After all the talking, after all the build-up, the waiting is finally over.
Ireland’s Grand Slam defence gets underway with an eagerly-anticipated showdown with England at the Aviva Stadium.
Joe Schmidt’s side enjoyed a historic season in 2018, claiming just a third Grand Slam, recording a first victory over the All Blacks on home soil and rising to second in the World Rugby world rankings.
But now, it starts all over again with the visit of Eddie Jones’ side to Dublin.
The atmosphere has been building all morning in the capital and a sold-out crowd of over 50,000 are coming through the turnstiles for what promises to be a real cracker.
You’re very welcome along to our live coverage, as we bring you through all the action minute-by-minute. Settle in, because kick-off is fast approaching.
It’s a beautiful February afternoon in Dublin, and although it’s bitterly cold, the sun is shining and conditions are ideal.
The turnstiles have just opened at the Aviva and the Ireland team bus has arrived, welcomed by a huge crowd on the way in from the city centre. We’re under 90 minutes until kick off now, but to whet your appetite further, here are some of our pre-match offerings:
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‘An absolute monster from day one’ – Healy bounces back from the brink
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Missing Ireland’s Grand Slam drives JVDF on to seize his big chance
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Ireland’s showdown with England the perfect Six Nations starter
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Best: ‘We need our best-ever performance against England’
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England tap into inside knowledge of Farrell’s defensive systems
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Bundee Aki ready to renew school battle with England’s Tuilagi
TEAM NEWS: Joe Schmidt’s starting XV shows just two changes from the side that defeated the All Blacks back in November, with Conor Murray and Robbie Henshaw returning.
Murray missed the November series with a neck injury but is back fit to fill the nine jersey, replacing Kieran Marmion who remains sidelined after ankle surgery.
The big talking point is Henshaw’s relocation to the fullback position having played the majority of his rugby with Ireland and Leinster in midfield. Rob Kearney misses out completely.
It means Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose continue their midfield partnership, while Josh van der Flier is retained at seven, with Sean O’Brien held in reserve.
Dave Kilcoyne is preferred to Jack McGrath on the bench, and the Munster prop will hope to make a big impact later in the piece alongside Sean Cronin, Andrew Porter, Quinn Roux and O’Brien.
John Cooney is in line for his first Six Nations appearance, while Joey Carbery and Jordan Larmour provide the backline cover.
Ireland:
15. Robbie Henshaw
14. Keith Earls
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Jonathan Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (Captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner
5. James Ryan
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. CJ Stander
Replacements
16. Sean Cronin
17. Dave Kilcoyne
18. Andrew Porter
19. Quinn Roux
20. Sean O’Brien
21. John Cooney
22. Joey Carbery
23. Jordan Larmour.
TEAM NEWS: As for England, there are no late changes in personnel to the side Eddie Jones named on Thursday, but Jack Nowell and Jonny May are listed on opposite wings on the official teamsheet just realised to media.
Manu Tuilagi starts his first game for England in four years, while Billy Vunipola is fit again to start at number eight.
At out-half, Owen Farrell has recovered from a thumb injury in time to skipper the visitors.
They have plenty of firepower on their bench, too, including Courtney Lawes, Nathan Hughes, George Ford and Chris Ashton.
England:
15. Elliot Daly
14. Jack Nowell
13. Henry Slade
12. Manu Tuilagi
11. Jonny May
10. Owen Farrell (captain)
9. Ben Youngs
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Maro Itoje
5. George Kruis
6. Mark Wilson
7. Tom Curry
8. Billy Vunipola
Replacements:
16. Luke Cowan-Dickie
17. Ellis Genge
18. Harry Williams
19. Courtney Lawes
20. Nathan Hughes
21. Dan Robson
22. George Ford
23. Chris Ashton.
Ireland are in the house.
If you’re just joining us, you’re very welcome along to The42‘s coverage live from the Aviva Stadium. Ryan Bailey here to guide you through all the action as it happens, while Murray Kinsella and Sean Farrell are also part of our team in place.
