Andy Farrell’s Ireland travel to Twickenham to face England in round four of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations Championship.
Ireland enters the fixture looking to stay on track for a historic second consecutive Six Nations title, whilst England looks to rebound from their round three defeat to Scotland.
A win of any kind would see Ireland become the first team in history to win 12 consecutive Six Nations fixtures whilst a bonus point win would secure the title with a round to spare.
Team News
England head coach Steve Borthwick has made three changes to his side that lost to Scotland.
Signalling an intent to up their heavily criticised attacking game, Borthwick has selected the electric Immanuel Feyi-Waboso on the left wing in place of Elliot Daly, who drops to the bench.
At scrumhalf, Northampton’s Alex Mitchell returns from injury to start with Danny Care on the bench whilst George Martin starts in the secondrow with Ollie Chessum shifting to the backrow.
Farrell, on the other hand, has made just a single change, with world-class fullback Hugo Keenan returning from injury to start, which sees Ciaran Frawley drop to the bench.
Words from the camps
Borthwick was clear in where he felt his team had gone wrong against Scotland when speaking to the media this week as he said that the pressure on the players had been an area of focus.
“We know that against Scotland, there were errors,” he said. “It’s probably the first time in a while I’d seen the weight of the shirt feels heavy on the players. We’ve worked around that and to develop that.
“We try to make an environment where the players enjoy it, where we know mistakes are going to be made but still continue to do the right things.
“I back the players. Yes, we made errors. We’re disappointed in the performance and we’re disappointed in the result.
“I’ve made some changes to the team, but I believe in these players. I sense a determination in them to put in a performance this weekend, and it has been since the end of that Scotland game.”
Farrell on the other hand was all to aware that a hurting England are a dangerous England and that his team would not be complacent come kick-off.
“I’ve no doubt that England would have loved to have put the best performance out against Scotland and come away with the victory there,” he said.
“But I’ve no doubt now that over the last two weeks that concentrates their mind to have another chance to have a crack at us.
“You expect them to be at their best and if they’re at their best you expect them to be as hard as anyone in world rugby to beat.
“I don’t get involved with the criticism at all. I don’t look at it.
“I look at the individuals the way that they’re playing, the coaching staff that they got, the plan that they’ve got, a fantastic side that is going to be preparing to give it everything they’ve got at the weekend, so that makes them unbelievably dangerous.
“We just prepare for them to be at their best and if that’s the case it’s going to be one hell of a battle.”
Team Line-Ups
England: 15 George Furbank, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Ollie Lawrence, 11 Tommy Freeman, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Ollie Chessum, 5 George Martin, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Jamie George (c), 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Will Stuart, 19 Chandler Cunningham-South, 20 Alex Dombrandt, 21 Danny Care, 22 Marcus Smith, 23 Elliot Daly
Ireland: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Calvin Nash, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Peter O’Mahony (c), 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Cian Healy, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Iain Henderson, 20 Ryan Baird, 21 Jack Conan, 22 Conor Murray, 23 Ciaran Frawley
Live Updates
Min 0: Both teams have left the field here in Twickenham as they conclude their warm-ups. The Stadium is filling up at a rapid rate with a palpable air of anticipation amongst both sets of fans.
The big one!
Come on Ireland! #GuinnessSixNations #ENGvIRE pic.twitter.com/0HYBRCmDsE
— Philip Bendon (@PBendon) March 9, 2024
Hopefully this’ll be as entertaining as Italy’s incredible victory 😅 #ENGvIRE #sixnations pic.twitter.com/gdBwFBj0an
— Jack Tunney (@JackTunneyRugby) March 9, 2024
Min 0: Danny Care leads England out on the occasion of his 100th cap; the Harlequins stalwart is accompanied by his kids just before the anthems get underway.
1️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ England Caps for Danny Care! 👏
A moment in the spotlight for an @EnglandRugby legend 🏴#ITVRugby | #GuinnessM6N pic.twitter.com/WwzzwoMA4s
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) March 9, 2024
Min 0: Jack Crowley gets us underway with a deep kick-off, and England returns fire to set up an Irish line-out just inside the England half.
Min 1: Ireland goes through the heart of England’s blitz defence, but the white line holds fast. Ireland are awarded a penalty 25m out straight in front, and Jack Crowley points to the posts.
Min 2: PENALTY: Crowley slots the kick – England 0 – Ireland 3.
Min 3: TRY! Ollie Lawrence goes into the corner whilst Calvin Nash is left on the ground from a titanic clash. England 5 – Ireland 3.
Min 4: George Ford misses the conversion whilst Calvin Nash leaves for an early HIA – England 5 – Ireland 3.
Min 6: Ireland launch a probing attack but it is quickly sniffed out by England who are awarded a scrum as Dan Sheehan knocks on.
Min 8: Penalty to England as the scrum goes to deck and Ford finds a great touch inside the Irish 22.
Min 10: Ireland’s defence stands firm following a long England line-out as Josh van der Flier gets over the ball and Ireland are awarded a penalty.
Min 11: Some great play from England as they bundle Ireland into touch about 7m out from the Irish line. It has been all England so far.
Min 15: Penalty to England as Bundee Aki gets pinged for not rolling away.
Min 16: PENALTY- Ford slots the three points – England 8 – Ireland 3.
Min 17: Penalty to Ireland, England not rolling away – Crowley goes for the corner.
