A MAN IN a tricolour balaclava leapt from his seat and fist pumped back toward Twickenham’s vast East Stand. He couldn’t believe what he was watching.
Could anybody?
Ireland were 20-0 up and coasting, the prospect of a special Six Nations day bubbling into life before our eyes.
Before today became the stuff of dreams for Ireland, the game had an ominous feel to it. How England didn’t score across the first quarter, in particular, was staggering, Ireland somehow holding firm while the hosts paid for their own inaccuracies.
At the scrum, England sensed blood and came out hard. Ellis Genge drove into Tadhg Furlong twice, delivering penalties for his team and letting the Ireland tighthead know all about it.
But it all came to nothing. Twickenham wasn’t rocking in the way Ireland had been warned beforehand. Instead, the huge old ground felt tense.
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Then Ireland started to play, and the 20 minutes leading into half time would see Andy Farrell’s men deliver the type of searing, incisive rugby that has been too often lacking in their game for much of the last 12 months.
There were huge performances all over the pitch, but it was hard to look beyond Ireland’s two brilliant Ulstermen, Stuart McCloskey and Robert Baloucoune. How long has it been since a pair of Ulster players were driving forces in an Ireland team?
At the moment, both men are indispensable. McCloskey’s form has been trending that way for some time now, but Baloucoune’s impact is fresher, having finally shaken off the injuries that kept him out of the Test picture for so long.
Even with his right leg heavily strapped, he was the spark, the constant danger England couldn’t contain. It’s no exaggeration to say the 28-year-old’s pace has been utterly transformative for Ireland’s backline.
Ireland’s opening try, scored by Jamison Gibson-Park on 19 minutes, was made in Ulster, McCloskey reading the play and choosing wisely, flinging a long pass wide to Baloucoune. Suddenly, not long after Ireland had relentlessly defended almost 20 phases of English pressure, it was on for the visitors.
McCloskey makes a break. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
Baloucoune had the pace to tear up the pitch and the skill to offload and keep the ball alive. Ireland rumbled along and a penalty on the far side of the pitch invited Gibson-Park to dart for the line. Reward for an ambitious, well-executed passage of play.
Ireland were flowing, moving the ball with pace and purpose. McCloskey saw a gap and made the break after a big win in the air by Jamie Osborne. Gibson-Park arrived at the ruck like a flash and spun the ball wide to Baloucoune, positioned for a simple finish.
The pace didn’t relent. England already looked out on their feet. Even the referee, Andrea Piardi, popped a quad muscle.
Ireland struck again, Baloucoune using that sharp footwork to step and offload to Tommy O’Brien in the left corner for try number three.
The pains of Paris on opening night felt a world away.
What will please Farrell most is that for both Baloucoune and McCloskey, their impact came on both sides of the ball.
Baloucoune and McCloskey combine to stop England's Ben Earl. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Facing those waves of early English pressure, Baloucoune had read the play excellently to make an important, crunching tackle.
Later in the half when England had numbers up in the right corner, McCloskey managed to get a hand in and flick the ball away from danger. Those plays were just as important to seizing control of this contest as anything they did with ball in hand.
Of course, the pair were not leading this fight on their own. Joe McCarthy rewarded Farrell’s faith in him with a game full of the bite and purpose missing against France and Italy, using his heft to dislodge English bodies all over the pitch and winning turnovers. Tadhg Beirne was pinching lineouts. Beirne roared after forcing a monster turnover in the corner, the opportunity opening after strong work from Baloucoune and Furlong to deny Jamie George. Jack Crowley had some wobbles, pulling a kick well wide of the posts, but was largely smart in what he did with the ball.
Dan Sheehan was also getting the ball in his hands, pushing through to score the bonus-point try which arrived at an ideal time early in the second half. Gibson-Park always looked a step ahead of the defenders trying to contain him, producing one of his best outings in recent memory. Osborne was excellent at fullback, again. James Ryan worked ferociously.
Baloucoune kept making big plays, combining with O’Brien to stop what looked another certain score as Tommy Freeman raced down the left. Marcus Smith, a replacement, tore for the line off an intercept, only to be hunted down by McCloskey.
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Ireland were simply not going to let this one slip from their grasp.
Osborne’s try, Ireland’s fifth, had ensured the last 10 minutes could be savoured, not suffered.
Farrell needed key, experienced players to reach new levels today, and they did just that, with fresher blood and an in-form Ulster contingent layered on moments of real quality.
It’s not enough to suggest the concerns raised over the past two weekends, or indeed the November games before them, have now evaporated. Yet it is a reminder of what this team can still deliver, a performance many feared was perhaps beyond them now.
This was the Ireland of old: confident, accurate, and capable of producing stunning rugby. This was one of the great days in Twickenham.
