Good evening.
All set?
Ireland look to keep their dream of back-to-back Grand Slams alive against England at Twickenham, while the hosts seek to reignite their championship hopes heading into the final weekend. Something’s gotta give!
Gavan Casey with you here, and if you can’t make a TV or radio — or if you’re not in the stadium — I’ll bring you live updates from Twickenham where kick-off will take place at 4:45pm.
Let’s go!
How are you all feeling ahead of game-time?
Poll Results:
For Ireland, Hugo Keenan returns at fullback — while Ciarán Frawley will cover 10, 12 and 15 from the bench.
England have handed a first start to 21-year-old Exeter flier Immanuel Feyi-Waboso on the right wing.
Scrum-half Alex Mitchell returns from injury to start and powerful lock George Martin also comes into Steve Borthwick’s 15.
The inclusion of Martin sees Ollie Chessum shift to blindside flanker, with Ethan Roots dropping out of the matchday squad.
Your man in the middle for this one is Nika Amashukeli of Georgia.
England:
- 15. George Furbank
- 14. Immanuel Feyi-Waboso
- 13. Henry Slade
- 12. Ollie Lawrence
- 11. Tommy Freeman
- 10. George Ford
- 9. Alex Mitchell
- 1. Ellis Genge
- 2. Jamie George (captain)
- 3. Dan Cole
- 4. Maro Itoje
- 5. George Martin
- 6. Ollie Chessum
- 7. Sam Underhill
- 8. Ben Earl
Replacements:
- 16. Theo Dan
- 17. Joe Marler
- 18. Will Stuart
- 19. Chandler Cunningham-South
- 20. Alex Dombrandt
- 21. Danny Care
- 22. Marcus Smith
- 23. Elliot Daly
Ireland:
- 15. Hugo Keenan
- 14. Calvin Nash
- 13. Robbie Henshaw
- 12. Bundee Aki
- 11. James Lowe
- 10. Jack Crowley
- 9. Jamison Gibson-Park
- 1. Andrew Porter
- 2. Dan Sheehan
- 3. Tadhg Furlong
- 4. Joe McCarthy
- 5. Tadhg Beirne
- 6. Peter O’Mahony (captain)
- 7. Josh van der Flier
- 8. Caelan Doris
Replacements:
- 16. Rónan Kelleher
- 17. Cian Healy
- 18. Finlay Bealham
- 19. Iain Henderson
- 20. Ryan Baird
- 21. Jack Conan
- 22. Conor Murray
- 23. Ciarán Frawley
Just over five minutes to go until we get underway.
Logic dictates that Ireland should win this game but if sport was all about logic, you wouldn’t be reading this liveblog and I wouldn’t be writing it!
I have enough muscle memory of suffering in this stadium that I still have a few nerves as we approach kick-off.
What a huge game!
God Save the King rings around Twickenham. It’s almost showtime.
1′ – ENG 0-0 IRE: Jack Crowley gets the game up and running at Twickenham.
Here we go!
1′ – ENG 0-0 IRE: Big carry from Big Joe. Van der Flier makes a half-break on a snipe and pops to Furlong over his shoulder . Ireland making some inroads into the English half — and they win a penalty advantage outside the 22′, right in front of the posts.
Good start by the visitors. Crowley points towards the sticks.
1′ – ENG 0-3 IRE: Crowley chips over and Ireland lead 3-0 in south-west London!
4′ – ENG 5-3 IRE: OH WHAT A RESPONSE BY ENGLAND! TRYYYY!
James Lowe failed to find touch, England went wide left, and they unleash a blistering move down the edge to send Ollie Lawrence over the paint in the corner!
They shredded Ireland there, and Calvin Nash is in serious bother to make matters worse. He’s off for a HIA after getting blasted in contact by Tommy Freeman.
Conversion by Ford drifts wide right — but England lead!
8′ – ENG 5-3 IRE: Ireland reply with a tidy attack into English territory but eventually lose it forward.
First scrum of the game — English put-in in their own 22′ — goes down, and England are awarded the penalty!
