TWICKENHAM OFFERED GEORGE Ford something that, in all likelihood, was a novel experience; a supposedly loyal home crowd taking the mick out of his kicking misfortune.
Ford’s banker skill is his right boot. There aren’t many better tactical kickers in open play. More straightforward line kicks from penalties should not present any trouble.
Yet his first effort during Ireland’s sensational victory on Saturday was a poor one, missing touch inside the 22. Ford’s second touchfinder was even worse, reminiscent of Jack Crowley last week and Billy Burns in Cardiff way back when, kicking the ball dead.
Ironic cheers greeted a safely-negotiated touch later in the first half. Another effort was met with an oooooh-ey build-up, something football goalkeepers are used to dealing with, not out-halves with innocuous line kicks. The noise was too loud to be just the delirious Irish revelling in a 22-point first half. Ford’s own kin were at it too.
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A metaphor, perhaps, for England’s kicking struggles throughout the contest. Be it from penalties or in open play, England could not get any joy. Ireland capitalised with a ruthless edge.
England’s first kick of the game was a Ford cross-kick looking for Freddie Steward. James Lowe read it well, shepherding the full-back and hitting him upon his return down to earth. Their second came from Ford as well, his attempted chip blocked down at the line. Henry Pollock also saw a grubber rebuffed by a green leg.
Contestable kicks also brought no return. England pride themselves on sending tall men to bat back bombs falling upon hapless members of the opposition back three. The extended hang time so often builds suspense among the Twickenham crowd. They feed off what is supposed to be the inevitable; scrappy ball landing on their side.
This time, tap-backs fell into Irish arms. When the ball hit the deck, desperate white jerseys spilled in the chaos. Chances to attack in transition did not materialise.
Ireland, by contrast, won back high balls. The kicking game led to seven points in that first half. It arguably should have been 14.
The second try of the day, eight minutes after the first, came from Tommy O’Brien reclaiming a Jamison Gibson-Park box kick. A notable intervention from a player who, on the face of it, paid for Ireland’s aerial woes in Paris with his place in the squad.
Ball safely recycled, wide it went. Stuart McCloskey burst through the line, one of a number of poor missed English tackles in midfield on the day. A phase later, Rob Baloucoune strolled over in the corner. Not quite a zero-ruck try made famous by Bordeaux and France, but not far off either.
It was a shambolic moment for the English backfield. Tommy Freeman was running backwards from the ruck alongside O’Brien and never in a position to compete. He was forced into doing so. Steward had a much better running angle, coming onto the ball from the backfield, only to abdicate responsibility. The full-back compounded the brain fade with a cynical tackle on Gibson-Park that saw yellow despite the eventual try.
Ireland thought they had another soon after thanks to more O’Brien aerial work. The Leinster wing won another box kick, the loose ball bouncing to Ireland’s scrum-half with a clear run ahead, only for Andrea Piardi to say that O’Brien took the English jumper out in the air. A diplomatic take on that decision would be that it was debatable, both men making genuine attempts to catch the ball.
Ireland's Jamie Osborne and England's Tommy Freeman contest for the high ball. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
In the build-up to England’s try just before half-time, Steve Borthwick made a big call. Just minutes after returning from his yellow card, Steward found himself turning on his heels towards the sidelines once again. On came Marcus Smith, England swapping their high ball supremo for an extra set of creative hands. Time will tell if Steward was carrying an injury, but it felt a monumental, if not desperate admission from Borthwick that Plan A had failed spectacularly.
Regardless, kicking remained vital after the break. Baloucoune won a contest when Henry Arundell cut him off in the air, England’s frustration manifesting in backchat and an extra 10 metres.
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Unsurprisingly, England eventually found a score via a penalty won in a kicking contest. Ireland’s cherry on top of this Twickenham masterpiece, Jamie Osborne’s late, emphatic finish, came from Baloucoune swarming Arundell again after a chip in behind.
A telling stat is always total metres kicked, Ireland putting boot to ball 31 times for 890 metres. England launched 18 kicks for just 453m. Ireland doubled a team that had previously been one of the game’s best exponents of the aerial arts.
On a day when plenty in green impressed, Gibson-Park was named Man of the Match. The above numbers explain exactly why, Ireland’s half-backs pulling off an aerial masterstroke on a day when few expected it.
