hartley but I think Murray has done brilliantly and just got his hand under the ball.
Try? (Hartley 25)
Huge roar from the Twickenham crowd as England have a five metre lineout. Kruis takes in the middle but Ireland defend the maul well and Henshaw stops Farrell when they move inside. Back to Vunipola who once again ploughs through the tackles. Back inside and Hartley drives under the posts. We’re checking with the TMO and I think this is a try...
Updated
24 min England had the penalty advantage at the maul, so Farrell sticks it in the bottom left-hand corner.
23 min Farrell finds touch on the left, midway inside Ireland’s half. Robshaw takes and England drive the maul towards the 22. Vunipola peels and makes an astonishing burst, simply bouncing off tacklers and eventually being dragged into touch a couple of metres out by two men.
Updated
22 min This time England get the penalty at the scrum. That’s great work from Hartley; Best couldn’t cope with his strength and collapsed it.
21 min Sexton to touch midway between the 22 and the 10 metre line, whence Stander takes and sets the maul. Trimble comes in off his wing to take it on the crash ball but knocks it on in doing so.
20 min Sexton clears and Nowell runs it back, taking England up over the 10 metre line. Robshaw holds on in the tackle though and that’s another penalty.
England giving away penalties like sweets. 3 of 4 from Farrell. Someone have a word with him before we throw this away @DanLucas86 #ENGvIRE
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 27, 2016
Farrell’s have been particularly needless too, which makes them all the more frustrating.
19 min Kicked away by Ireland and Vunipola breaks one tackle before Robshaw and Brown carry it on down the left. England go right and Itoje gets to show his power, carrying up to the 22. England recycle right and Farrell, then Itoje again make ground. It’s knocked on at the next phase though, but that was excellent from the debutant lock.
18 min Sexton with the 22-drop-out, taken on halfway by Vunipola and Earls chases well to cut down the big No8. England go left and Joseph pokes a kick through, but Trimble sweeps that up easily enough.
17 min Right on the 10 metre line, pretty well right in front, Farrell would expect to get this. He pushes it inches right though.
16 min That was pretty needless from Farrell and it means Ireland have the lineout on their own 10 metre line. Off the top it comes and Sexton flies through a gap, but Poite has spotted obstruction by Henshaw, who made a pretty obvious tackle on Farrell off the ball. A wry smile there from the former detective Poite.
15 min Ireland go left but it’s knocked on in midfield. Ford kicks long for Nowell to chase and Kearney is under severe pressure. He does really well to recycle it and not hold on. And indeed Ireland get the penalty five out from their own line as Farrell stepped offside.
14 min Stolen at the front by Kruis ahead of Stander, but the Munster flanker manages to rip it back brilliantly.
13 min Sexton’s short restart is well taken in by England and Ford puts it up high. Watson chases and catches brilliantly ahead of Sexton, but then Marler comes charging over the top of the breakdown, flops over and gives away the penalty. Sexton, from just inside his own half, finds a brilliant touch in the right-hand corner.
@DanLucas86 that first scrum, Irish 3 slipped his arm under marlers bind & then collapsed scrum.
— AndyinBrum (@AndyinBrum) February 27, 2016
Can’t say I saw that. Then again I was a full-back.
Penalty (Farrell 12) England 3-3 Ireland
It is, indeed, easy for Owen Farrell.
Updated
11 min That creates space for England out on the right but they get it wide too slowly. Up to midway inside the Irish half and they have a penalty, given against Stander for not rolling away from the tackle. This should be easy for Farrell, 35 metres out and pretty much straight in front.
10 min Ryan takes but it’s slow ball. They go right and Joseph gets up well on Henshaw and Ireland cough up possession. Brown thinks about countering but Van der Flier gets enough of a hand on him. Youngs kicks over the top and McCloskey takes, but he’s dragged towards touch. Ireland recycle and Murray kicks to Billy V, who smashes through three men...
9 min Yep penalty against Farrell, whose arm slipped up from the shoulders and caught Earls round the neck. Not a lot in it but the penalty is the right decision. Meanwhile Anthony Watson is looking in some discomfort. Sexton kicks to touch down the left, finding it about eight metres inside the England half.
Hello, the TMO has spotted something. It might be a neck-roll by Farrell on Earls.
8 min England go right and Joseph steps and gains some ground. Left they go and Watson steps round Trimble, who just about scrambles and brings him down in the 22. England recycle but it goes loose and Ireland hack clear, so Ben Youngs puts a neat tumbling box kick over the top and into touch down the left, halfway inside the Irish 22.
7 min Ford goes deeper and higher this time and Ryan takes close to the touchline. Ireland fling it right and McCloskey is wrapped up but Murray can clear. Brown gathers and flings a wild pass behind Vunipola, but England regather and Watson has a dart up over the 10 metre line.
Penalty (Sexton 6) England 0-3 Ireland
From a good 50-odd metres with the angle I’d guess, Sexton makes his mark on a low-key opening with an excellent kick.
Updated
5 min The scrums are going to take up a lot of time if the first two are anything to go by. Ireland get the penalty here as Dan Cole changes his bind and drags it down. A penalty against Dan Cole at the scrum? Who’s keeping count?
4 min Ireland scrum on the England 10 metre line, out near the right-hand touchline.
3 min England carry it into contact and up to halfway, then Ford goes high. Joseph taps back but only into the hands of Heaslip. Ireland looking to keep it in the hands here... oh no then Sexton goes high and Brown takes it easily enough again. He tries to make a break but knocks on when dragged to ground.
2 min Left they go off the scrum and Sexton loops round and gives it to McCloskey. Murray box kicks and Brown takes comfortably on his own 10 metre line.
