England win the title, but can’t seal the Grand Slam. “We learnt a lot of lessons out here today,” says Dylan Hartley. England’s fine record ends, but I can’t imagine any watching All Blacks will be too worried, based upon this performance.
England now have to go through the awkward Six Nations trophy presentation on the pitch. After defeat, they aren’t exactly bouncing on to the stage to collect their medals. Bit of a weird atmosphere, as Hartley raises the trophy with a smile.
Thanks for reading and for your emails and tweets. Stick around for the match report.
RIP Dan: it should have been you writing this today.
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Here is the final Six Nations table: Ireland pipping France to second after their win.
The final standings for the Six Nations table 2017. England winners & Scotland exceptional. pic.twitter.com/94P1rATq63
— The Rugby Debate (@therugbydebate) March 18, 2017
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Peter O’Mahony deservedly man of the match – he was a statuesque at the line-out, relentless in the tackle and his energy epitomised the way Ireland went about their business. He only found out he was starting in the line-out, who knows if Ireland would have won if Heaslip hadn’t got injured.
Full-time: Ireland 13-9 England
No! Brown fumbles forward and the referee blows his whistle. A depleted Ireland side has stopped England from claiming back-to-back Grand Slams!
Ireland have stopped England on 18 victories, just as they stopped the All Blacks’ winning run of 18 consecutive wins in November in Chicago.
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80 min: Time is up, but England have the ball, can they score a try to steal the game?
79 min: This is masterful from Ireland in running the clock down. We’re still in England’s 22.
78 min: England clear their lines through Care, who finds touch and simply shrugs his shoulders as if to say: “What else can I do?”
77 min: Ireland win another line-out and Healy makes a break off the back of the maul. Ireland begin the time-consuming process of the pick and go! No, wait! As Ireland enter England’s 22, McGrath tries a very risky kick over his shoulder, but it is perfectly placed, and grubbers out for an England line-out, two metres from their own line.
75 min: Anthony Watson has had a shocker today, and he fumbles another high ball. From the scrum, an over-zealous Wood gets to McGrath too quickly at the back of the scrum and is caught offside. Ireland can clear their lines, they’ll take their time with this.
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74 min: O’Mahony steals Jamie George’s line-out on Ireland’s 22, the first one the England hooker has lost all tournament! A huge roar goes up around the Aviva. Can the crowd carry their team through the final six minutes?
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72 min: England need a spark. They look completely flat.
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70 min: The emphasis is on Ireland’s defence here, can they keep their discipline and maintain this level of intensity? They probably deserve the win based upon the balance of play.
68 min: Te’o has a bloodied lip, so he goes off, Ford is on again. Nowell comes on for Joseph, as Daly moves to centre. Leavy on for Ireland.
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Penalty converted! Ireland 13-9 England (Farrell, 66)
Farrell does his hand-signal celebration thing, after nudging the ball through from 30 metres. England within one score of victory.
When @owen_faz links his fingers after kicking a penalty he is raising much needed awareness for Duchenne #Link4DMD #RWC2015 #carrythemhome
— Joining Jack (@alljoinjack) September 26, 2015
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65 min: Welcome to the game, Ben Te’o, who used to play his rugby here in Dublin for Leinster. He’s taken out with a shuddering tackle by Conway, who gives him a bit of backchat for good measure. But the referee rules it to be a tackle in the air. Penalty to England!
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64 min: A few changes to keep you updated with: Danny Care for Youngs and Nathan Hughes for Vunipola. Te’o is on for Ford.
And for Ireland, Devin Toner is on for Donnacha Ryan.
Penalty converted! Ireland 13-6 England (Sexton 62)
What a kick! 50 metres out, on the angle, and the ball sails straight through.
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61 min: Sexton finds touch well and Ireland spin it out from the line-out. Itoje is caught offside, and Ireland have a tricky kick to restore their seven-point lead.
Best is embroiled in a discussion with the referee about another late tackle on Sexton, this time from Wood, that’s the third on Ireland’s fly half this game. “One-two-three, plus the TMO official, I can see,” explains Jerome Garces.
“I have a responsibility to my team” responds Best.
59 min: Farrell is penalised for a high tackle on Sexton, just inside Ireland’s half. The players take a much-needed breather. It’s been manic.
Both sides take the opportunity to make changes: Healy on for his Leinster team-mate McGrath for Ireland, whilst Tom Wood is on for Haskell for England.
Into the final 20 minutes we go.