Big win for Ellis Genge on Tadhg Furlong, there.
10′ – ENG 5-3 IRE: England bang on the Irish door from the resultant lineout, bashing it into the Irish 22′, but Van der Flier wins a huge jackal pen on the ground!
A cry of ‘Ireland! Ireland!’ rallies around Twickenham.
England are on it, though. What a start!
12′ – ENG 5-3 IRE: More English pressure after a lost Ireland lineout.
Under the pump here — but Alex Mitchell spills forward and Ireland clear up as far as their own 10.
Ciarán Frawley, by the way, is on for Nash. He’s at 15 with Keenan on the right wing.
14′ – ENG 5-3 IRE: Tadhg Beirne steals and English lineout this time and Crowley pins England into their own 22′.
Bit of kick tennis now. Ireland keeping two players in the backfield at all times. James Lowe has had a poor day with the boot so far.
15′ – ENG 8-3 IRE: Big break by Ben Earl sets Jamie George clear and England win a penalty as Ireland are pinged for offside as they scramble in their own 22′.
Ford squeezes over an easy three, and England lead by a try at Twickenham.
They’ve been by far the better side in this opening quarter hour.
18′ – ENG 8-3 IRE: Ireland win a penalty on halfway as England are pinged off their feet.
Crowley punts Ireland into the English 22′.
Calvin Nash, by the way, has failed his HIA. Frawley will stay on.
19′ – ENG 8-6 IRE: O’Mahony wins the lineout and Ireland make further ground through Aki, among others, before Ollie Lawrence is caught offside at the breakdown.
A gimme three points, which Crowley and Ireland accept.
Let’s see if that settles them.
21′ – ENG 8-6 IRE: Ollie Chessum makes a big hit on Aki and bundles him into touch just outside Ireland’s 22′. Crowd goes nuts, as does Chessum, but now he’s down holding his shoulder. Looks like he’ll be okay to continue, though.
England attacking now deep in Irish territory. Ford tries a snap-shot drop-goal! But it’s blocked by Van der Flier, and England recycle.
Caelan Doris, though, is penalised for the same kind of offence as Lawrence moments ago. An easy three here for England — but they point towards the corner!
23′ – ENG 8-6 IRE: English lineout on the Irish 5′.
They go short! But they’re stopped inches shy of the line — and Tadhg Beirne makes an UNBELIEVABLE steal!
Lowe’s clearance, though, is again poor, and here come England again on the Irish 22′.
25′ – ENG 8-6 IRE: England are denied a try due to a knock-on by George Furbank as he attempted to regather a grubber through. It was Lawrence who crossed the whitewash in the end, but the officials have pulled it back.
A sigh of relief for Ireland. James Lowe’s clearance — again — put his side under pressure and Frawley was left chasing shadows as England turned him around on the little kick through.
Scrum for Ireland about six yards from their own line. They lock this one out, rock-solid, and Gibson-Park eventually clears to touch with a monster box-kick up towards halfway.
26′ – ENG 8-6 IRE: Massive effort by Henshaw and Van der Flier as they choke England in the tackle. Ireland win another scrum, this one on halfway.
28′ – ENG 8-6 IRE: Ireland put England under huge pressure on this scrum but the ball squirts out. Gibson-Park gathers the loose ball and dribbles one into touch in the English 22′.
Ireland, though, concede a penalty at the resulting lineout maul.
29′ – ENG 8-6 IRE: Ireland concede another penalty for offside just inside their own 10′, this one by Bundee Aki.
England for the posts — but Ford botches it, pushing it right. Poor miss, and a let-off for Ireland.
They’ve conceded five penalties already and have had virtually no territory in this game so far. And yet they trail by only two after a brilliant opening half hour by England.
34′ – ENG 8-6 IRE: Stout defence by Ireland and Aki times a jackal perfectly, winning a penalty for his side just inside the English half.
That felt like a big psychological moment.
Interestingly, Crowley points towards the posts and he’ll have a go from 50-odd yards.
