England v Ireland, Six Nations 2014: live

Irish dreams of the Grand Slam are over. It’s a cruel way to surrender the

chance of a Championship clean sweep but Test rugby is an unsentimental

arena and Joe Schmidt’s side didn’t quite have enough to get over the line.

Mike Brown named Man of the Match, no doubt just ahead of his opposite number

Rob Kearney, who was equally impressive.

Ireland exploded out of the blocks in the second half. A lesser set of players

might have buckled under the pressure but Lancaster’s boys are seemingly

made of sterner stuff. It was not England’s most fluent display under

Lancaster but probably one of the most satisfying results.

It really is impossible to overstate the significance of that win for England.

The gnarled Irish old boys threw everything at them in that second half and

the youngsters in white withstood the barrage. A big psychological milestone

with the World Cup looming larger.

FULL-TIME. It’s never. England hold firm and they cling on for a 13-10

win.

80min One last chance for Ireland. Penalty to touch, time up and it’s

now or never…

80min May hacks clear and with a minute to go, Ireland fnd themselves

back in their own half

79min Dave Kearney breaks into England territory but desperate tap

tackle by Launchbury brings him down

78min Cronin spills the ball, Nowell secures it, England kick and

Ireland are pegged back deep

77min Ireland still in possession but, crucially, in their own half

76min May snipes down the blindside but then kicks and Ireland have the

ball

75min Ireland blink as Murray’s pass goes wayward. Knock on and scrum

to England…

74min Sexton goes long, May tidies up and takes England close to

halfway. Ireland are desperate to get within striking distance, Engand

equally desperate to keep them at arms length

73min A drop gal decided it in Rome today. What price a repeat in

London?

73min Morgan breaks from the base, England recycle and Brown kicks long

to relieve the pressure

72min Ireland try the rolling maul but England get bodies in the right

places and win the scrum as the ball is held up. Tension up to 11…

71min D’Arcy charge. Ball recycled, danger…

71min Bodies down, benches emptying and temporary stop in play. It will

still be an Ireland scrum though…

70min We’re into the final 10 minutes and it’s still all to play for.

Ireland disrupt an England scrum and win the put in, attacking scrum on the

England 22

68min Ireland string together 15 phases but England hold firm, refuse

to concede the penalty and the move finally breaks down when Sexton knocks

on

67min Toner wins lineout ball and for the first time in five minutes,

Ireland are on the front foot

66min It’s all about nerve now and which side can keep calm enough to

see this one out. Engand marginal favourites courtesy of three-point lead

but it is a precarious advantage

65min England keeping hold of the ball until Lawes spills a simple pass

and Ireland are off the hook for now

63min Ireland clear but they’re still in their own half

62min It’s England’s turn to try the rolling maul but Nowell is tackled

after the ball goes wide and Ireland hold him up to win the scrum

61min Kearney twists and turns in the middle of the park but England

hunt him down and win the penalty. Farrell goes for touch and England have

the territorial advantage

60min The momentum for now is with Engand as Care’s hurried kick

bounces kindly in touch before scuttling out

58min Hold onto your seats folks, this is now shaping into a humdinger.

Another telling contribution from Brown there, who really is developing into

England’s star man these days.

57min ENGLAND CONVERSION. Farrell on target again and just as quickly

as Ireland had put 10 points on them, England rely with 10 of their own.

57min ENGLAND TRY. Scorching break from Brown, who offloads to Care and

the scrum-half scampers over under the posts.

56min Sexton hoofs the restart out on the full and England have the

scrum on halfway

54min ENGLAND PENALTY. Easy peasy. Remember that pivotal next score? It

goes to England courtesy of Farrell and it’s game on.

54min Quick tap and go by Care, Burrell hauled down short but referee

playing advantage for slowing the ball down. Easy three points surely.