57 min: After a poor start, dropping a high ball, Payne has been magnificent for Ireland and he breaks through an awful tackle from Youngs into space. There’s not enough support with him to make anything of it, though, and he’s tackled at England’s 22.
55 min: Jamie George on for England’s captain, Dylan Hartley. It looks like a permanent change.
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54 min: The murmurings of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot are just audible over the airwaves, and England’s travelling support find their voice. Huge boos ring out at the Aviva. They didn’t like that one bit. Don’t poke the dragon. The atmosphere is electric.
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52 min: Momentum is definitely swinging England’s way. Ireland have conceded three penalties in the last five minutes and they concede another at the breakdown.
Penalty converted! Ireland 10-6 England (Farrell, 50)
With the wind swirling, Farrell’s kick just has the legs. A crucial score. That’s 600 Test points overall for England’s No12.
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49 min: England finally get their line-out sorted, and put together a few phases. The kicking game simply hasn’t worked today. Not much ground made, but they do force Ireland into making a mistake. Furlong in at the side of the side, after Launchbury did well to spin the maul and gain good ground. Penalty just inside Ireland’s half, Farrell steps up …
47 min: Sexton is running the show, but time will tell whether his body can last the 80. Itoje in for another brusing hit.
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45 min: Ringrose steams straight through Ford in midfield. Good running, poor defence, depending on which side you are looking from. A couple of phases later, England regroup and their rush defence results in a turnover. Another scrappy start here.
43 min: Watson, having done the square root of nothing with the ball thus far, drops a dolly pass from Ford, when England threatened on the counter attack. Sean O’Brien looks a little woozy, he’s taken a knee and gets some medical attention. Looks like he’s taken a hit to the head.
41 min: Remember, England were behind at half-time against France and Wales in this year’s competition, before going on to win.
Peeeeeep! And we’re off again.
The players are back out on the pitch; England out a good two minutes before their hosts. The next score, even if it is a penalty, is crucial for the game’s momentum.
One change for Ireland: Conway is on for Earls for his Ireland debut. That’s very surprising, Earls impressed me in that first half.
One change also for England: Mako Vunipola on for Marler.
Clutching at straws somewhat. Just 13 metres gained for England’s best attacker.
With 13 metres gained, 3 tackles made and 2 gainline breaks, Elliot Daly is England's Key Influencer after 40 minutes.#IBMTryTracker pic.twitter.com/UBB4xxZDnj
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 18, 2017
Expect England to come roaring back. Jones has instilled an incredible physical fitness, and a winning mentality, which particularly comes to fruition in the closing stages of games.
Ireland have been frenetic, but it remains to be seen whether they can keep that level of intensity up for the full 80 minutes. England’s bench is much deeper than Ireland’s too, expect Te’o, Sinckler, Hughes to have a big impact.
Ireland’s lead is just one score, I suspect that isn’t enough.
Replays are showing Ireland are being a bit sneaky at the breakdown: their tackled players are holding onto England tacklers off the ball. It’s illegal but it’s streetsmart and if you’re getting away with it, there’s no reason why Ireland aren’t going to carry on.
Without Toner, Ireland’s weakness has been their strength - the line-out. Ireland have won seven out of their eight throws, and have gone to different options in Ryan and O’Mahony, the latter’s catch leading to Henderson’s try.
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That was a chastening half @michaelbutler18. Credit to Ireland, they're hugely physical & playing with zip. Almost happy with only 10-3.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) March 18, 2017
Half-time: Ireland 10-3 England
England are lucky not to be further behind. A lot of work to do if they are to secure back-to-back Grand Slams, and a record 19th consecutive victory.
“I had to turn Nick Mullins off,” emails Michael Wells. “I cracked when he told me an Irish player is wearing lime green.”
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39 min: No component of England’s game is working properly. Hartley flings a line-out well over the head of Itoje and Ireland roar forward again.
36 min: Another turnover for Ireland in England’s 22. Off an England line-out, Vunipola is felled well by Marmion (!!!), England’s No8 shipping a bit of a hospital pass to Farrell. Ireland swarm and Farrell is held up!
34 min: A really poor kick from Ford, under no pressure he hoofs the ball straight out of play, and Ireland will come back for more time in England’s 22.
33 min: England’s discipline has been poor, too – they concede their fifth penalty of the game, and Sexton kicks to touch, but it comes to nothing.
