England keep Six Nations title hopes alive with convincing win over Ireland at Twickenham

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Will Macpherson23 February 2020

England made an awkward start to the Six Nations, with a poor performance in Paris before the rain stole the show in Edinburgh.

But back to home comforts at Twickenham they produced their best performance of the campaign to swat Ireland aside, by 24 points to 12.

There was no four-try bonus point, but a satisfying performance and four vital points.

This leaves France as the only unbeaten team left in the Championship. England were good here, but will need a favour from Scotland or Ireland if they are to pinch the title.

Ireland are still in the hunt, but struggled in their first defeat under Andy Farrell.

George Ford notches England's opening try after Johnny Sexton failed to gather a Ben Youngs kick
AP

Eddie Jones, by contrast, had one of those days, where each of his selection calls looked inspired. At full-back, Elliot Daly was terrific. Jonathan Joseph looked like a seasoned pro on the left wing, and was busy in attack and defence.

Ben Youngs, restored at scrum-half, was in fine form. Courtney Lawes, the official man of the match, was the line-out focal point from blindside flanker. And Tom Curry is starting to have the impact of a no8 in the loose.

It helped too that Johnny Sexton had a horrible first half. He was unable to gather Youngs’ opportunistic kick, gifting Ford a try. Then he missed a simple penalty to trim the deficit to four points.

As ever, he was agitating the referee Jaco Peyper, but with little success and even less tact than Owen Farrell, his opposite number. Sexton, who ended the game at centre, and Conor Murray, who was hauled off after 55 minutes, had little control of the game.

Elliot Daly registers England's second score in similar circumstances
PA

England’s second try came in similar fashion to the first, due to Ireland’s inability to deal with a neat nudge under the posts. Ford was the kicker this time, and Daly was first to the ball, producing a brilliant finish.

By half-time, Farrell had added three more points. England were very good value for their lead.

Ireland had to improve after the break, and duly did. After waves of pressure in a scrappy opening 10 minutes of the half, Robbie Henshaw crossed, but again Sexton missed his kick. It was a tetchy half, with Maro Itoje and James Ryan bickering.

There was some strange refereeing too, with CJ Stander escaping censure for striking Farrell (who was punished for holding onto him), and Peyper opting not to take a second look at a Henshaw hit on Jonny May that prevented a try-scoring opportunity.

Luke Cowan-Dickie rumbles over for England's third try of an impressive afternoon
Getty Images

Ireland’s score jolted and focused England, whose 6-2 bench was used to good effect. Ellis Genge, as ever, was forceful, while Charlie Ewels and then Ben Earl came on at no8 and added heft and verve.

It was Luke Cowan-Dickie, another replacement, who scored England’s third try after some strong work from the forwards.

They won penalties at the scrum, then the maul, before a 13-man rolling maul saw Cowan-Dickie bundle over.

The game ended with a second Ireland score after a period of sustained pressure, with replacement prop Andrew Porter rumbling over.

Finally, Ireland landed a kick, but it was John Cooney, not Sexton, taking the conversion.

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