36′ – ENG 8-9 IRE: Crowley doesn’t catch it properly but it has enough! Ireland — somehow! — lead in Twickenham with five minutes to go until the break.
37′ – ENG 8-9 IRE: England launch an electrifying strike play that spans the breadth of the field but Feyi-Waboso’s perfect pass is dropped by Freeman, who was under pressure from Keenan.
Ireland, who have been living off scraps in this first half, have a scrum outside their own 22′.
38′ – ENG 8-9 IRE: Wow — Lowe launches an absolute boom-missile and the retreating Furbank has a toe in touch as he tries to keep it infield!
Irish lineout in the English 22′. What a kick by Lowe, after three poor earlier efforts.
Doris takes the lineout and Ireland attack. England offside — free shot for the visitors.
40′ – ENG 8-9 IRE: No advantage, and Ireland will take the easy three — which will take us to half-time.
40′ – ENG 8-12 IRE: Remarkably, Ireland lead by four points after a half in which England played the vast majority of the rugby, and some of their personal-best rugby for a very long time.
All 12 of Ireland’s points have come from the boot of Jack Crowley. It’s been a case of survive and advance in this first half, and Ireland have managed to do both while being under the pump.
A very unusual 40 minutes for Irish fans but at the turnaround, it’s England 8-12 Ireland at Twickenham.
41′ – ENG 8-12 IRE: Right, here we bloody go again! My only advice is to breathe in and breathe out, and try to keep doing that.
George Ford scoops one into the sky and we’re back underway in this dog-fight at Twickenham.
41′ – ENG 8-12 IRE: A spiral bomb by Ford hangs up in the air and Crowley loses it forward in a good aerial contest.
England get the scrum between the Irish 22′ and 10′.
They attack left but Van der Flier slows their breakdown and England are pinged for side entry on their own ball as they try to clear him out. Brilliant — again — by Van der Flier.
44′ – ENG 8-17 IRE: OHHHHHH WHAT A TRYYYYYYYY!!!
Keenan takes a bobbling ball in the air! Crowley releases Doris! Ireland maraud down the left edge and Frawley supplies Lowe, who dives acrobatically into the left-hand corner to finish!!!
Finally, Ireland bear their teeth as an attacking force.
Crowley’s kick from the touchline is fractionally wide — his first miss from five — but Ireland lead by nine points.
48′ – ENG 13-17 IRE: WHAT A RESPONSE BY ENGLAND! It’s George Furbank who scores it!
England cut loose in broken field with some beautiful handling, and it’s Maro Itoje who eventually pops to Furbank on the overlap to streak down the left edge for the score.
Sensational rugby!
Ford’s conversion is wide right — and we’re back to square one from half-time.
51′ – ENG 13-17 IRE: Frawley is having a HIA check. Conor Murray on at nine. Gibson-Park covers on right wing with Hugo Keenan back at 15.
The 6-2 gamble may be about to blow up in Ireland’s faces here — but they have a scrum on the English 22′.
51′ – ENG 13-17 IRE: England win a free-kick at the scrum for Irish encroachment. That’s a let-off.
54′ – ENG 13-17 IRE: England stop and Irish attack on halfway behind the gainline but Fayi-Waboso is pinged for going off his feet. Harsh call, honestly, and the crowd rightly boos. Crowley takes Ireland back into the English half.
56′ – ENG 13-17 IRE: Crowley puts England under pressure with a booming contestable onto their 5′. Fayi-Waboso wins it in the air in the face of a strong challenge by Keenan, but Ford shanks his clearance on the exit.
Ireland put-in to the lineout inside the English 22′. England put O’Mahony under pressure but it spills into touch off an English hand, and Ireland get a second chance closer to the line.
Ciarán Frawley has failed his HIA. Jaysus.
57′ – ENG 13-17 IRE: Aki spills forward on the Irish attack and after a couple of kick exchanges, Ireland will put in to the lineout again just inside the English half.
And they lose it again! And away goes Ben Earl!!! He’s eventually hauled down outside the Ireland 22′ but Peter O’Mahony, who made the brilliant recovery tackle, is yellow-carded for going off his feet at the ensuing breakdown.