31 min: He’s been a little bit close to the line at time, but Itoje is leading the tackle count, and he’s hitting hard, leaving Stander dazzled on the deck. But he’s needed to be at his best, because it’s all Ireland. Just to put that in context, it’s been 73% possession for Ireland, who have spent 32% of the time in England’s 22.
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30 min: Sexton slightly mis-judges a high kick, the ball caught by Daly inside his own 22, calling the mark. That was too far in front of Earls. Sexton’s first mistake.
29 min: Hartley is unhappy about Ireland’s body position at the breakdown, and he has a little word in the ear of the referee. His New Zealand accent really does come out more on the field.
27 min: Earls has green grass in front of him and flies 20 metres down the right wing, before eventually being halted by Brown. But then Ireland knock it on. Daly then makes a break, and offloads well to Watson, who offloads well to Launchbury. But that’s excellent scrambling defence from Ireland, and Zebo clears.
It’s not been high on quality so far, but they game is riveting, toing and froing.
26 min: What a start from Ireland. England have a massive pack, but they are second to everything at the breakdown, and can’t handle Ireland’s rolling maul at the moment. To compound England’s misery, Lawes drops the ball from the kick-off.
Try converted! Ireland 10-3 England (Sexton 24)
Sexton adds the extras.
Try! Ireland 8-3 England (Henderson, 23)
Another rolling maul, another short break from Henderson, who stays low and scrambles over from three metres out! There was a hint of double movement, and the grounding wasn’t too clean, but it’s good enough, and after referring it to the video referee, Garces whistles for the first try!
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22 min: Intense pressure from Ireland, they’re keeping it short and it’s working. Eventually Billy Vunipola says enough is enough and he comes through the ruck illegally. Penalty to Ireland, left of the posts, five metres out, but they’re kicking to the corner. Sexton claps his hands, his shoulder is fine, he’s fired up.
20 min: Ireland kick to touch, and Ryan collects the line-out on England’s 22. It’s rolling maul time, with Best directing things from the back. They make good ground and then spin in, just seven metres short of England’s line.
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19 min: Ouch, a tough couple of minutes for Ireland’s half-backs, courtesy of Itoje. First England’s No6 smashes into Sexton off the ball. Replays show he was late after Sexton’s pass, but Itoje was already committed to the tackle. Probably an illegal hit and the referee has a word, with Sexton taking a knee, and clutching his shoulder.
Not 10 seconds later, Itoje comes through the ruck to take Marmion down. Offside. Penalty. I suspect Itoje came close to getting sin-binned, but he doesn’t.
Desperately sad to see waving imaginary cards in rugby @michaelbutler18 Needs sanctioning immediately before it becomes the norm #IREvENG
— Michael Rogerson (@CSR_Michael) March 18, 2017
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Penalty converted! Ireland 3-3 England (Farrell, 17)
It’s all square, Farrell nudging over from 40 metres.
16 min: England finally keep the ball in hand, with Ford eventually kicking possession away knowing that England have a penalty advantage.
15 min: Does anybody sell a dummy off the back of a ruck as convincingly as Ben Youngs?
Best, meanwhile is back on for Scannell.
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13 min: Daly finds some space on the left wing and a clever grubber kick bounces along the touchline before going out for an Ireland line-out. First test for the men in Green without their go-to guy, Devin Toner, who has been dropped and on the bench today. Yep, Ireland survive, Marmion box-kicking upfield.
Penalty converted! Ireland 3-0 England (Sexton , 11)
Sexton knocks it over, and depleted Ireland have the lead.
10 min: Best, with all the flair of O’Driscoll at a disco, flicks an outrageous pass out of the back of the hand to find Payne on the wing. He shakes off Daly, and finds Earls, but the wing knocks on after a tackle from Youngs. But we’re going to go back, penalty to Ireland in front of the posts!
Best has a problem. He’s going to have to go off! Ireland are losing their captain in the first 10 minutes! Scannell on.
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9 min: “Am nervous as anything,” emails Stewart Price. “Having to watch this on the laptop whilst my daughter watches alphablocks on the telly and my son pretends I’m a train. Kids have no sense of occasion, do they?”
8 min: Ireland edge forward, with Sexton testing Brown under a very high ball. Haskell gathers but the ball squirts loose and McGrath is first to it. Ireland putting pressure on in England’s 22.
6 min: It’s been a scrappy start from both sides. Nobody has yet put some phases together properly. Farrell tries a box kick, but three England players were offside.
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5 min: Oooooooof! Haskell cleans out Sexton, who goes down hard. An “ooooooo” fills the Aviva. Was that a late hit? The referee Jerome Garces waves the play on.