Peeeep! Now that we’ve sat through yet another superhero movie advert, Romain Poite gives the signal and George Ford gets things going with a shallow kick that Watson chases and knocks on under pressure from Toner, whose height probably was an advantage there. Straight away it’s a scrum Ireland, midway inside their own half.
That’s the anthems done. Time for kick-off betting adverts!
The good news for England is that it can’t be any worse than last time they played here at Twickenham. Right?
@DanLucas86 eng by 15 u must have been sniffing iron bru watching Scot v Ita. Eng arent that good & Ireland arent that bad. Cant call it!
— Toniwater (@Toniwater) February 27, 2016
Can’t stand the stuff. All about the 40p pink lemonade from Tescos.
Some more predictions coming in.
Think 10-15 is poss for us but Ire are still v good, but so many intangibles and we have to keep discipline. Thats key @DanLucas86
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 27, 2016
@DanLucas86 9 to 15 Ireland have more experience(except SmcC at 12)this will be a battle of 2 equal packs. Big shifts by all. Ireland by 3
— John McEnerney (@MackerOnTheMed) February 27, 2016
I really don’t think Ireland are very good. England have more experience in the centres, more quality on the wing, Kearney is in decline. Ireland have the edge at half-back though neither is in great form and England’s pack is much better.
“Fancy a quick go at the classic 6N pub game ‘pick a Lions side right now’?” asks Robin Hazelhurst. “Do you go with Laidlaw or Davies at 9? Biggar or Sexton? Hogg, Kearney, Brown or Williams? English wings and second rows but no back rows I guess. Irish or Scottish centres? Any clear calls for you?”
Hogg; Seymour, Davies, Taylor, North; Biggar, Davies; R Jones, Hartley, Nel, AW Jones, J Gray, Stander, Warburton, Faletau off the top of my head.
Scores from the Premiership: Gloucester lead Newcastle 25-6, while Northampton have overcome a shoddy start to secure a bonus point and lead Worcester 36-18. Tom Collins has a hat-trick amid the Saints’ six tries.
Predictions?
Ok, entertainment over, nerve-shredding time @DanLucas86. This should be a titanic, brutal battle. I'll happily take a 1 point win #6Nations
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 27, 2016
I actually think England will win this one by 15 or so.
Preamble
So we’re down to one. We’re halfway through this year’s Six Nations and, like that, England are the only team who can win the grand slam. For all the money and resources that have been lavished upon Eddie Jones and his side, I imagine few people would have expected that three weeks ago.
England are the fairly strong favourites here, which seems a bit weird given that their opponents today are going for an unprecedented third straight championship. Admittedly that’s unlikely to happen after blowing a 13-point lead at home to Wales and losing to a rubbish French team in Paris, but it would be pretty idiotic of the home team to expect to rock up and wipe the floor with Ireland today.
Ireland’s injury crisis deepens and the latest player to be ruled out is Jared Payne. This is going to sound cruel, but I’m pretty excited by this: it means that Stuart McCloskey, who has been quite astonishing for Ulster in their (reasonably) successful season so far gets to make his debut at inside-centre. With great hands and greater strength as well as fearsome pace, he could be a real threat. Given the cracking start that CJ Stander has made to his international career, could we be seeing the blossoming of an even more exciting new generation for Ireland?
Make no mistake, this is going to be a mighty test for them, not least up front. Mike Ross returns from injury to the starting lineup and Cian Healy returns to the bench, but Ireland’s scrum has struggled so far and if Ross isn’t match fit then they could be in for a pounding at the hands of the Six Nations’ strongest pack.
Mauro Itoje is the name on every England fans’ lips. I’ve seen some comments on this very website suggesting that the 6’5” Saracen could struggle against the 6’10” Devin Toner. This is utter nonsense and shows said commenters up for not having seen the versatile forward’s athleticism and lightness in being lifted, or even just jumping, over the last couple of years. I saw Itoje make his first-team debut for Saracens and, over 22 years of watching rugby, I can honestly say he’s one of the most thrilling English forwards I’ve ever seen. If Ireland aren’t at the top of their game he will kill them at the breakdown.
There is also a place on the bench for Elloit Daly. The Wasps No13 is the form back in the Premiership this season and it’s succour for so, so many domestic rugby fans to see him in the 23. Personally I’d have picked him at 12 with Farrell at 10 (apparently England tried him there in training, which means Eddie Jones becomes the second person in England after, er, me* to think he has all the attributes to play there) but he plays with the kind of vim and vigour that can give a side a much-needed second-half lift.
Kick-of: 4.50pm GMT.
The teams
England
M Brown (Harlequins); A Watson (Bath), J Joseph (Bath), O Farrell (Saracens), J Nowell (Exeter); G Ford (Bath), B Youngs (Leicester); J Marler (Harlequins), D Hartley (Northampton, capt), D Cole (Leicester), M Itoje (Saracens), G Kruis (Saracens), C Robshaw (Harlequins), J Haskell (Wasps), B Vunipola (Saracens).
Replacements: J George (Saracens), M Vunipola (Saracens), P Hill (Northampton), C Lawes (Northampton), J Clifford (Harlequins), D Care (Harlequins), E Daly (Wasps), A Goode (Saracens).
Ireland
R Kearney (Leinster); A Trimble (Ulster), R Henshaw (Connacht), S McCloskey (Ulster), K Earls (Munster); J Sexton (Leinster), C Murray (Munster); J McGrath (Leinster), R Best (Ulster, capt), M Ross (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), D Toner (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster), J van der Flier (Leinster), J Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements: R Strauss (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), N White (Connacht), U Dillane (Connacht), R Ruddock (Leinster), E Reddan (Leinster), I Madigan (Leinster), S Zebo (Munster).
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
*As far as I know, anyway
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