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Ireland's outstanding Ulstermen shine on both sides of the ball
A MAN IN a tricolour balaclava leapt from his seat and fist pumped back toward Twickenham’s vast East Stand. He couldn’t believe what he was watching.
Could anybody?
Ireland were 20-0 up and coasting, the prospect of a special Six Nations day bubbling into life before our eyes.
Before today became the stuff of dreams for Ireland, the game had an ominous feel to it. How England didn’t score across the first quarter, in particular, was staggering, Ireland somehow holding firm while the hosts paid for their own inaccuracies.
At the scrum, England sensed blood and came out hard. Ellis Genge drove into Tadhg Furlong twice, delivering penalties for his team and letting the Ireland tighthead know all about it.
But it all came to nothing. Twickenham wasn’t rocking in the way Ireland had been warned beforehand. Instead, the huge old ground felt tense.
Then Ireland started to play, and the 20 minutes leading into half time would see Andy Farrell’s men deliver the type of searing, incisive rugby that has been too often lacking in their game for much of the last 12 months.
There were huge performances all over the pitch, but it was hard to look beyond Ireland’s two brilliant Ulstermen, Stuart McCloskey and Robert Baloucoune. How long has it been since a pair of Ulster players were driving forces in an Ireland team?
At the moment, both men are indispensable. McCloskey’s form has been trending that way for some time now, but Baloucoune’s impact is fresher, having finally shaken off the injuries that kept him out of the Test picture for so long.
Even with his right leg heavily strapped, he was the spark, the constant danger England couldn’t contain. It’s no exaggeration to say the 28-year-old’s pace has been utterly transformative for Ireland’s backline.
Ireland’s opening try, scored by Jamison Gibson-Park on 19 minutes, was made in Ulster, McCloskey reading the play and choosing wisely, flinging a long pass wide to Baloucoune. Suddenly, not long after Ireland had relentlessly defended almost 20 phases of English pressure, it was on for the visitors.
Baloucoune had the pace to tear up the pitch and the skill to offload and keep the ball alive. Ireland rumbled along and a penalty on the far side of the pitch invited Gibson-Park to dart for the line. Reward for an ambitious, well-executed passage of play.
Ireland were flowing, moving the ball with pace and purpose. McCloskey saw a gap and made the break after a big win in the air by Jamie Osborne. Gibson-Park arrived at the ruck like a flash and spun the ball wide to Baloucoune, positioned for a simple finish.
The pace didn’t relent. England already looked out on their feet. Even the referee, Andrea Piardi, popped a quad muscle.
Ireland struck again, Baloucoune using that sharp footwork to step and offload to Tommy O’Brien in the left corner for try number three.
The pains of Paris on opening night felt a world away.
What will please Farrell most is that for both Baloucoune and McCloskey, their impact came on both sides of the ball.
Facing those waves of early English pressure, Baloucoune had read the play excellently to make an important, crunching tackle.
Later in the half when England had numbers up in the right corner, McCloskey managed to get a hand in and flick the ball away from danger. Those plays were just as important to seizing control of this contest as anything they did with ball in hand.
Of course, the pair were not leading this fight on their own. Joe McCarthy rewarded Farrell’s faith in him with a game full of the bite and purpose missing against France and Italy, using his heft to dislodge English bodies all over the pitch and winning turnovers. Tadhg Beirne was pinching lineouts. Beirne roared after forcing a monster turnover in the corner, the opportunity opening after strong work from Baloucoune and Furlong to deny Jamie George. Jack Crowley had some wobbles, pulling a kick well wide of the posts, but was largely smart in what he did with the ball.
Dan Sheehan was also getting the ball in his hands, pushing through to score the bonus-point try which arrived at an ideal time early in the second half. Gibson-Park always looked a step ahead of the defenders trying to contain him, producing one of his best outings in recent memory. Osborne was excellent at fullback, again. James Ryan worked ferociously.
Baloucoune kept making big plays, combining with O’Brien to stop what looked another certain score as Tommy Freeman raced down the left. Marcus Smith, a replacement, tore for the line off an intercept, only to be hunted down by McCloskey.
Ireland were simply not going to let this one slip from their grasp.
Osborne’s try, Ireland’s fifth, had ensured the last 10 minutes could be savoured, not suffered.
Farrell needed key, experienced players to reach new levels today, and they did just that, with fresher blood and an in-form Ulster contingent layered on moments of real quality.
It’s not enough to suggest the concerns raised over the past two weekends, or indeed the November games before them, have now evaporated. Yet it is a reminder of what this team can still deliver, a performance many feared was perhaps beyond them now.
This was the Ireland of old: confident, accurate, and capable of producing stunning rugby. This was one of the great days in Twickenham.
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Comment Ireland Rugby Six Nations 2026