4 min: A tidy set piece from England’s scrum, but Farrell spin pass is just behind Brown, and the greasy ball is knocked on.
3 min: Youngs tries a box kick of his own, with Payne, another Irishman coming into this starting XV at the expense of the injured Kearney, dropping the ball on his own 22, with absolutely nobody around him. Scrum to England, promising position.
2 min: What a massive game this is for Marmion, in for the injured Murray at scrum half, this is just his second start in green. The first of many box kicks, which are well judged.
I have a feeling that Ireland will quite fancy beating England anyway. Here we go! Peeeeeeeeeep! And we’re off, Ford hoists the ball into the gods, the ball caught by Earls.
France have scored at the last! They’ve beaten Wales 20-18 in the 100th minute of play! That has massive repercussions on Ireland, who now know that whatever the result in Dublin, they won’t slip from the top four in the world rankings, which would have condemned them to a horrible 2019 Rugby World Cup pool draw. Massive!
The teams are out, the anthems are done and dusted, it’s a cracking atmosphere in Dublin. A light drizzle will make it an interesting surface. Let’s do this. Predictions? Email michael.butler@theguardian.com or tweet @michaelbutler18.
We’re STILL GOING in Paris. Into the 95th minute. It’s France 13-18 Wales, with Wales defending for their lives on their own tryline.
The teams
Ireland
15. J Payne, 14. K Earls, 13. G Ringrose, 12. R Henshaw, 11. S Zebo, 10. J Sexton, 9. K Marmion.
1. J McGrath, 2. R Best, 3. T Furlong, 4. D Ryan, 5. I Henderson, 6. P O’Mahony, 7. S O’Brien. 8. CJ Stander
Replacements
16. N Scannell, 17. C Healy, 18. J Ryan, 19. D Toner, 21. L McGrath, 22. P Jackson, 23. A Conway.
England
15. M Brown (vice captain), 14. A Watson, 13. J Joseph, 12. O Farrell, 11. E Daly, 10. G Ford, 9. B Youngs.
1. J Marler, 2. D Hartley (captain), 3. Dan Cole, 4. Joe Launchbury, 5. Courtney Lawes, 6. Maro Itoje, 7. James Haskell, 8. Billy Vunipola (vice captain).
Replacements
16. Jamie George, 17. Mako Vunipola, 18. Kyle Sinckler, 19. Tom Wood, 20. Nathan Hughes, 21. Danny Care, 22. Ben Te’o, 23. Jack Nowell.
Referee: Jerome Garces (France)
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It is a rip-roaring finish to Wales’s game, we’re past the 80-minute mark. The scores currently France 13-18 Wales, with France just a few metres from Wales’ line. Join Niall McVeigh right now.
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Preamble
Hello world! What a game we have in store today. So much at stake! England chasing back-to-back Six Nations titles for the first time in 25 years, since the age of Guscott, Underwood and Carling. England chasing their record 19th consecutive win. England, boosted by the return of Billy Vunipola, ready to make their mark on the history books.
But Ireland, on St Patricks weekend and on the 10th anniversary their historic 43-13 victory over England at Croke Park, have quite the agenda too. If Wales hold on to their winning margin in Paris, Ireland will have to beat England to avoid slipping from the top four in the world rankings, which could condemn them to a horrible 2019 Rugby World Cup pool draw. They will have to do so without Conor Murray, without Rob Kearney. After losing to Wales last week, they have a big point to prove.
Make no mistake, IT IS ON.
Kick off: 5pm GMT
Michael will be here shortly. In the meantime, look in on France v Wales here:
And here’s Robert Kitson’s take on tonight’s grand slam opportunity.
Just occasionally, photographers are right to insist a picture says more than a thousand words. The victory photos taken on the final night of the 2011 Six Nations are a prime example: England in their Dublin hotel, ties at half-mast, trying to look like contented champions but fooling no one. Such is bittersweet life for tournament winners who have just missed out on a grand slam.
Even six years on, Ben Youngs does not even try to supply an upbeat caption. “That was a strange one,” he says, recalling the last time England crossed the Irish Sea in search of a clean sweep only to lose 24-8 and have the edge removed from their title celebrations. “It just doesn’t seem right to lose a game and then go and get a trophy, does it?” This time the scrum‑half, one of six 2011 survivors in the visitors’ squad, would prefer a more uplifting memento for his downstairs loo.
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