Eire accomplished their fourth rugby union Grand Slam with a 29-16 Six Nations victory over England in Dublin on Saturday, emphatically underlining their standing because the world’s top-ranked staff heading into September’s World Cup.
The script couldn’t have been higher ready — an opportunity to seal a primary Grand Slam within the Irish capital on St Patrick’s Day weekend — and Eire delivered, though it was nervier than they’d have appreciated in opposition to an England aspect lowered to 14 males for all the second half.
England have been inside one level of an upset with 20 minutes to go however late tries from Robbie Henshaw, Rob Herring and a second for man-of-the-match Dan Sheehan made positive of Eire’s fifteenth championship and fifth since 2009.
“You could not make it up, it is like dwelling in a dream. We did not play our greatest, however bloody hell, what a staff. What a gaggle of coaches,” Eire captain Johnny Sexton, taking part in in his last Six Nations sport, mentioned in a pitchside interview.
“To come back right here and get a win on St Patrick’s weekend, it is unbelievable. What a day.”
Andy Farrell’s aspect have been effectively worthy of the clear sweep, having received each sport by 13 factors or extra, averaged 4 ties per outing and ending 2022 winners France’s 14-game unbeaten run alongside the best way within the sport of the championship.
The coach praised his whole squad for a way they handled adversity from dropping some key males to harm — 5 in final week’s win in opposition to Scotland alone — to grinding out a win once they wanted to as they very a lot did on Saturday.
Delight restored for England
England then again have been searching for to regain some delight after the document 53-10 dwelling defeat by France final week they usually have been extra cohesive in profitable a few early turnovers and turned their strain right into a deserved 6-0 lead.
Whereas trying a transparent risk in assault, Eire have been making uncharacteristic errors. Sexton, whose Nineteenth-minute penalty made him the Six Nations’ highest all-time scorer, later joked that they did the precise reverse of what the coaches informed them to.
With England’s penalty rely ticking up as they sought to stem the tide, the breakthrough got here on 32 minutes. Josh van der Flier peeled off the again of a ruck, discovered Sheehan with a reverse cross and there was no stopping the explosive hooker as soon as he had the road in his sights.
The larger turning level arrived eight minutes later although as Freddie Steward struck his reverse quantity, Eire fullback Hugo Keenan, with an elbow to the top whereas in an upright place and was despatched off.
If it appeared like Eire would cruise in direction of a Grand Slam in Dublin, following success in Twickenham (2018), Cardiff (2009) and Belfast (1948), England had different concepts and one other Owen Farrell penalty after the break made it 10-9.
It took the strive for Henshaw, beginning his first sport of the championship, for the reduction to unfold by the stadium with Sheehan’s second all however clinching a primary Six Nations title in entrance of their very own followers since 1985.
Jamie George grabbed a comfort strive for England earlier than alternative Irish hooker Herring prolonged the lead once more as Eire made it 22 wins from their final 24 video games and the celebration started.
“I believed we confirmed an amazing quantity of struggle. Clearly the sport modified with the cardboard however we nonetheless confirmed an enormous quantity of struggle and caught in it,” England captain Farrell mentioned.
“We have constructed some foundations over the course of the Six Nations however clearly we wish to be a greater staff.”
The defeat consigned England to fourth place within the desk and a 3rd successive Six Nations with extra defeats than victories after profitable the championship in 2020.
France completed in second place with Scotland in third. Wales got here fifth and it was one other picket spoon for Italy.
Reuters
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