53min Next score, as always, crucial. If it goes to Ireland, it would

be increasingly hard to see England recovering from that kind of body blow

51min Fine response from England, going through the attacking phases,

but they ruin it by holding on and Ireand take the sting out of the

fightback

49min IRELAND PENALTY. Sexton punishes English indiscipline and Ireland

are into double figures

48min Ireland rolling maul makes a few metres but they win a penalty

for not rolling away

46min Speaking of Lancaster, the camera cuts to the Engand head coach

in the stands and he does not look happy. There’s an urgency about Ireland

now and you feel England will have to weather a green storm for the next few

minutes

45min We will now see what Lancaster’s young side is made of. An

Ireland side with a lead is a totally different beast

44min It was a great angle of running from Kearney, a deft pass from

Heaslip and the England defence parted like the Red Sea

43min IRELAND CONVERSION. Sexton adds the easy extras and with the

second half still in its infancy, Ireland are suddenly 7-3 to the good

42min IRELAND TRY. Rob Kearney tears through the England defence and

scores under the posts

41min Nowell concdes a soft penalty for a push chasing a high ball and

Sexton pegs England back

41min Sexton launches it high and the most crucial 40 minutes of this

year’s Six Nations is underway.

Ireland back out, England close behind them. Who will blink first?

England, lest we forget, have potentially spurned 10 points in the first 40

minutes. Sexton didn’t have a singly shot at goal. Do Engand take heart from

those opportunities, albeit missed, or has their confidence been rocked?

It’s been a pleasure to watch Rob Kearney and Brown both at the top of their

games. Those two really do have springs in their heels.

Games like this inevitably draw the eye to the respective benches and the

possible impact of the second-half replacements. Who has got the match

winner kicking their heels, waiting for their moment of glory?

The two backrows have negated each other and even before his injury, Vunipola

hadn’t been able to make real inroads. O’Driscoll has looked

characteristicaly spritish in the midfield and Sexton has controlled the

Irish play with trademark authority.

Well, it’s been entertaining in a staccato kind of way. Glimpses here, flashes

there but ultimately it’s been the palpable tension rather than the quality

of the rugby itself that has been the main attraction. There two teams are

very evenly matched and neither has been able to impose itself on the other

yet

HALF-TIME Ireland repel the danger and the two warring factions head to

the dressing room with England enjoying a slender 3-0 advantage

39min … which comes to nothing. England break out thrugh May and

Nowell and the visitors concede a penalty. Farrell declines the possible

three points and goes for touch

38min Ireland scrum in England territory…

37min The good news for England is Vunipola hobbles off rather than

making use of the stretcher, so the injury probably isn’t that bad

36min Looks like Vunipola has twisted his ankle. Ben Morgan is stripped

off and he’s on much earlier than he or Lancaster would have anticipated

35min England going forward through Nowell and Brown but Ireland hold

firm and win the scrum in their own 22 after holding up the ball

34min Farrell penalty attempt hits the post and bounces… wide! Three

points go begging.

32min Game still waiting for an elusive spark from either side. England

crowd happy enough with their side in front but absolutely no room for

complacency

30min Ireland on the front foot, BOD cuts through but Twelvetrees

slices down Kearney Junior. England press Ireland back and they are forced

to kick

29min Handbags between O’Driscoll and Brown. The England full-back

unamused by some afters while BOD appears to find the whole contretemps

rather funny

28min Scrum time, Ireland put in and in truth the visitors seem to have

a marginal edge up front so far

27min Joe Schmidt looks a concerned, slightly irritable figure in the

stands. Ireland playing well enough but find themselves trailing…

25min That was a monster effort, right on the edge of his range.

Superby struck and England have their reward for a bright if flawed start

24min ENGLAND PENALTY. Farrell lands a brilliant effort from distance.

The home side get their nose in front.

23min Neither team capable of establishing a consistent tempo. Four or

five phases and they then cough up the ball. It’s intense, it’s tense but

it’s not a classic yet.

21min Farrell concedes the penalty for a late shoulder charge on

Murray. He’s still walking a fine line between abrasive and hot headed…

21min Halfway through the half and honours even so far. Neither pack in

the ascendency yet.