England go to the corner against 14-man Ireland. All of a sudden, the momentum is back with the hosts.
59′ – ENG 13-17 IRE: England’s maul is stopped short but it’s another penalty advantage.
England knocking on the door. Earl. Martin. They’re close. But Keenan eventually drives them back with a huge read and tackle.
England back now to the Irish line — and it’s a try!!!
60′ – ENG 20-17 IRE: BEN EARL! A deserved score for the man who started it all. Ford chips over. England lead!
Ireland begin to empty the bench.
62′ – ENG 20-17 IRE: ‘Swing Low’ rings around Twickenham.
Ireland have a penalty advantage on halfway as Iain Henderson is taken in the air in a lineout.
It comes to nothing and they’ll go up the line through Crowley. He sticks it to within 10 yards of the English line.
64′ – ENG 20-17 IRE: Henderson wins the lineout and England halt the Irish maul near the 22′. Ireland still on the attack but Crowley fires a pass too hard at Robbie Henshaw, who knocks on.
66′ – ENG 20-17 IRE: Keenan has a breakaway but it’s pulled back for a Gibson-Park knock-on in the build-up, which was initially missed by referee Amashukeli.
England scrum as Danny Care comes on for his 100th cap. His first one came in 2008. Fair dues to him.
68′ – ENG 20-17 IRE: A shapeless Irish attack is punished by the best player on the field, Ben Earl, who wins a jackal penalty inside his own half.
Ireland have lost their way here since that third English try.
69′ – ENG 20-17 IRE: Ryan Baird joins the forward reinforcements, replacing O’Mahony as the captain’s sin-bin ends.
71′ – ENG 20-17 IRE: Rónan Kelleher wins a huge jackal pen on halfway. Crowley pings Ireland deep into the English 22′.
Big, big chance here. And they’ve been few and far between.
73′ – ENG 20-22 IRE: TRRRRYYYYYYYY FOR IRELAND! JAMES LOOOOOOWWWWWWE!
They go wide left off the maul! Henderson, Gibson-Park, Crowley all involved! And it’s Lowe who dives over again in the left-hand corner!
Crowley’s conversion from the left-hand touchline is wide again. Ireland lead by two points with just over six minutes to go at Twickenham.
75′ – ENG 20-22 IRE: Henderson is penalised for not rolling away on halfway and England will have a shot at the lead through Elliot Daly.
Huge moment…
76′ – ENG 20-22 IRE: Daly gives it a serious whack but it’s wide right from the off. And breathe — for the moment.
78′ – ENG 20-22 IRE:AWAY GOES MARCUS SMITH, HE’S HAULED DOWN BY THREE IRISH DEFENDERS IN THEIR OWN 22′.
Care decides to chip through! Ireland regather and Lowe clears, but he can’t find touch!
Back come England, this time down the right-hand side but Ireland’s scramble defence eventually boxes them into touch just inside the 22′.
Ah, what a finish to this one.
79′ – ENG 20-22 IRE: Injury break for an Englishman, Chandler Cunningham-South who had only just come on.
Crucial lineout for Ireland now.
79′ – ENG 20-22 IRE: Unbelievable throw and take by Kelleher and Henderson at the back. Murray finds touch with his box-kick. England lineout just inside the Irish 10′.
A minute and change to go, but the clock is stopped as Jack Conan gets his shoulder looked at.
80′ – ENG 20-22 IRE: Last play! England up to the Irish line. Penalty advantage! They’ll get a chance to win it!
BUT THEY CONTINUE TO KNOCK ON THE DOOR! BACK FOR THE DROP-GOAL! IT’S OVER!!! AND SO IS IRELAND’S BACK-TO-BACK GRAND SLAM DREAM!
Marcus Smith. England. What an incredible victory for Steve Borthwick’s side.
And they thoroughly deserved it.
Feck it, anyway!
Keep an eye on The 42 for reaction and analysis this evening and over the coming days.
That’s it from me. I don’t know what else to say to you, really.
