Hey, folks, and welcome to your live updates from Ireland’s Six Nations opener with England at the Aviva Stadium!
Gavan Casey with you here, and if you can’t make it to Lansdowne Road or to a TV screen (Virgin Media TV), I’ll bring you a blow-by-blow account of the action, or close enough to it, as Ireland begin another defence of their title.
With Andy Farrell on Lions sabbatical, Simon Easterby’s side are seeking something unprecedented: no team in the history of the Five or Six Nations has won three championships on the spin.
Ireland’s effort to do so begins against Steve Borthwick’s England, who were the only side to beat them during last year’s Six Nations.
Strap in, all. It’s going to be lively.
Let’s check the temperature.
Poll Results:
‘What the hell is N9W?’
Both sides will line out as announced earlier this week.
Ireland give Ryan Baird the start at blindside, with Iain Henderson part of a 5-3 bench following a head injury to Joe McCarthy during the week.
Tadhg Furlong misses out with his calf issue, so Finlay Bealham deputises at tighthead and Tom Clarkson is set to earn his first Six Nations minutes off the bench.
The visitors have picked three natural opensides in their back row: they’re gonna target Irish ball like never before.
The selection of six-foot-five fullback Freddie Steward is also indicative of how England are going to target Ireland in the air, particularly with the new kick-chase laws.
Harlequins flier Cadan Murley makes his debut on the left wing, meanwhile.
Ireland
England
Ready to represent the 🌹#IREvENG | #GuinnessM6N
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 1, 2025
England out-half Marcus Smith pinging them in the warm-up… Potential Lions 10 right there.
.@MarcuSmith10 striking them well 🎯@O2 | #WearTheRose | #IREvENG pic.twitter.com/MQP954LM4o
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 1, 2025
The anthems have finished here at the Aviva. The guy who sang them is now belting out The Fields of Athenry on the sideline. It’s almost showtime.
1′ – IRE 0-0 ENG: Marcus Smith of England gets us underway at the Aviva! Place is fairly hopping alright — let’s hope that lasts, however the game goes.
2′ – IRE 0-0 ENG: Mack Hansen with an early rib-tickler on debutant Murley after an up-and-under by Gibson-Park.
Nice tone-setter.
3′ – IRE 0-0 ENG: Marcus Smith exploits a chasm in the Irish defence and breaks up to the 22′. Good scramble defence by Ireland thereafter to slow the English attack.
Smith tries a crossfield to Ben Curry but it flies into touch on the full.
Lively start by the England 10!
5′ – IRE 0-0 ENG: Blood injury for Hansen, likely picked up when he smashed Murley. Robbie Henshaw on temporarily, which will see Garry Ringrose shift to the right wing.
8′ – IRE 0-0 ENG: Fairly ferocious stuff so far without any major incidents of note. Ireland trying to play it out of their own half a lot. Sam Prendergast has even had a couple of snipes.
He’s had two very poor kicks from hand, though, which have supplied England with opportunities in transition.
TRYYYYYY! IT’S THE DEBUTANT CADAN MURLEY!
Converted by Smith.
10′ – Ireland 0-7 England: England punish the second of Prendergast’s loose kicks.
Ollie Lawrence then breaks a tackle from Tadhg Beirne and Murley pounces on a chip into the left-hand corner.
Smith nails the conversion from out wide. The visitors lead.
13′ – IRE 0-7 ENG: Ireland knocking on the door now from a five-metre lineout.
England collapse the maul and while Ireland spurn the chance on the advantage, they’ll get another shot at it. They’re going to tap and go this time!
15′ – IRE 0-7 ENG: Ireland go wide after only a couple of tight carries.
Superb English defence drives them backwards towards towards the 22′, some shocking hands from Ireland in there.
But Itoje is pinged for going off his feet earlier in the set and Ireland will get another five-metre penalty. They’re going to tap and go again!
