Thumbs up: England
Related links
Teams
Also see
England demonstrated a scrumming masterclass against Ireland as they crushed their visitors 30-9 in the Six Nations at Twickenham on Saturday.
In difficult weather conditions for running rugby, the English destroyed the Irish set-piece on numerous occasions as Alex Corbiserio, Dylan Hartley and Dan Cole enjoyed immense games.
The trio - with help from their back-five - totally dominated their opposite numbers in what became a feasting ground for the home side.
Victory means England finish the Championship in second place after winning four out of their five games while Ireland end up in third position.
Stuart Lancaster must now wait to see whether chief executive Ian Ritchie believes he is the right man to lead the English on a full-time basis.
On the evidence of the Six Nations, it will be difficult for Ritchie to overlook Lancaster staying with Graham Rowntree while Andy Farrell is unlikely to remain due to club commitments.
The opening half was a rather stagnant affair as both sides based their game largely on defence, with regular handling errors hampering proceedings. Ultimately, the action at Twickenham failed to excite those watching as three Owen Farrell penalties and two from Jonathan Sexton meant the half-time score was 9-6.
What was a blow to the Irish cause was the loss of starting tighthead Mike Ross, who left the field injured on 36 minutes and left Ulster loosehead Tom Court with what proved to be the toughest 44 minutes of his career. Cue England's pack twisting the knife at scrum-time.
Corbisiero was dominant while Cole also capitalised as Ireland's pack looked dejected, which created the first try of the game on 65 minutes when England were given a five-metre scrum after Tomas O'Leary carried over his line. Referee Nigel Owens had little option.
In the 73rd minute another massive scrum effort led to a further penalty for England and Ben Youngs, who came on for an out-of-sorts Lee Dickson, reacted to tap quickly to scoot over.
Farrell could not land the conversion but added another penalty three minutes from time to complete the victory and rubber stamp another positive step forward for the young side.
Man of the match: Change to Men. England's pack.
Moment of the match: It is harsh to pick on one Irish player but the back-tracking Tomas O'Leary was rather lethargic when running back in an attempt to collect a grubber through. Ultimately he did not have time to clear which meant England had a five-metre scrum that turned into seven points. The hosts turned the screw at the set-piece and the rest is history.
Villain of the match: Despite all the hype, it was relatively clean.
The scorers:
For England:
Tries: Penalty, Youngs
Con: Farrell
Pen: Farrell 6
For Ireland:
Pen: Sexton 3
England: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manusamoa Tuilagi, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 David Strettle, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Chris Robshaw (capt), 6 Tom Croft, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mouritz Botha, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Dylan Hartley, 1 Alex Corbisiero.
Replacements: 16 Lee Mears, 17 Matt Stevens, 18 Tom Palmer, 19 Phil Dowson, 20 Ben Youngs, 21 Charlie Hodgson, 22 Mike Brown.
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Keith Earls, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Andrew Trimble, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Eoin Reddan, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sean O'Brien, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Donnacha Ryan, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Rory Best (c), 1 Cian Healy.
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tom Court, 18 Mike McCarthy, 19 Peter O'Mahony, 20 Tomas O'Leary, 21 Ronan O'Gara, 22 Fergus McFadden.
Referee: Nigel Owens
Assistant referees: Jérôme Garces, Neil Paterson
Television match official: Jim Yuille
By Adam Kyriacou
Comments
APV1 says...
@ black47 - one of the reasons we all like lancaster so much. Danny Care anyone?
Posted 16:49 22nd March 2012
kybone says...
JeanLucJoinel have you not realised yet that no-ones takes your views on England seriously. Anyone with such an inbalanced view is obviously basing their opinions on a pure hatred of England and the English rather than what has actually happened on the pitch.
