'Phenomenal' World Cup contender's scary feat

1 year ago 60

Ireland mastered the hype and expectations to triumph the Six Nations and a historical archetypal expansive slam successful Dublin by seeing disconnected England 29-16.

The Irish came into the title arsenic the favourite and swept done it to underline its satellite No.1 presumption and marque a immense connection six months retired from the Rugby World Cup, wherever they person ne'er won a knockout match.

A period aft beating No.2 and defending champion France astatine home, Ireland handled a game-but-inadequate England and took maximum points from a triumph and minimum 4 tries astatine a packed-out Lansdowne Road.

Ireland's Dublin location had ne'er witnessed an Irish expansive slam, nor a rubric successful the Six Nations era, and these Irish delivered by wearing down England. They led 10-6 astatine fractional clip and added 3 tries successful the past 4th to Robbie Henshaw, a 2nd for Dan Sheehan, and the past for his replacement Rob Herring.

Captain Jonathan Sexton was fixed the cleanable send-off successful his past Six Nations lucifer with a 2nd expansive slam and the championship's all-time point-scoring record. He limped disconnected with six minutes to spell to a lasting ovation.

England redeemed itself aft the hiding astatine location from France past play by warring hard, but the effort was undermined erstwhile fullback Freddie Steward was sent disconnected conscionable earlier fractional time. Steward took immoderate hostility with him and the effect had an aerial of inevitability astir it.

But Ireland couldn't ignite the St Patrick's play celebrations until the Henshaw and Sheehan converted tries for 24-9 aft much than an hour.

Watch the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific play connected the location of rugby, Stan Sport. All matches streaming advertisement free, unrecorded and connected demand

Herring's precocious effort capped Ireland's archetypal Six Nations rubric since 2018 and its 5th this century. The erstwhile expansive slams were successful 1948, 2009 and 2018.

England didn't amusement up astatine Twickenham past play successful the unprecedented location thrashing from France, but showed aboriginal connected it was up for the Irish with a mates of turnovers starring to Owen Farrell's archetypal punishment goal.

Farrell slotted different for 6-0 portion Ireland was adapting to the unit from England's fantabulous unreserved defence and breakdown work. Ireland was pushing excessively galore passes and getting slowed down successful the rucks.

Sexton, who was held up implicit the enactment from a speedy tapped penalty, converted his archetypal punishment footwear and received his archetypal lasting ovation. He near down a necktie with Irish predecessor Ronan O'Gara arsenic the championship's highest point-scorer.

Incidentally, Farrell was 4th connected the list, down Jonny Wilkinson, who helped Farrell precocious repair his 47 per cent extremity kicking success. Sexton and Farrell some landed 4 retired of four.

Ireland yet converted a effort accidental successful the 33rd from a abbreviated lineout. England committed to a rolling maul but, instead, Josh van der Flier snuck successful down and fed wrong him hooker Sheehan, who charged to the line.

Seconds earlier fractional time, Ireland fullback Hugo Keenan scooped up a spilled guardant walk and ran caput connected into Steward, who turned enarthrosis archetypal to brace for the collision. That nonaccomplishment to amusement work of attraction for Keenan caused Steward to beryllium sent disconnected by referee Jaco Peyper.

Keenan didn't instrumentality either, failing a caput wounded appraisal during the interval.

Ireland was laboring successful the caller fractional to marque the astir of the antheral advantage, and Farrell's 3rd punishment closed the spread to one.

When England helping Anthony Watson took a Sexton crosskick and was carried backmost implicit his tryline, Ireland struck from the attacking scrum.

Henshaw, lone precocious acceptable aft wrist and hamstring injuries, met a walk from midfield spouse Bundee Aki successful a spread to score.

Minutes later, Ireland went the abbreviated broadside again and back-rower Jack Conan drew 2 defenders to enactment Sheehan implicit for his 2nd effort of the match.

With Sexton's extras, the effect was harmless and Lansdowne Road broke into song.

On a time for hookers, England's Jamie George scored from their 1 effort accidental successful a rolling maul, but Ireland had the past accidental erstwhile Sheehan's replacement Herring burst disconnected a maul and scored.

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!