While the Italy game was billed as a test of character, the Scotland tie as a defining clash, today's final-round game is the moment of truth.
When Mathieu Raynal sounds the final whistle around 6.30 this evening, Andy Farrell will have overseen 14 games since taking over from Joe Schmidt at the back end of 2019.
His record so far reads eight wins and five defeats, two of which have come against today's opponents.
Farrell wasn’t in charge when the tide turned two years ago in Dublin. A smarting England landed what turned out to be a hammer blow for Ireland’s Six Nations hopes and the year fizzled out with an oft-seen meek World Cup quarter-final exit.
The three clashes against Eddie Jones' side since that day have not been pretty on the eye either.
First up was the World Cup warm-up record defeat; then came the 24-12 loss in Twickenham in last year’s championship where Ireland were devoid of ideas and kept running down the same dead ends; Johnny Sexton said "we were made to look a bit silly."
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The Autumn Nations Cup game in November ended 18-7 with the contest decided in the first half through two Jonny May tries. England always looked like they could have put the foot down if required. It wasn’t necessary.
Asked what gave him confidence that things will be different from the last four defeats, where the total score is 131-54, the head coach said: "Through learning the lessons from the games you’ve talked about.
"I feel that the last outing – it was a physical game like it always is, certainly at Twickenham but I felt that we were within ourselves a little bit, regarding playing the game that’s in front of us so hopefully we can combine the two this week and give a good account of ourselves."
All those defeats can be put down to Ireland failing to front up physically to their opponents. It doesn’t bode well for this afternoon’s clash, which only serves to determine final Guinness Six Nations table placings, both teams long since out of the running.
Ireland v England: All you need to know
Farrell and co can expect no less than a big, snarling, bad-mannered brute that feels it has a point to prove after a completely underwhelming title defence, which has included inglorious defeats to Scotland and Wales.
But the same animal that beat France, 23-20, is expected in Dublin 4 today, where Ireland have not lost back-to-back Six Nations home games since losses to Scotland (2010) and France (2011). They haven't lost consecutive games at home to England since the bad old days of 1995, 1997 and 1999.
"As far as the English are concerned, they'll certainly reference their performance on what happened [against France]," Farrell told RTÉ Sport.
Flanker Tom Curry (6) and lock Maro Itoje (5) top the dominant tackles chart and early on they’ll be keen to add another couple of big hits.
It’s hard groundwork like that which sets the tone for what follows. Ireland must engage on their own terms if they are to have a chance. It’s all very well to want to go toe-to-toe, but that hasn’t worked out well recently.
"We’re also obviously aware that they’ve started pretty well against us in the past," Farrell said on Thursday, also citing England's smart kicking game, which has caused no end of trouble for today's hosts recently.
One hopes that indicates that he has something up his sleeve early on: a quick lineout, a trick play, a pant to move the English pack about, so as not to allow them to get their grunt on in the first ten minutes.
It’s no secret that Ireland have struggled to make the most of the plentiful ball they’ve had in this year's campaign.
Last year they were joint top with France with 17 tries. Six of their 10 so far came against Italy, while two of the other four came after lucky bounces.
Former head coach Eddie O’Sullivan told Against the Head that some of the backline moves used in the 27-24 win over Scotland were like something "you’d see at club level".
'Simple plays, you'd see them at club level' - Eddie O'Sullivan on Ireland's bewildering attack play #RTERugby #RTESport #IREvENG #SCOvIRE #AgainstTheHead https://t.co/ao1mpOaPtE pic.twitter.com/ia5PH66PW2
— RTÉ Rugby (@RTErugby) March 17, 2021
"The last thing that comes together within the jigsaw is always the attack because it’s the hardest piece," said Farrell in defence of the offence.
Thirteen games in and that’s a big concern. And that’s just off primary possession.
Ireland nicked six Scottish lineouts last Sunday and Sexton was unhappy with how they dealt with the ball once it came their way. "We just need to be a bit calmer and clearer with our communication," said Farrell.
On the other side, Jones will feel his side are playing more like their true World Cup finalists selves.
England’s lineout (93%) and scrum (95%) success is the best in show and in Anthony Watson have the tournament’s joint top try-scorer with four.
Elsewhere, Elliot Daly, who comes in to the centre for the injured Henry Slade in the only change from last weekend, boasts 265 yards made with ball in hand; trailing slightly behind him is May with 253.
There’s danger everywhere.
Without James Ryan, Will Connors, and Garry Ringrose through injury, Farrell has made six changes in total.
Bundee Aki and Jacon Stockdale are recalled for their first appearances in green of the year. Dave Kilcoyne comes in for Cian Healy in the front row.
There’s big change in the backrow, however, with CJ Stander, in his last international appearance, reverting to 6, Josh van der Flier steps in for Connors, while Jack Conan starts at the back of the scrum.
Within the frame of sport being the most important of all the unimportant things in life, this pandemic has stolen the crowd for this afternoon’s game.
It’s a factor that the Irish players have never played down the importance of, especially the buzz it creates when the English come to town.
Where do they now find that extra motivation that was garnered from the boisterous masses around Lansdowne Road?
"It's still the very same, a little bit more craic about it because of the lads in camp," said Murray when asked how do they build up to the game when have friendships from Lions tours and a handful of English men (Farrell, Mike Catt and Billy Burns) in their ranks.
"It's the age-old rivalry, it's such a special game with so much history in it. There's no effort to be motivated for this game because it's such a special occasion and England are such a special team."
In many ways it’s a pity that the natural antipathy has become watered down because Ireland sure could use some of that spikiness today.
There is not enough hard evidence available that Ireland are capable of producing a performance to overturn England. This truth is going to hurt.
Verdict: England
Ireland: Hugo Keenan, Keith Earls, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale, Johnny Sexton (capt), Conor Murray; Dave Kilcoyne, Rob Herring, Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Tadhg Beirne, CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Ronán Kelleher, Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Ryan Baird, Peter O'Mahony, Jamison Gibson-Park, Billy Burns, Jordan Larmour.
England: Max Malins; Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell, Jonny May; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Mako Vunipola, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Kyle Sinckler; Maro Itoje, Charlie Ewels; Mark Wilson, Tom Curry, Billy Vunipola
Replacements: Jamie George, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Jonny Hill, Ben Earl, Dan Robson, Ollie Lawrence, Joe Marchant.
Follow Ireland v England (kick-off 4.45pm, Saturday) via our live blog on RTE.ie and the RTÉ News app or listen live on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport. Highlights on Against the Head on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, 8pm Monday.