I think the Irish fans are being slightly harsh on DC. Yes certain players have been below par for a while but this season is the first time, really, that they have actually looked past their best and not up to it at this level. If you'd have asked most people , pre tournement, to name a lions squad the likes of Heaslip, Healy, and o'callaghan would probably have been there. Ireland haven't become a bad side overnight. They just need freshening up a bit and to widen their talent pool by maybe not always picking the strongest 15 available. I also find it strange that Ireland don't have a team on the 7's circuit. They're the only top nation which don't. The 7's is a great breading ground for young players and considering that the likes of Portugal, Canada, USA, Kenya and Japan are regulars i thinks its just puzzling that a super power like Ireland aren't.
Posted 17:24 21st March 2012
APV1 says...
@ bluelion - I'm fairly confident that this was brought up on one of the "Good, bad or Referee" threads recently.
@ Editor - can you help..?
@ JeanLucJoinel - we have the talent, absolutely. We are learning the structures now and developing.
Posted 11:15 20th March 2012
blametheref says...
@Bluelion
Totally agree with you about bringing in Anthony Foley as forwards coach. This is more of the the same nepotism that IS affecting Irish Rugby and will continue to affect our national team. Foley was a great player and is highly respected as was Martin Johnson, both do not have the coaching experience required at international level, Johnson has proved that, do we have to now go through another season to prove that Anthony Foley simply does not have the experience and proven track record to give Ireland what they need as regards tactics and forwards coaching? Ireland need like a hole in the head the cozy Kidney/Foley relationship, in fact Ireland urgently need a new coach immediately
Posted 15:36 19th March 2012
APV1 says...
@ leinsterblue - thank you.
@ bluelion - a penalty from a scrum can be taken from behind the #8's feet, OR from next to the ref. If the ref is on the far side, the SH can take it from behind the #8. If it's better to take it from beside the ref, he is entitled to do so. Not tainted.
Posted 14:15 19th March 2012
writtleman says...
A couple of points :
First it was good to have a ref not afriad to penalise the scrum going back. Too often it is alottery with the dominant scrum being penalised as often as the other side. I think the penalty try was probably as a result of NO blowing too early when the scrum before wheeled. But two wrongs don't make it right!
Second the England backs will need to improve - Tuilagi needs to play some haeds up -rugby and not just charge at the nearest tackler (even though he breaks through 1 in 2!) Ashton should be dropped if there is another winger out there - Christian Wade fit yet??? He was a spectator out there on Saturday
Thirdly surely Lancaster has the job now. but to some extent that was the easy part with nothing to loose. He has got the youngsters playing with pride and passion but now he needs to create creativity - a far more difficult job. And maybe drop a few not playing well (like Ashton)
Fourthly I predict England will do better than Wales in their respective summer tours. Shouldn't bash the Welsh after their Slam and would certainly prefer to be where England is than Ireland Scotland or France, but not sure Wales are quite as good as they think. Interesting debate - any takers for £20 bet???
Posted 12:12 19th March 2012
APV1 says...
What a great 6N! Well done Wales for the GS! Great result for them. And thanks, Ireland, for giving us something to play. Well done, lads - 2nd is a hell of a lot better than we ever hope for!
The 6N was rubbish? no it wasn't. Every team brought something and played. Every team can take something away with them too - some more than others.
But that's what a tournament is about.
(Anyone else wonde who would win a game between England and Walwes this week..? Hmmm...)
@ papachinzo - if..? It didn't. It folded. England won. Easily, one could argue.
@ leinster_goy - I wish you hadn't and hadn't posted. And did you watch the (not very) Super games this weekend?
@ makemehappy - did you watch the Welsh game?
@ boksmashoffice & jimbosim - delightful input from you both. Such modesty, humility and respect. Just what rugby is all about.
@ Thatllbme - go away. A pointless and nonsensical post. Prat.
@ curates_egg - I'm not sure anything's been verified. But I wholeheartedly agree - if there was any foul play of that sort, a lifetime ban would be too short.
@ JeanLucJoinel - I think you're being very harsh on a very green team. I think this is the dawn. At least I hope so. SL has cleared out the deadwood and brought together a squad of players and built a team, which won 4 out of 5. One could argue that we "could have" won all 5. One could argue that we "shouldn't have" won that many. But we did. And that is a phenominal acheivement, considering where we were at the beginning of the year.
