Joe Schmidt’s settled team. Eddie Jones’ overhauled XV.
A fight for a Grand Slam. A fight for their lives on home soil.
It's nearly time for a thriller in Twickers. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
There is a possibility that Irish rugby will be launched onto another level today [KO 2.45pm, TV3], while in the opposition camp there exists a worry that another defeat will see Eddie Jones’ entire project crumble.
England appear to have big issues, but there is potentially a simple fix. How different a proposition England will be today if they sort out their breakdown – the glaring weakness in their defeats to Scotland and France.
The team Jones has selected looks far more suited to the task, in part because England will almost certainly attack more directly.
Kyle Sinckler and the repositioned Ben Te’o will add to their ability to punch holes into the gainline, making that breakdown easier, while Owen Farrell’s habit of taking the ball to the line at out-half should be in sharp contrast to what the confidence-shorn George Ford has offered in recent weeks.
England’s alarming habit for sending one isolated player into attacking rucks should be remedied too, with the expectation being that they will more actively resource the post-tackle situations in Twickenham.
The experienced Richard Wigglesworth should bring more control at scrum-half – his box-kicking is superb too – and his proven Saracens halfback partnership with England will be important in steadying them early on as they attempt to regain some confidence.
George Kruis is a solid lineout and maul operator, while the return of captain Dylan Hartley will add bite. If England can get beyond the gainline and return to their previous level of breakdown accuracy, the back three of Elliot Daly, Jonny May and Anthony Watson has extreme pace and finishing quality.
So even with England having looked lethargic, confused and panicky at times in their last two games, there are very valid reasons for Ireland to come into this contest with a level of fear.
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Conor Murray takes a kick yesterday in London. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Joe Schmidt knows better than anyone that Jones’ team won’t roll over to have their bellies tickled in the home of English rugby – he will expect a more bloody battle than anything Ireland have faced in their current run of 11 consecutive wins.
And yet, the settled and confident nature of Schmidt’s team is cause for his optimism and belief.
Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton have proven themselves the best halfbacks in the competition again, while championship newcomers like Bundee Aki, James Ryan and the free-scoring Jacob Stockdale have all shone.
This Irish team has a core of experience through it from Rory Best and Cian Healy through Iain Henderson and Peter O’Mahony, Murray and Sexton, as well as Keith Earls and Rob Kearney.
The combination of their wisdom and the exuberance of the likes of Dan Leavy, Garry Ringrose and Stockdale is appealing to those who believe Ireland can secure a third-ever Grand Slam today.
The scrum contest looks more favourable for Ireland with Sinckler having been selected ahead of Dan Cole at tighthead, and Healy, Best and Tadhg Furlong may feel they can attack the English in this area.
England losing Courtney Lawes reduces their defensive jumping options after they took France apart in that area last time out, although it will be interesting to see how Ireland adapt to a change of lineout caller from Devin Toner to the returning Iain Henderson.
Ireland have long been considered the best aerial team in the Six Nations, but England will feel they can show their strides of progress in this department today against Earls and Stockdale, particularly given that Wigglesworth’s accuracy is usually excellent.
While Ireland stood off the breakdown far more frequently in the early stages of this Six Nations, it was interesting to note their ferocity and consistent competitiveness against the Scots last time out as a wide variety of players looked to jackal or counter-ruck.
James Haskell is back in the England pack. Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
While England will, surely, be able to shore up their weaknesses there, we should still expect to see the likes of Leavy, Stander, O’Mahony and Healy having the odd nibble or two to test out their security over the tackle.
The interpretation of Australian referee Angus Gardner will be important in this game, with the expectation being that he will be stricter on some of the offences other match officials have been happy to overlook – including jackals not supporting their body weight and tacklers rolling into attacking players arriving to the breakdown.
What do the coaches have up their sleeves in terms of attacking play?
Last weekend, Ireland demonstrated Schmidt’s ongoing intelligence in creating and tweaking set-piece plays – particularly through the power play for Stockdale’s second try – but it’s also worth pointing out England’s two linebreaks from lineouts late on last weekend when they had the midfield combination of Farrell-Te’o-Jospeh on the pitch.
All in all, it will be an intriguing tactical battle on what is expected to be a cold day at Twickenham, with some weather forecasts warning of snow showers.
Both teams’ mental skills should be severely tested, with pressure on their shoulders in very different ways.
That Ireland have so recently proven to themselves that they can get out of trouble in very difficult circumstances – with Sexton’s winning drop goal against France – is a key point in all of this.
It could be low-scoring and it should be extremely tight, but Ireland will believe that their momentum, confidence and composure will be the difference.
England:
15. Anthony Watson
14. Jonny May
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Ben Te’o
11. Elliot Daly
10. Owen Farrell
9. Richard Wigglesworth
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Dylan Hartley
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Maro Itoje
5. George Kruis
6. Chris Robshaw
7. James Haskell
8. Sam Simmonds
Replacements:
16. Jamie George
17. Joe Marler
18. Dan Cole
19. Joe Launchbury
20. Don Armand
21. Danny Care
22. George Ford
23. Mike Brown
Ireland:
15. Rob Kearney
14. Keith Earls
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. James Ryan
5. Iain Henderson
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Dan Leavy
8. CJ Stander
Replacements:
16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Devin Toner
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Joey Carbery
23. Jordan Larmour
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Ireland's momentum brings belief for their Grand Slam shot in London
Murray Kinsella reports from London
IRELAND’S MOMENTUM. ENGLAND’S emotion.