*Calvin Nash has failed his HIA, meaning Ciaran Frawley will be remaining on the pitch for the rest of the match*
Min 19: Penalty to Ireland, straight in front and about 15 meters out, so Crowley points to the posts. Jamie George queries the penalty and is informed it is for an offside offence.
Min 19: PENALTY – Crowley slots it – England 8 – Ireland 6.
Min 22: Penalty to England as Ireland is offside; Henry Slade goes for the corner.
Min 23: England goes for a trick play line-out, which comes within inches of going over the line before Ireland turns the ball over, and Caelen Doris comes away with it.
Min 24: England gets over the line with Lawrence once again, but this time, there is a knock-on! It goes to the TMO, who confirms that Furbank did indeed knock the ball on.
Min 25: A clean exit from Ireland but England are firmly in the ascendancy through the opening 25 minutes.
Min 25: A huge defensive stand by Ireland with Robbie Henshaw leading the charge as he holds up Furbank to set up an Irish scrum.
Min 27: Ireland gets a nudge on at the scrum before Doris picks it up and passes to Jamison Gibson-Park, who kicks downfield. England get a penalty from the subsequent line-out as Ireland take out the lifter.
Mi 29: Penalty to England -Bundee Aki offside and Ford will go for posts.
Min 30: Ford misses it off the left-hand uprights – a relief for Ireland, who, despite having no possession or territory, remain just two points behind.
Min 33: Ireland win a penalty just inside the England half and they’ll go for posts with Crowley.
Min 34: PENALTY! Crowley slots it, and Ireland takes the most unlikely of leads – England 8 – Ireland 9.
Min 36: Immanuel Feyi-Waboso is proving to be a real threat every time he gets the ball as he leads another great attack only to see the Furbank knock on.
Min 37: A huge moment as James Lowe bashes the ball downfield and Furbank jumps into touch to set up an Irish line-out inside England’s 22.
Min 39: Penalty to Ireland straight in front as George Ford and George Martin are pinged for being offside – Crowley will go for posts.
Min 40: PENALTY! Ireland lead 12 – 8 despite having practically no possession or territory.
Half-Time Report
There was one team in this game in terms of making all of the play as England had retained the ball and territory masterfully.
Yet, for all of this dominance, they have just a single try and penalty to show for it and, more importantly, trail Ireland by four points at the break.
Four Jack Crowley penalties have seen Ireland playing cup rugby as they have been under more pressure than at any point in this year’s Championship.
England’s try proved why Borthwick kept his faith in George Furbank, who launched a sublime counterattack before putting Ollie Lawrence away down the left-hand touchline. The Northampton flyer has been ever present through the opening half, whilst Lawrence has looked back to his physical best.
For Ireland in the second half, the message will be clear: get some possession and, more importantly, territory, as each time they have entered the English 22, they have come away with points in a clinical and experienced display.
Min 40: The teams are coming out of the tunnel – get ready for a forty-minute arm wrestle, everyone!
Min 40: George Ford gets the action under way as the smoke from the fire display clears.
Min 40: Jack Crowley knocks on a George Ford high ball to set up an England scum just inside the Irish half.
Min 42: A good defensive start here for Ireland, who shut down an English attack and is rewarded with a penalty for a side entry at the ruck – Crowley clears towards halfway.
Min 43: TRY! James Lowe goes in the corner from Ireland’s first real try-scoring chance! The TMO is checking everything but has confirmed the grounding is good. England 8 – Ireland 17.
Min 44: Try is awarded, but Crowley misses the touchline conversion – England 8 – Ireland 17.
Min 47: TRY! England strike back through George Furbank – England 13 – Ireland 17. Ford misses the conversion, so England holds a four-point lead.
Min 51: A free kick to England at the scrum, and George Ford goes aerial with Ciaran Frawley now off the pitch and Gibson-Park on the wing.
Min 55: Ireland are starting to exert some territorial pressure but are playing with a re-jigged backline and look somewhat clunky in attack.
Min 57: A second failed HIA for Ireland as Ciaran Frawley goes down, Ireland now have no backline cover remaining on the bench.
Min 57: YELLOW CARD: A huge burst from Ben Earl results in a penalty as Peter O’Mahony gets caught for cynical play and is off to the sin-bin.
Min 59: TRY! Earl goes over, and England hits the front – England 18 – Ireland 17.
Min 60: Marcus Smith converts – England 20 – Ireland 17.
Min 62: Andy Farrell makes the call and uses all of his replacements except for Cian Healy – Ireland immediately win a penalty and go for the corner just inside England’s half.
Min 65: Jamison Gibson-Park with a crucial knock-on which brings back a possible Hugo Keenan try.
Min 67: Penalty to England as Ben Earl gets over the ball for a turnover.
Min 70: Penalty to Ireland on the halfway, and they go for touch through Crowley.
Min 72: TRY! Ireland! Lowe again in the same left-hand corner! One shot, and they get over! England 20 – Ireland 22. Crowley does not get the strike he was after, and the scores remain the same.
Min 74: Penalty to England, and Elliot Daly points at the posts from 51 meters and slightly on the angle.
Min 75: Just wide from Daly and the score remains England 20 – Ireland 22.
Min 78: England launched a sublime counterattack but was just pushed into touch inside Ireland’s 22. Chandler Cunningham-South has been superb since coming on but hobbles off with an apparent foot injury.
Min 80: Drop goal from Marcus Smith wins it for England! England 23 – Ireland 22.
Sign In