@ kybone - you're doing no-one any favours there. Feeding the trolls just makes them fatter and more stupid.
@ GCP_JONES - I agree about the full FR on the bench. We have to have Stevens, as he "can play" both sides (neither very well)!
@ bok120592 - thank you. Most of us are expecting a great tour, with tough matches too!
PHEW!
Posted 12:02 19th March 2012
pantreac says...
Its good to have a web site where one can express one's views the Irish papers refuse to print any comments criticising any Munster Players. We lost the game because of Kidney. He must go! I had played sec row for many years at a high level behind many international props. The best of all was Ray Mclauglin. He was egually adept at tight or loose. He had this capacity to lock the scrum and even when he played against huge packs and players such as Cotton who were 3/4 stone heavier he never budged an inch and always came out on top. Saying that it is just as important that the sec row supports his prop not only with the poiwer of his shove but just as importantly how he positions himself and his feet and of course the timing of his shove. The first things a sec row must have is bulk, height and strength. Unfortunately Ireland has not had a sec row that fits this description since Moss Keane. Even O'Connell is not scrummaging sec row as has been proved over the last 10 years. We have not managed to dominate an opposition scrum. We had great front rows and scrum halfs but no real sec rows Mick Malloy was a grafter but much too small, McBride whilst not a big man was lucky to posses super human strength. Remember he hadn't the height to compete with the giant English sec rows so he introduced the hard fast ball to No 2 in the line-out. Look at the Irish sec rows on sat. Neither physically big or bulky enough at this level or good enough to play No 8. O'Callaghan has played really well for Ireland and is a grafter but Ryan is a totally undisciplined type of player charging all over the pitch not contributing much except knocking the ball forward losing posession or giving away penalties! In present day rugby, with lifting, a side should always win its own line out ball. I still find it surprising that some sides do not read the oppositions line-out calls and defend better
Posted 11:04 19th March 2012
letsgoboks says...
Credit to England. How dire were Ireland though.....
There was a lot of aimless kicking in this match. The English should look at that. Lancaster is the man for the job, his boys look hungry under him. I also think Farrell has the temperament to be a brilliant number 10.
I do find 6 nations rugby a little irritating though at the breakdown. All the hands and bodys lying everywhere slow it down so much.
Posted 10:33 19th March 2012
montyRN says...
Agree with a great deal of what's being said in the posts but will see what comes out in the wash. Thoughts:
1. Villain of the match - reports on Ferris bitten, re-watched game yesterday and he reported it/showed his arm to Owens as soon as it happened. Disgusting - I can't see it being an accident (how does someone bite accidentally?) but I hope it was one. No place for it in the game we love.
2. Half agree with the MoM PR gives, but thought Morgans announced himself as a potential international class 8, albeit with a high error count in the Ireland game. A lot of chat in the press about 7s and England's lack of, but (being an 8 myself) it shouldn't be overlooked how important 8 specific work is. You never hear about the likes of Kaino, Thompson, R Jones, Haskell, Dowson etc being talked about as world class 8s after they have played in that shirt for respective countries - it's all about Read, Parisse and Harinordoquy (sp?)
3. Ireland surely can't be that bad again - what on earth has happened to Heaslip and SOB? HEC winners, massive power runners and canny with it, but seemed anonymous yesterday. Had they been given a brief to play differently for Ireland than they do for Leinster or was it simply England's defence that shackled them so well?
4. Defence wins test matches - I assume Barritt is the defensive line leader, and there seems to be a Sarries-esque quality to England's defence now, which, although negative, is cracking. 2 man tackles, slow oppo ball down effectively, don't commit to rucks and get back in the line quickly. Top stuff - Barritt & Robshaw tackling machines again, Ireland looked bereft of ideas after Plan A didn't work.