Joe Schmidt’s settled team. Eddie Jones’ overhauled XV.
A fight for a Grand Slam. A fight for their lives on home soil.
There is a possibility that Irish rugby will be launched onto another level today [KO 2.45pm, TV3], while in the opposition camp there exists a worry that another defeat will see Eddie Jones’ entire project crumble.
England appear to have big issues, but there is potentially a simple fix. How different a proposition England will be today if they sort out their breakdown – the glaring weakness in their defeats to Scotland and France.
The team Jones has selected looks far more suited to the task, in part because England will almost certainly attack more directly.
Kyle Sinckler and the repositioned Ben Te’o will add to their ability to punch holes into the gainline, making that breakdown easier, while Owen Farrell’s habit of taking the ball to the line at out-half should be in sharp contrast to what the confidence-shorn George Ford has offered in recent weeks.
England’s alarming habit for sending one isolated player into attacking rucks should be remedied too, with the expectation being that they will more actively resource the post-tackle situations in Twickenham.
The experienced Richard Wigglesworth should bring more control at scrum-half – his box-kicking is superb too – and his proven Saracens halfback partnership with England will be important in steadying them early on as they attempt to regain some confidence.
George Kruis is a solid lineout and maul operator, while the return of captain Dylan Hartley will add bite. If England can get beyond the gainline and return to their previous level of breakdown accuracy, the back three of Elliot Daly, Jonny May and Anthony Watson has extreme pace and finishing quality.
So even with England having looked lethargic, confused and panicky at times in their last two games, there are very valid reasons for Ireland to come into this contest with a level of fear.
Joe Schmidt knows better than anyone that Jones’ team won’t roll over to have their bellies tickled in the home of English rugby – he will expect a more bloody battle than anything Ireland have faced in their current run of 11 consecutive wins.
And yet, the settled and confident nature of Schmidt’s team is cause for his optimism and belief.
Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton have proven themselves the best halfbacks in the competition again, while championship newcomers like Bundee Aki, James Ryan and the free-scoring Jacob Stockdale have all shone.
This Irish team has a core of experience through it from Rory Best and Cian Healy through Iain Henderson and Peter O’Mahony, Murray and Sexton, as well as Keith Earls and Rob Kearney.
The combination of their wisdom and the exuberance of the likes of Dan Leavy, Garry Ringrose and Stockdale is appealing to those who believe Ireland can secure a third-ever Grand Slam today.
The scrum contest looks more favourable for Ireland with Sinckler having been selected ahead of Dan Cole at tighthead, and Healy, Best and Tadhg Furlong may feel they can attack the English in this area.
England losing Courtney Lawes reduces their defensive jumping options after they took France apart in that area last time out, although it will be interesting to see how Ireland adapt to a change of lineout caller from Devin Toner to the returning Iain Henderson.
Ireland have long been considered the best aerial team in the Six Nations, but England will feel they can show their strides of progress in this department today against Earls and Stockdale, particularly given that Wigglesworth’s accuracy is usually excellent.
While Ireland stood off the breakdown far more frequently in the early stages of this Six Nations, it was interesting to note their ferocity and consistent competitiveness against the Scots last time out as a wide variety of players looked to jackal or counter-ruck.
While England will, surely, be able to shore up their weaknesses there, we should still expect to see the likes of Leavy, Stander, O’Mahony and Healy having the odd nibble or two to test out their security over the tackle.
The interpretation of Australian referee Angus Gardner will be important in this game, with the expectation being that he will be stricter on some of the offences other match officials have been happy to overlook – including jackals not supporting their body weight and tacklers rolling into attacking players arriving to the breakdown.
What do the coaches have up their sleeves in terms of attacking play?
Last weekend, Ireland demonstrated Schmidt’s ongoing intelligence in creating and tweaking set-piece plays – particularly through the power play for Stockdale’s second try – but it’s also worth pointing out England’s two linebreaks from lineouts late on last weekend when they had the midfield combination of Farrell-Te’o-Jospeh on the pitch.
All in all, it will be an intriguing tactical battle on what is expected to be a cold day at Twickenham, with some weather forecasts warning of snow showers.
Both teams’ mental skills should be severely tested, with pressure on their shoulders in very different ways.
That Ireland have so recently proven to themselves that they can get out of trouble in very difficult circumstances – with Sexton’s winning drop goal against France – is a key point in all of this.
It could be low-scoring and it should be extremely tight, but Ireland will believe that their momentum, confidence and composure will be the difference.
England:
15. Anthony Watson
14. Jonny May
13. Jonathan Joseph
12. Ben Te’o
11. Elliot Daly
10. Owen Farrell
9. Richard Wigglesworth
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Dylan Hartley
3. Kyle Sinckler
4. Maro Itoje
5. George Kruis
6. Chris Robshaw
7. James Haskell
8. Sam Simmonds
Replacements:
16. Jamie George
17. Joe Marler
18. Dan Cole
19. Joe Launchbury
20. Don Armand
21. Danny Care
22. George Ford
23. Mike Brown
Ireland:
15. Rob Kearney
14. Keith Earls
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Bundee Aki
11. Jacob Stockdale
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Cian Healy
2. Rory Best (captain)
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. James Ryan
5. Iain Henderson
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Dan Leavy
8. CJ Stander
Replacements:
16. Sean Cronin
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Devin Toner
20. Jordi Murphy
21. Kieran Marmion
22. Joey Carbery
23. Jordan Larmour
Referee: Angus Gardner [ARU].
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Six Nations England Grand Slam History Beckons Ireland Joe Schmidt Preview