20min England back on the attack, probing around the fringes but

Ireland steal the ball and Murray clears

19min England attempt first meaningful rolling maul of the match and

make a few yards but neither side has yet really used the tactic as an

effective weapon

17min England win the penalty deep it their own 22 and they breathe a

heavy sigh of relief

16min Cross field kick to Trimble sees Ireland go close. He’s hauled

down but it’s the men in green who are now asking the questions.

15min Brown once again looking majestic under the high ball but Rob

Kearney is hugely impressive as well. Two full-backs who actually relish the

aerial bombardment.

13min After a frenetic start, the match is settling down and both teams

now playing for territory with the boot. Will England come to rue that

early, spurned chance? It already looks like a tight one…

11min Ireland probe the English defence but there are as yet no gaps

and Kearney forced into a grubber that comes to nothing.

10min England concede a penalty, Sexton hoofs and Ireland relieve the

pressure.

9min Looking at the replays, there’s no debate – England totally

butchered a gift-wrapped chance. Great work by Murray and Trimble in defence

but no doubt Engand should have scored.

8min That was the kind of opportunity you suspect Engand must take to

win this match. Bright start by the home side but quality teams turn that

kind of pressure into points.

7min Close. May looks like he’s gone over but spills the ball after a

superb tackle by Murray.

6min Care snipes, the pack pile over. It’s all England.

5min Brown breaks through and England surge into the 22. Nowell is

upended but England retain possession. Vunipola (who else?) charges forward,

then Marler. Seven metres out…

3min A little break by O’Driscoll sparks an Irish incursion but

England’s scramble defence up to the job and the danger is snuffed out

2min Ireland make a mess of the scrum and its first blood to the green

front five. It’s early days but a significant shove there by the visitors

1min Clean take by Ireland but England hold the ball up and earn an

attacking scrum. The crowd like that.

1min Farrell gets us underway with the kick-off. Game on.

3.59 - The pretty lady in red returns to lead the crowd in a rendition

of God Save The Queen. Dylan Hartley looks like he’s going to bust a blood

vessel.

3.58 – Anthem time folks. Plenty more of BOD on camera as the Irish

boys sing.

3.57 - Ireland emerge from the tunnel and all the TV cameras enjoy an

inevitable love affair with O’Driscoll. England ready to take to the pitch

now.

3.55 – An intriguing contest at scrum-half today, pitting the terrier

that is Danny Care against the more abrasive Conor Murray. As ever though

their personal duel will be hugely influenced by the amount and quality of

ball they are presented with by their respective packs.

3.54 - The band is playing, an attractive lady in red is belting out

Jersualem and the flags are waving feverishly in the stands. We’re almost

there folks…

3.50 – Twickenham is dry, the pitch looks tickety boo and should they

wish to, both sides have the opportunity to put some width on the ball. The

suspicion though is both front fives will initially have other ideas as they

try to batter each other into submission. It is of course notoriously

difficult to persuade front fives of the error of their ways.

3.45 – Ireland are yet to concede a try in their two forays in this

year’s Championship. England have looked potent but have also been

profligate at times in attack. The home side will need to be more clinical

today if they are to emerge victorious.

3.41 – Today’s biggest and most pivotal battle? Many have indentified

the clash between Owen Farrell and Jonny Sexton, the two Lions fly-halves,

but the backrow contest looks equally crucial. Can Ireland drag down Billy

Vunipola and stop his destructive offloads? Can England’s comparatively

inexperienced trio (combined 54 caps) get the edge over their Ireland

counterparts (99 caps)?

3.38 – We’ve already mentioned 20-year-old Ford on the bench. Is he too

young for Test rugby? Lancaster obviously thinks not. “We feel that the time

is right to include George Ford in the squad,” the head coach said this

week. “We have successfully integrated many young players over the last two

years. George is the next exciting talent to make his mark in the senior

squad.”

3.34 – Joe Schmidt sticks with the same side that bullied Wales out of

it in Dublin two weeks ago but there are changes on the Irish bench as Iain

Henderson replaces the injured Dan Tuohy and uncapped Jordi Murphy is

preferred to Tommy O’Donnell.