5. Although the Irish were poor, I'd still want a few in a Lions back line: Phillips, Sexton/P'land/Farrell, Roberts, Tuilagi (Davies on the bench) with North, Bowe, Kearney back 3 (H'penny on the bench). Roll on 2013...
Posted 08:39 19th March 2012
lostprofit says...
@maggot Not at all.#
A heartfelt well done to England for beating us and making some squad members eat their words, as they should have.
Everyones excuses aside, ignoreing the poor matches we had before this, on the day when it mattered England where the vastly superior side.
I hope yous stick with SL, he deserves a shot.
Best of luck against the bok, I for one will be rooting for you :)
Posted 02:47 19th March 2012
peachlegs says...
Firstly great performance by england, thoroughly deserved the win and could have been more if us Irish are honest with ourselves. There are several problems ireland need to address, Oleary never putting on an ireland shirt again would solve one of them!Ireland need to blood the youth!look how wales and now england have flourished with youth!Kidneys lack of foresight is incredible!And if i see one more shortsighted idiot call for ogara and sexton in the same team ill go crazy......its a short term fix for crying out people!!!!!BRING IN THE YOUNGSTERS!!!!!!
Posted 22:22 18th March 2012
hhlamazing says...
Hats off to a better English side on the day. Under pope Kidney Ireland have taken two steps back. He was gifted a Grand Slam on the foundations that Eddie left behind. He now has been shown for what he is a good club coach but not up to the standards of international coach. Time to backs out and let a real coach develop Ireland till the next RWC.
@Bigspottedcat your attempt at trolling with the Gert Small comment is tasteless. He is currently in the hospital and will be getting surgery on his eye later this week or next. He lost his vision in his eye twenty years ago while playing rugby, a game that all of us that look at this website truly love. Sadly this is a contact sport and these things happen look at Max Evans brother, Matt Hampson, or the late Stuart Mangan that passed away after breaking his neck playing rugby (the trophy for the legends match between Ireland and England played on Friday night). I and I hope others on this site and the editor find your comments in bad taste.
Posted 22:18 18th March 2012
leinsterblue says...
great English performance...it was a real masterclass - especially in the scrum...I thought that we were still hanging in by our finger nails until the penalty try ( which had a certain inevitability about it) and then we just caved...
if there is any lesson that we should learn about the game is that we should keep some of the players muzzled before the game...as an Irishman, I understand what playing England can mean, but don't go blabbling in the press unless we are 100% sure that we have the performance to back it up - which we didn't...
England have shown a real maturity this championship...not too sure if this is solely down to Lancaster, or have the players realised that some of their antics during the world cup were immature...however, I think that keeping Lancaster on will not be a bad thing...
well done guys...
Posted 20:45 18th March 2012
Hermes says...
Ross hurt his neck/shoulder in the first scrim which Healy dropped. Battled on as long as he could. A fit Ross is good enough to hold the English scrum but we don't have another one.
Posted 19:47 18th March 2012
GCP_JONES says...
@kybone says...
England won the game through the scrum, you have the advantage at that set-piece and fairplay to ya for exploiting it to its fullest.
the reason you won was the scrum and all the points you raised,I don't see any Irish posters begrudging the red rose its victory, in fact you won every game this weekend U20, Womens, and club international, against us, and I think Lancaster should get the job, he has been very impressive throughout.
People are saying that we don't have enough quality props at tight head and there is some merit in that. But I would like to make the point, how well would the other teams have done if Adam Jones, Gastro, even Dan Cole were not playing,How did France do without N Mas they were not the force in the scrum that they normally are.
if you look at it in the cold light of day I can't think of any team that has 2 quality tight heads available to them, I would be interested in what other people thin.Finally to the IRB lets have an 8 man bench with a full front row
Posted 18:03 18th March 2012
Jediboy says...
What some Irish fans seem to forget is that England were pretty awful too. Lots of handling errors, turnovers etc. Yet we still subjected you to a humiliating defeat. Both teams were poor, it wasn't about Ireland throwing it away by being poor. England were too.