16′ - IRE 0-7 ENG: Rónan Kelleher has a try for Ireland but Ben O’Keeffe is stopping Sam Prendergast from taking the conversion. He wants to take a look at something.
16′ – IRE 0-7 ENG: Yeah, Kelleher’s try is ruled out: Tadhg Beirne was holding Maro Itoje’s leg from within the ruck which opened up some space for Kelleher to dive over. Itoje wasn’t a part of the ruck so Beirne is penalised.
No try!
Sugar.
18′ – IRE 0-7 ENG: Now it’s England’s turn to have a score disallowed! They pounce upon a loose Irish ball but Ben O’Keeffe spots a knock-on by Itoje in his effort to tackle Finlay Bealham.
The English backline are called back as three of them saunter over the whitewash in celebration.
Mad game so far. England look really dangerous.
25′ – IRE 0-7 ENG: Wonderful attack by Ireland almost results in a try for Ryan Baird, who is stopped short in the right-hand corner.
Some nice angles and hands by Prendergast and Hansen to put Baird into space.
England off their feet as Ireland recycle following a Doris carry. Ben O’Keeffe bins Marcus Smith without hesitation.
From the penalty to touch, however, Ireland are pinged for obstruction. Another big chance gone for the hosts. Closer, though!
31′ – IRE 0-7 ENG: Prendergast orchestrates another exciting Irish attack after Rónan Kelleher steals a loose lineout at the back.
Ireland so loose again, though. After Josh Van der Flier’s linebreak into the opposing 22′, Gibson-Park overruns the ball at the breakdown and shovels a wobbler out to Bundee Aki, who knocks on in contact.
Poor stuff.
Big celebrations from the 14-men English once more.
33′ – IRE 0-7 ENG: Ireland spurn yet another opportunity in the England 22′ — that’s their sixth visit, and all six times they’ve made a hames of it.
TRYYYYYY FOR IRELAND! JAMISON GIBSON-PARK!!!
36′ – IRE 5-7 ENG: Superb by James Lowe, who takes what looks like a nothing pass from Garry Ringrose and marauds down the English flank, shaking off Alex Mitchell in the process!
Lowe passes inside to support runner Gibson-Park, and he just about makes the line.
Prendergast’s conversion is wide — and it’s a very poor miss, to be honest — but Ireland have a score on the board at last.
39′ – IRE 5-7 ENG: Strong response by England. An absolute pearler of a skip pass by Marcus Smith puts Ben Earls through a hole on the Irish 10′.
Ireland get back well but go off their feet at the ruck. Penalty England inside the Irish 22′, and Smith points for the posts. Easy three.
40′ – IRE 5-10 ENG: Smith chips over the points. England stretch their lead. And that’ll be the last action of a pulsating first half!
England have been the slicker, better side overall, albeit not by much: Ireland have butchered so many opportunities, it’s a crime.
Still, the visitors are up at the break!
41′ – IRE 5-10 ENG: Sam Prendergast gets us back in action at the Aviva Stadium.
42′ – IRE 5-10 ENG: England make an incursion into the Irish 22′ but Marcus Smith’s offload is adjudged to have gone forward. They were motoring there. Smith has been exceptional in the pivot.
Ireland, though, win the scrum penalty!
45′ – IRE 5-10 ENG: Gibson-Park box-kicks into the sky from around halfway — it seems like a terrible decision until it drops over Murley’s head and he fumbles it backwards into England’s in-goal!
While Murley eventually escapes, Ireland wind up blasting England back over their own line.
Five-metre scrum for Ireland, out of nothing!
47′ – IRE 5-10 ENG: Ireland wind up tapping and going after a couple of scrum resets result in a free-kick. England stop them at the line and then stop Hugo Keenan out wide after a wonderful pass by Prendergast.
Referee O’Keeffe, however, penalises England for going off their feet at an earlier breakdown. We’ll have a penalty to Ireland on the 5′ again — and Prendergast pokes it into touch.