Feel free to get in touch with your predictions and thoughts throughout the course of the afternoon, either in the comments box below or at ryan@the42.ie.
*Less than 60 minutes until kick off*
How are the nerves? Which way do you see this one going?
Poll Results:
Some last-minute pre-match chat. It’s freezing in the press box!
It’s a cold one in the Aviva as England visit for Ireland’s Six Nations opener. @Murray_Kinsella and @RyanK_Bailey are out early to preview the game. pic.twitter.com/SgI5jggERg
— The42.ie Rugby (@rugby_ie) February 2, 2019
It’s nearly time!
As the teams are led out by Owen Farrell and Rory Best, there are still large swathes of green seats unoccupied, as punters look to get their last pint in — or stay indoors for as long as possible — ahead of kick-off.
Anyway, here’s Michael D Higgins and then we’ll have the anthems. 10 minutes to go…
Here we go!
KICK OFF! Owen Farrell gets us underway in Dublin, as Keith Earls safely gathers the kick off on that far side.
2 mins — TRY! Ireland 0-7 England (Jonny May)
Wow, incredible start from the visitors. Conor Murray box-kicks to touch but England take the lineout quickly, and Manu Tuilagi barges into Josh van der Flier in midfield. Eddie Jones’ side are patient through possession and Farrell fires a delicious skip-pass pass out left — taking Earls out of the game — for May to get over in the corner.
4 mins – Farrell nails the touchline conversion and it’s a perfect start for England, as the pockets of travelling supporters make their voices heard around the Aviva.
5 mins – Ireland are on the back foot early doors. Youngs launches a booming kick in behind Earls and it trickles into touch, but Jerome Garces awards a free-kick to the hosts at the lineout. The hosts have yet to settle.
8 mins – Let off for Ireland there. Murray’s kick in behind is poor and it’s easy pickings for May to go back and gather, but then his clearing kick goes out on the full on that far side. Mistakes on both sides during a frenetic opening passage.
9 mins – Ireland have a good platform here off the lineout, and they have the advantage as England are pinged for not rolling away. Sexton looks cross-field and sends one skywards, but May is equal to the task under pressure. We’re going back for the penalty.
10 mins — Penalty! Ireland 3-7 England (Sexton)
Sexton strikes his first effort off the tee sweetly and Ireland are on the board.
Great shot of Jonny May’s try.
11 mins – Yellow! Earls gathers the restart and as he kicks back upfield, is hit high and late by Tom Curry, who is sent to the bin by Garces. No need for the TMO, but that was so, so needless from the England flanker.
14 mins — It’s fast and frenetic out there. Ireland push and probe, with Henshaw carrying into contact in midfield, before Stander knocks on. The Munster number eight looks to make amends by making a big hit after Ringrose had put Farrell under pressure.
16 mins – Jack Nowell gets his chance at flanker after all, as he packs down for the scrum with Curry in the bin. Ireland put the England set-piece under pressure and Henshaw is in a good position to collect Youngs’ chip over the top.
18 mins – England’s discipline is awful, as Itoje takes Earls out in the air under another steepling kick. No further punishment for the second row but Best reminds Garces, ‘that’s now three off the ball incidents’.
19 mins – It’s all a bit scrappy but Ireland manage to retain the ball, before Murray turns to the box-kick again. Schmidt’s side have enjoyed 62% possession, and 59% territory, in the opening 20 minutes.
20 mins – Ireland create space down this near side for Ringrose to grubber through and although May is safely across to cover, the England winger lets the ball through his legs and the green shirts pounce. The visitors just about manage to survive and clear.
22 mins – It’s living up to the billing anyway. Stockdale makes a half-break but is soon smothered by green shirts and then Sexton dinks over the top and forces Vunipola to knock on, before England are then caught offside. Ireland are turning down a shot at goal for the corner…
25 mins — TRY! Ireland 10-7 England (Healy)
And it pays off! Ryan gathers the lineout and the rolling maul powers towards the whitewash, before a series of pick-and-jams eventually result in Healy crashing over the line for Ireland’s first try of the evening. That’s the prop’s fifth international try. Sexton adds the extras.