Some of you seem very bitter and are clearly in denial. Bad losers you might say.
Ireland are a good rugby nation with a proud history, but clearly going through a bad patch.
As an England fan I know what that feels like. But we are rebuilding and have a good 6N. Better than I ever expected. I'm sorry you find that so hard to accept. I believe this England team will get stronger and stronger. And some people will hate that and still take any opportunity to knock England. That'll never change.
Posted 17:18 18th March 2012
blametheref says...
2 wins against Scotland and Italy in the 6 Nations should not be acceptable to the IRFU or any Irish supporter in view of the calibre of players we have who can perform at the highest level in Europe as compared to, for example, Wales who do not perform in Europe. For Irish rugby's sake Kidney has to go. If Kidney stays it only goes to prove that the IRFU are only interested in mediocrity at this level and in the long term Irish rugby will pay the price, as it is beginning to already. Martin Johnson nearly won the Grand Slam last year and England did the same as Ireland at the World Cup and he had to go. Look what a better and more positive place England are in now as a result, they had a well needed makeover and were a 50/50 refs call away from being unbeaten in this 6 Nations. The bottom line here is that the achievement bar for England, Wales and France is way higher than it is for Ireland...An example of this is that Wales went to the World Cup inwardly believing they could win, and were bitterly dissappointed when they only reached the Semi Finals. In contrast, Kidney prior to the WC were touting openly that they would be happy to reach the semi finals, which we didn't...Yet Kidney stayed or was given another chance. This 6 Nations was his other chance and he did not deliver and more importantly doesn't look like he will ever deliver from this juncture...That is why he must go.
There is no doubt that Kidney is not the man to bring Ireland on from where they are now, Ireland need a top foreign coach whose vision isn't clouded by provincal ties, past glories and bloody-minded favouritism which is central to the the root of Ireland's underachievement during the O' Driscoll era.
Ireland have not performed in the past 2 seasons under Kidney. If the IRFU don't do the right thing for the forthcoming tour they are failing Irish rugby and us their supporters
Posted 14:34 18th March 2012
NHsaints says...
Can't say that ross would have saved you from that...he was slowly being worn at by corbisiero anyway...the only positive ireland can take from that is that Kidney is going to have to make some changes like it or not. Many of them will be long overdue.
Posted 13:30 18th March 2012
blametheref says...
Well done England, you deserved it BEFORE this match was even played, when we were hearing unfounded Irish smugness in the run up to this game a lot of us on these boards knew this was hollow bravado and were worried.
This loss is firmly the doing of Declan Kidney. Remember, he ignored Mike Ross completely up until 2 seasons ago (just like he has ignored James Downey totally as a 12 option); before this 6 Nations many of us on these boards were calling for Jamie Hagan (also ignored by Kidney, bar one trial appearance) to be on the bench along with Court who is a Loose Head (who is supposedly able to play both sides...now we know he can't); with 4 games on the trot it was plain madness to have only a loose head prop on the bench, as any Irish supporter knows, from prior to 2 years ago, that without Ross (the most important Irish player of recent times) the Irish scrum is powder puff. Like England have shown, if a coach brings on players and gives them the confidence their personal bar is raised and they can improve immensely, Barrett (not considered by South Africa) being an example in England's case. Declan Kidney completely failed to have a plan B in the event of Ross being injured and completely ignored having a specialist tight head on the bench. The knub of Ireland's problems under Kidney is that he doesn't blood or show faith in new players constructively, if at all, this came home to roost yesterday where Ireland would have been no worse off sticking Sean O' Brien in at tight head!
Tomas O' leary was abysmal. He wasn't even looking for Young's quick tap try. He could have walked in a 22 Drop out but chose to carry over for a 5 metre scrum that put us in trouble. He put 3 box kicks out on the full. He flung 3 wild passes that ended up in knock ons...Nick Mallet may not get the England job now, so Ireland should ditch Kidney and sign him quick!!
Posted 12:53 18th March 2012