48′ – IRE 5-10 ENG: Kelleher peels off the back of the lineout and takes it to within a yard but Luke Cowan-Dickie gets over it and wins the jackal!
Unreal turnover by the England hooker but shocking by Ireland that Kelleher was so isolated off first phase!
Another visit to the English 22′ results in nothing.
TRRRYYYYY FOR IRELAND! BUNDEE AKI!!!
52′ – IRE 10-10 ENG: Ireland fashion a chance and go wide left. Prendergast with a nice skip pass to Aki, who powers his way through a succession of English defenders — Smith, Mitchell and Freeman — to finish within inches of the chalk in the corner!
Prendergast’s touchline conversion drifts wide. Such a mixed bag for him so far.
But the sides are level in Dublin!
56′ – IRE 13-10 ENG: A push in the lineout by Itoje and Sam Prendergast gets off the mark from the tee.
Excellent kick from easily 45 metres, right of centre.
Ireland lead for the first time today!
57′ – IRE 13-10 ENG: I should have mentioned earlier, Dan Sheehan and Jack Conan are both on for Ireland. Came on around five minutes ago. Sheehan for Kelleher obviously and Conan for Baird.
It’s in the mixer.
Robbie Henshaw has just replaced this man, full sub, no blood/HIA.
58′ – IRE 13-10 ENG: Jack Crowley on for Sam Prendergast now too. Finlay Bealheam limping off, which is a concern. On comes Tom Clarkson. Away you go, son!
62′ – IRE 13-10 ENG: Iain Henderson replaces James Ryan.
Knock-on by Caelan Doris on the English 10′. He’s been quiet, or ineffective by his standards if you wanted to be unkind.
This Ireland performance overall has been very similar to their November fare. Handling errors off the charts.
TRRRYYYYYYY FOR IRELAND!!! TADHG BEEEEEIIIIRRRRRNE!!!
63′ – IRE 20-10 ENG: It’s a gorgeous score by Ireland! Jamison Gibson-Park with a clever inside pass to James Lowe who steams onto the ball on a perfect, arced line. Lowe breaks into open country and has a man on either shoulder as he’s marshalled by Steward.
He flicks it inside to Beirne who takes it to the house unchallenged.
Crowley splits the posts and, out of nothing, Ireland lead by 10!
67′ – IRE 20-10 ENG: Beautiful hands by Crowley and Keenan chips downfield.
The ball rolls into the in-goal but Cadan Murley is caught in possession! Ireland drag him back into play and bundle him into touch for the five-metre lineout!
The Aviva erupts!
68′ – IRE 20-10 ENG: The chance to turn the screw goes a-begging as England win a jackal penalty near their own posts.
OHHHH WHAT A TRYYYYYYYYY! DAN SHEEEEEEHAAAAAAANNNNN!!!
73′ – IRE 27-10 ENG: The linebreak by Jack Conan sets Ireland up in England territory.
They swing left to Sheehan, who fires a rocket of a bridge pass out to Lowe on the left wing — an insane pass for a hooker to attempt, not to mind pull off!
Lowe breaks the tackle of Freeman and as he stumbles towards the line, he looks inside to find Sheehan who stretches and scores.
Sensational rugby!
Crowley, from the left-hand touchline, splits the posts.
Stick a fork in this one!
76′ IRE 27-10 ENG: After a rendition of The Fields rings around the Aviva, Jamison Gibson-Park is named Player of the Match.
77′ - Try! Tom Curry goes over after a lovely move by England down the left.
Marcus Smith’s conversion is wide, though, and England have under three minutes to find 12 points.
This man has been outstanding.
Try! With the final play of the game, Tommy Freeman exposes some soft Irish defence and earns the visitors a deserved losing bonus point.
Smith converts from close range.
JOB.
DONE.
Surely Leinster can spare us a few players as cover…
Plenty of cover at centre, I’d like to see Shane Daly get a bit more game time, looks a decent player.
@blindside: Arnold is a very decent 13 too.