28 mins – Ireland earn the dividend of their relentless pressure and they lead for the first time in the game. But England have rebounded strongly, Farrell’s grubber through pinning the hosts back.
29 mins — Ireland 10-14 England (Daly)
And they hit back straight away! England move it wide through the hands and Daly stabs it in behind Stockdale. The Ulster winger tracks back and gets there ahead of Nowell, but is unable to gather cleanly under pressure and Daly dives on the loose ball for England’s second try. Farrell makes it a seven-pointer.
32 mins – Ireland are being dragged all over the place in the backfield and it’s an obvious tactic from the visitors, who have three excellent kickers in Farrell, Slade and Daly in their backline.
35 mins – Breathless stuff out there. Murray is hauled into touch by May and off the lineout, Farrell executes a perfect chip in behind, forcing Henshaw to scramble back and dive on the ball on his own line. Ireland get numbers back to clear their lines, but here come England again…
37 mins – England have numbers out wide but Nowell is bundled into touch by Earls and JVDF — and the Aviva breathes another collective sigh of relief. Eddie Jones’ side are playing excellent rugby.
39 mins – Big pressure on the Irish lineout here and while Best hits Ryan, the throw is called not straight. England opt for the five-metre scrum, and Vunipola picks at the base, before Nowell is held up just short. Ireland need to keep them out here, right on the stroke of half-time.
39 mins – England are camped on the Ireland line, hammering away around the fringes. They think they’re over but we’re going upstairs to the TMO.
40 mins — No try! Garces says Mako Vunipola’s knee moved after he was tackled and it’s deemed a double movement. Ireland survive, but we’re going back for an England penalty.
40 mins — Penalty! Ireland 10-17 England (Farrell)
And Farrell is dead-eyed off the tee to extend England’s half-time advantage.
Half-time! Ireland 10-17 England
A superb first-half performance from England, and they’re full value for their interval advantage.
Eddie Jones has got his tactics spot on and England’s kicking from hand has been brilliant, with May and Daly crossing for the visitors, either side of Cian Healy’s score at the other end.
A big, big 40 minutes ahead for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland.
Work to do for Ireland.
The size of the task awaiting the hosts on the restart — the last time Ireland overturned a half-time deficit in a Five/Six Nations game to beat England was 1983. Rory Best is the only member of this Ireland squad who was even born then.
KICK OFF! We’re back underway at the Aviva. Ireland have made a change at the break, with Jordan Larmour replacing Keith Earls on the right wing.
41 mins – England have started this half in the same vein. Sexton’s kick is charged down by Curry and then, a couple of phases later, Murray’s clearing kick is poor and straight down the throat of Youngs. Vunipola made a big carry in the middle of that passage, too.
44 mins – The crowd trying their best to get Ireland going with the evening’s first rendition of ‘The Fields’, but England safely secure the lineout on this near side. Furlong is then hit backwards in the middle of the field.
46 mins – Sexton looks cross-field again but Farrell gets above Larmour, before brilliantly kicking into the open space. Henshaw is forced to track back and is under huge pressure from Daly and May but does well to wait for the support, as England are pinged for not rolling away. It’s on a knife-edge.
The first set of handbags of the evening.
We need more Peter O'Mahony vs. Kyle Sinckler.
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) February 2, 2019
52 mins — Another incredible passage of play and an immense defensive set from Ireland as they firmly shut the door on England. Ringrose floors Farrell and when the ball spills loose, Sexton hacks down field.
Henshaw leads the chasing pack and puts enough pressure on the retreating Slade to knock on, and Ireland have an attacking scrum on the England 22-metre line.
54 mins – Eddie Jones has brought Courtney Lawes on for Kruis. The crowd have found their voice now as Ireland enter attacking mode for the first time in this half.