3.30 – Stuart Lancaster has been forced to make one change to the XV

that dismantled Scotland a fortnight ago, bringing in David Wilson at prop

for the injured Dan Cole. The Bath front rower is undoubtedly a big unit but

with just 47 minutes of rugby under his belt in the last two months due to a

niggling calf injury, there’s an equally big question mark about his ability

to last the full 80 minutes today.

3.25 - But back to today at Twickers and speaking of an imbalance in

experience, Ireland’s starting XV today have accumulated 724 caps between

them while England can muster a relatively callow 302. Which all equates to

a classic case of old heads versus young legs, speed of thought against

speed of body.

3.18 – Breaking news as Scotland dramatically triumph 21-10 against

Italy in Rome courtesy of Duncan Weir’s last-gasp drop goal. The Scottish

players are delirious while the Italians can’t quite believe what they’ve

just witnessed.

3.15 – O’Driscoll boasts an impressive strike rate of 46 tries in 130

appearances for his country, which isn’t too shabby by anyone’s standards.

His record however pales in comparison to opposite number Luther Burrell,

who has a 100% strike rate at Test level, albeit after a more modest two

tries in two games.*lies, damn lies and statistics*

3.10 – He made his Test debut against the Wallabies in June 1999. To

put his remarkable international longevity into some context, that’s the

same year the Euro was launched, The Sopranos first hit our screens and

Steffi Graf won the last of her six French Open titles. Or, if you prefer,

England substitute George Ford was a fresh-faced six-year-old when BOD

pulled on the famous green shirt for the first time.

3.00 – Brian O’Driscoll had a dodgy stomach earlier in the week but the

evergreen legend has unsurprisingly shrugged off his affliction and today

equals George Gregan’s world record of 139 Test caps, which is as ridiculous

as it is phenomenal. The contents of Mr O’Driscoll’s attic really should be

investigated.

2.45 – Talk of a possible Grand Slam briefly aside, there is also the

small matter of a Triple Crown within reach for Ireland at HQ but they will

have to end a three-match losing streak against the men in white to achieve

it. History doesn’t exactly bode well from an Irish perspective – today is

their 46th visit to Twickenham and they’ve come away with the win just 13

times previously.

2.30 – Wales’ muscular 27-6 defeat of France in Cardiff last night has

put the cat amongst the pigeons, hasn’t it? Joe Schmidt’s Ireland are now

the last men standing in terms of a potential Grand Slam while Les Bleus’

mauling in the Millennium Stadium has also reignited England’s title hopes.

An English triumph today will leave us with four teams level on four points

after the completion of the third weekend of hostilities.

Hello and welcome to our live Six Nations coverage of England against Ireland

at Twickenham. It’s a four o’clock kick-off in south west London so in

time-honoured tradition we shall begin the build-up with the nut and bolts

and today’s two starting line-ups:

England: 15 Mike Brown; 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Luther Burrell, 12 Billy

Twelvetrees, 11 Jonny May; 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Danny Care; 8 Billy Vunipola,

7 Chris Robshaw (captain), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Courtney Lawes, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3

David Wilson, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Joe Marler.

Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Henry Thomas, 19 Dave

Attwood, 20 Ben Morgan, 21 Lee Dickson, 22 George Ford, 23 Alex Goode

Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney; 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Brian O’Driscoll, 12

Gordon D’Arcy, 11 Dave Kearney; 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Conor Murray; 8 Jamie

Heaslip, 7 Chris Henry, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 5 Paul O’Connell (captain), 4

Devin Toner, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best, 1 Cian Healy.

Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Martin Moore, 19 Iain

Henderson, 20 Jordi Murphy, 21 Isaac Boss, 22 Paddy Jackson, 23 Fergus

McFadden

Article source: http://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/features/columnists/peter-jackson/10080/peter-jackson-watch-out-england-wales-find-new-cullen/

England v Ireland, Six Nations 2014: live