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Kick in the teeth: Ireland pull off aerial masterstroke on day when few expected it
TWICKENHAM OFFERED GEORGE Ford something that, in all likelihood, was a novel experience; a supposedly loyal home crowd taking the mick out of his kicking misfortune.
Ford’s banker skill is his right boot. There aren’t many better tactical kickers in open play. More straightforward line kicks from penalties should not present any trouble.
Yet his first effort during Ireland’s sensational victory on Saturday was a poor one, missing touch inside the 22. Ford’s second touchfinder was even worse, reminiscent of Jack Crowley last week and Billy Burns in Cardiff way back when, kicking the ball dead.
Ironic cheers greeted a safely-negotiated touch later in the first half. Another effort was met with an oooooh-ey build-up, something football goalkeepers are used to dealing with, not out-halves with innocuous line kicks. The noise was too loud to be just the delirious Irish revelling in a 22-point first half. Ford’s own kin were at it too.
A metaphor, perhaps, for England’s kicking struggles throughout the contest. Be it from penalties or in open play, England could not get any joy. Ireland capitalised with a ruthless edge.
England’s first kick of the game was a Ford cross-kick looking for Freddie Steward. James Lowe read it well, shepherding the full-back and hitting him upon his return down to earth. Their second came from Ford as well, his attempted chip blocked down at the line. Henry Pollock also saw a grubber rebuffed by a green leg.
Contestable kicks also brought no return. England pride themselves on sending tall men to bat back bombs falling upon hapless members of the opposition back three. The extended hang time so often builds suspense among the Twickenham crowd. They feed off what is supposed to be the inevitable; scrappy ball landing on their side.
This time, tap-backs fell into Irish arms. When the ball hit the deck, desperate white jerseys spilled in the chaos. Chances to attack in transition did not materialise.
Ireland, by contrast, won back high balls. The kicking game led to seven points in that first half. It arguably should have been 14.
The second try of the day, eight minutes after the first, came from Tommy O’Brien reclaiming a Jamison Gibson-Park box kick. A notable intervention from a player who, on the face of it, paid for Ireland’s aerial woes in Paris with his place in the squad.
Ball safely recycled, wide it went. Stuart McCloskey burst through the line, one of a number of poor missed English tackles in midfield on the day. A phase later, Rob Baloucoune strolled over in the corner. Not quite a zero-ruck try made famous by Bordeaux and France, but not far off either.
It was a shambolic moment for the English backfield. Tommy Freeman was running backwards from the ruck alongside O’Brien and never in a position to compete. He was forced into doing so. Steward had a much better running angle, coming onto the ball from the backfield, only to abdicate responsibility. The full-back compounded the brain fade with a cynical tackle on Gibson-Park that saw yellow despite the eventual try.
Ireland thought they had another soon after thanks to more O’Brien aerial work. The Leinster wing won another box kick, the loose ball bouncing to Ireland’s scrum-half with a clear run ahead, only for Andrea Piardi to say that O’Brien took the English jumper out in the air. A diplomatic take on that decision would be that it was debatable, both men making genuine attempts to catch the ball.
In the build-up to England’s try just before half-time, Steve Borthwick made a big call. Just minutes after returning from his yellow card, Steward found himself turning on his heels towards the sidelines once again. On came Marcus Smith, England swapping their high ball supremo for an extra set of creative hands. Time will tell if Steward was carrying an injury, but it felt a monumental, if not desperate admission from Borthwick that Plan A had failed spectacularly.
Regardless, kicking remained vital after the break. Baloucoune won a contest when Henry Arundell cut him off in the air, England’s frustration manifesting in backchat and an extra 10 metres.
Unsurprisingly, England eventually found a score via a penalty won in a kicking contest. Ireland’s cherry on top of this Twickenham masterpiece, Jamie Osborne’s late, emphatic finish, came from Baloucoune swarming Arundell again after a chip in behind.
A telling stat is always total metres kicked, Ireland putting boot to ball 31 times for 890 metres. England launched 18 kicks for just 453m. Ireland doubled a team that had previously been one of the game’s best exponents of the aerial arts.
On a day when plenty in green impressed, Gibson-Park was named Man of the Match. The above numbers explain exactly why, Ireland’s half-backs pulling off an aerial masterstroke on a day when few expected it.
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