54 mins – Penalty Ireland after Sinckler catches Ringrose high in the tackle. Itoje requires treatment here and he won’t be able to continue. Nathan Hughes is ready and on in his place.
55 mins — Penalty! Ireland 13-17 England (Sexton)
Sexton calls for the tee after that brief stoppage and makes no mistake from in front of the posts. Four points in it.
56 mins – Moments after Itoje hobbles out of the game, Devin Toner is forced off with what looks like an ankle injury. Quinn Roux is on in his place — a big 25 minutes ahead for the Connacht second row.
60 mins – Slade is up so quickly on Henshaw, knocking the ball out of the Ireland fullback’s hands, and Stockdale is unable to mop up. England opt for the scrum and then win a penalty on the other side of the pitch when Sexton is penalised for hands in the ruck. Farrell is going to have a shot at goal here.
61 mins – But he drags it ever so slightly and that’s a big let-off for Ireland. The crowd respond, and Schmidt sends on Porter and Kilcoyne for Furlong and Healy. It remains 14-17 with just under 20 minutes remaining.
64 mins – Murray just hasn’t shaken off that post-injury rust and another poor box-kick is brilliantly kept in play by Henshaw, who knocks it back for Kilcoyne. Ringrose dances in midfield but the ball is knocked on in contact. More frustration.
64 mins – Here comes Sean O’Brien as CJ Stander makes way.
65 mins – England are also making a change, with Harry Williams on for Sinckler.
66 mins — TRY! Ireland 13-22 England (Slade)
England strike off the scrum! They whip it wide for May, who speeds down the left and chips ahead before being taken out by Henshaw. It doesn’t matter, though, as Slade shows his pace to win the race and dot down.
We’re going upstairs to have a look and the officials agree Slade was not ahead of the kicker. Farrell misses the conversion.
67 mins – That was an exquisite strike-move from England and Ireland were cut apart. The hosts need something special now.
68 mins – Sean Cronin is on for Best.
69 mins – England’s aggressive line speed is forcing Ireland into uncharacteristic errors and when Lawes hits Ringrose, the visitors are awarded the turnover penalty. Farrell is going for the posts.
70 mins — Penalty! Ireland 13-25 England (Farrell)
And he nails the long-range kick. Ireland staring down the barrel now.
72 mins – Joey Carbery is on for Ringrose.
74 mins — Chris Ashton is on for Nowell and Ireland are stuck in their own 22.
76 mins — TRY! Ireland 13-32 England (Slade)
Oh, dear. Ireland are going absolutely nowhere and Sexton’s attempted pass left is read by Slade, who intercepts, juggles and falls over the line. The Aviva empties…
77 mins – John Cooney is on for his Six Nations debut.
77 mins – A disaster for Ireland, but hands down to England, they got it tactically spot on and won the physical battle from the first until last minute. A sobering evening for Schmidt’s side.
78 mins – Mako Vunipola is named the sponsor’s man of the match. Hard to argue with that choice. England have been superior in pretty much all facets tonight.
79 mins — TRY! Ireland 20-32 England (Cooney)
Ireland are in for a consolation score as Cronin breaks through and feeds the supporting Ulster scrum-half. Sexton drop-kicks the conversion over. We’ll have time for one more play.
80 mins – The clock is red as Ireland try to run it from deep. Sexton makes a half-break but England are across to cover.
Full-time! Ireland 20-32 England
A hugely disappointing evening for Ireland as they’re brought crashing back down to earth by England, who, to their credit, backed up their words and brought an incredible intensity which simply couldn’t be matched.
The visitors scored four tries during a superb performance and will now have their sights on a Grand Slam having upset the odds here.
Thanks for joining us this afternoon. We’ll have plenty of reaction from the Aviva shortly, including both post-match press conferences. Until next time, goodbye!
Simon Zebo joins Gavan and Murray for a special live recording of the podcast in Dublin’s Liberty Hall Theatre to preview Ireland’s Six Nations opener against England:
The42 Rugby Weekly / SoundCloud
