England captain Maro Itoje is making sure to break in his custom-made boots, designed to mark his 100th cap.
You wouldn’t wish ill on anyone, but if fate was to throw a couple of blisters his way this afternoon, it would be quietly appreciated by this liveblogger.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
45 mins ago
1:43PM
Temperature check
It’s 13 degrees at Twickenham, feels like eight. Cloudy but dry. Make of that what you will.
More importantly, how are you all feeling about this one? What’s your sense of it?
Former Roscommon U21 Gaelic football goalkeeper Chris O’Dowd is among the Irish support at Twickenham today.
1 hr ago
1:22PM
Teams
With that late change to the Ireland 23, here’s how the sides will line out.
Italy’s Andrea Piardi will be the man in the middle come kick-off in just under 50 minutes’ time.
ENGLAND: Freddie Steward; Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Henry Arundell; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Heyes; Maro Itoje (captain), Ollie Chessum; Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Henry Pollock.
Replacements: Jamie George, Bevan Rodd, Trevor Davison, Alex Coles, Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, Jack van Poortvliet, Marcus Smith.
IRELAND: Jamie Osborne; Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain).
Replacements: Ronán Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Finlay Bealham, Nick Timoney, Cian Prendergast, Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, Tommy O’Brien.
Welcome, one and all, to The 42′s live coverage of Ireland’s Six Nations Round 3 meeting with England at Twickenham — or Allianz Stadium as it’s now known.
Gavan Casey with you here, and I’ll bring you a blow-by-blow account of the action — or close enough to it — from 2:10pm.
England are big favourites, fancied by as many as 11 points with many oddsmakers. Ireland are somewhere between 4/1 and 3/1 to pull off what would be an upset in London.
There’s still a Triple Crown on the line for Andy Farrell’s side who, technically speaking, are not out of the title race just yet. England, meanwhile, will seek to rebound from their shock defeat away to Scotland and get back into the title picture with a home victory today.
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LIVE: England v Ireland, Six Nations
Still time for a cup of tea, which is my plan now. Kick-off in around 10 minutes’ time. Tentatively looking forward to this one.
England captain Maro Itoje is making sure to break in his custom-made boots, designed to mark his 100th cap.
You wouldn’t wish ill on anyone, but if fate was to throw a couple of blisters his way this afternoon, it would be quietly appreciated by this liveblogger.
It’s 13 degrees at Twickenham, feels like eight. Cloudy but dry. Make of that what you will.
More importantly, how are you all feeling about this one? What’s your sense of it?
Poll Results:
Former Roscommon U21 Gaelic football goalkeeper Chris O’Dowd is among the Irish support at Twickenham today.
With that late change to the Ireland 23, here’s how the sides will line out.
Italy’s Andrea Piardi will be the man in the middle come kick-off in just under 50 minutes’ time.
ENGLAND: Freddie Steward; Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Henry Arundell; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Heyes; Maro Itoje (captain), Ollie Chessum; Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Henry Pollock.
Replacements: Jamie George, Bevan Rodd, Trevor Davison, Alex Coles, Guy Pepper, Sam Underhill, Jack van Poortvliet, Marcus Smith.
IRELAND: Jamie Osborne; Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (captain).
Replacements: Ronán Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Finlay Bealham, Nick Timoney, Cian Prendergast, Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, Tommy O’Brien.
Referee: Andrea Piardi [Italy].
Replacement back row Jack Conan has been ruled out through illness, so Connacht’s Cian Prendergast comes into Andy Farrell’s matchday squad.
Prendergast started Ireland’s Six Nations opener away to France but dropped out of the squad for last weekend’s home win over Italy.
The France game was Prendergast’s first Six Nations start, and today will be the 25-year-old’s 10th Test cap.
Welcome, one and all, to The 42′s live coverage of Ireland’s Six Nations Round 3 meeting with England at Twickenham — or Allianz Stadium as it’s now known.
Gavan Casey with you here, and I’ll bring you a blow-by-blow account of the action — or close enough to it — from 2:10pm.
England are big favourites, fancied by as many as 11 points with many oddsmakers. Ireland are somewhere between 4/1 and 3/1 to pull off what would be an upset in London.
There’s still a Triple Crown on the line for Andy Farrell’s side who, technically speaking, are not out of the title race just yet. England, meanwhile, will seek to rebound from their shock defeat away to Scotland and get back into the title picture with a home victory today.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
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