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Frustrated Ireland stand in way of England chariot as Six Nations comes to a close

Updated / Saturday, 18 Mar 2017 14:55
Ireland will be bidding to stop England's claim a second successive Six Nations Grand Slam
Ireland will be bidding to stop England's claim a second successive Six Nations Grand Slam

England are on a mission and Ireland are the side tasked with stopping Eddie Jones’s side creating history (5pm, live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Radio 1).

Derailing this particular chariot is not going to be easy, even for a side unbeaten at home in Six Nations games since a 12-6 loss to today’s opponents four years ago.

It’s not impossible but the news that Rob Kearney, and more importantly Conor Murray, miss out through injury, makes Ireland’s job of sticking a spoke in the wheels even more difficult.

The England juggernaut has gathered speed since the start of the tournament and they are on the brink of overtaking New Zealand’s record of 18 Test wins in a row. That includes an 11-game run in this tournament, in itself a Five and Six Nations record.

You could look at their opposition in that run and claim they haven’t faced as many of the top tier nations (their opponents’ average world ranking is slightly lower than those that New Zealand met) but winning 18 matches in a row, going back to Uruguay in the World Cup, tells its own story.

Not thoroughly convincing against Wales, they still had the class to pull off the clutch move when it mattered.

Scotland’s effort was embarrassing but England were focused enough to put 61 points on the board, sealing the championship in the process.

The issue for Ireland is that today’s opponents are getting better. The record run and the grand slam just add to their well of motivation.

Jones’ particular management style also seems to have dovetailed neatly with this group of players: that quintessential English 'confidence' spiked with the airs and graces of an unpolished Melbourne street-fighter.

But Jones is also learning. Ahead of the Italy match, he proclaimed publicly that he wanted them taken to the cleaners.

You get the feeling the former Japan boss feels exactly the same about this wounded Ireland side. But this time inflammatory comments like that will be reserved for the changing room.

Irish teams traditionally lift their game for the visit of “big brother” as Joe Schmidt called them, but make no mistake, this England team will match the hosts in the hunger stakes today.

Ireland, on the other hand, must go places they haven’t been before if they are to tear up the script.

The stop, start, start, stop nature of this campaign means that Ireland have no title to play for. World ranking points, stopping the grand slam and the world record (as they did when beating New Zealand in November) must serve as the fuel for the fight.

Strangely enough, as Rory Best comes out and declares that Ireland are "not the sort of team that motivates ourselves by denying other teams things", Johnny Sexton said the opposite: "Now we're in a position where we have nothing to play for except to stopping them doing something."

Now the coach is talking about finishing in the top half of the table, in the “top three”.

They are mixed messages and either way it’s not what Schmidt and his men wanted as incentive at the start of February. 

It’s hard to find solace in that outlook when you consider that this team has beaten South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, and won two of the last three Six Nations.

There’s no doubt that the outlook would be brighter if Murray had passed his fitness test on Thursday. The well-documented ‘stinger’ injury, which usually self-resolves in minutes don't you know, turned out to be bruising so severe that he couldn’t partake in contact training.

The partnership of Murray and Sexton is as good as any on a world stage and the absence of the 57-cap scrum-half just means that more responsibility falls on the out-half’s shoulders. England know this as well.

In comes Kieran Marmion for his 13th cap and first Six Nations start. Connacht's Pro12-winning scrum-half can do a job but even Schmidt, downbeat in Thursday's press conference, admits that Murray’s loss leaves a big “hole” in the side.

Kearney has his doubters and it might take his absence to actually show this worth. His knee injury, which requires surgery, opens the door for Jared Payne, who has won most of his 19 caps at centre.

But the New Zealander is an excellent defender in his own right and will also want to stake a claim for the 15 shirt.

The only non-injury-enforced change is Iain Henderson for Devin Toner in the second row. The Leinster man has started 36 of Schmidt 43 Tests in charge and the coach has cited fatigue for his demotion.

But Henderson clearly offers more with ball in hand, and Schmidt wants his ball skills to counter what England’s dynamic 4-8 will bring.

England have made two changes to the side that demolished Scotland.

Billy Vunipola and Anthony Watson, both try-scoring replacements last time out, replace Nathan Hughes and Jack Nowell, a testament to the strength in depth of the panel.

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On three occasions in Six Nations history England have come to Dublin looking to complete a clean sweep.

In 2001, Keith Wood and Peter Stringer inspired Ireland to a 20-14 slam-buster in the old Lansdowne, England’s third final-day capitulation in a row.  

Ten years later, England, already crowned, came to the Aviva but ran into a Brian O’Driscoll-led home side and lost 24-8.

But unfortunately for Ireland, today’s encounter carries more of a 2003 feeling.

With both sides in the running for the title, Ireland failed to show up and fell to a chastening 42-6 defeat. England would win the World Cup nine months later. 

No-one expects anything like that margin today but it’s going to be one of those games where everything has to go right for the home side and for the defending champions to have a stinker.

The lineout must improve, Sexton must stay on for the entire game, the back row must sharpen up and England’s strike-runners – Joseph and Watson  – must be kept on a short leash.

It just looks like too big a swing to hope for.

WHAT THEY SAID

Joe Schmidt: “Who would have picked Barcelona to turn around that PSG result? Who would have picked Douvan to get beaten at 4/1 on? Who would have picked us to win in Chicago at 13/1 in a two-horse race? That’s what people love about sport.”

Eddie Jones: "It's going to be quite an occasion in Dublin so we understand we have to be prepared emotionally, physically and mentally."

Live Six Nations coverage of Ireland v England on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player (KO 5pm), live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1’s Saturday Sport and live blog on RTÉ.ie and the RTÉ News Now app.

Television coverage begins at 12pm on Saturday with live coverage of Scotland v Italy (KO 12.30pm) and France v Wales (KO 2.45pm) on RTÉ Two and RTÉ Player on Saturday.

Live coverage of Ireland v England in the Under-20 Six Nations on RTÉ2 from 5.30pm (KO 5.45pm) on Friday.

Live coverage of Ireland v England (KO 8pm) in the Women’s Six Nations on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player from 7.50pm on Friday.

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