The hope is still there. In a most closed match, Ireland, which spent 78 minutes at 15 against 14, overcame a withered XV of the Rose, but which was still able to sting (32-15), Saturday March 12. The XV of Clover can still hope to win the final victory in the Six Nations Tournament. The English will therefore go to the Stade de France on March 19, with nothing to gain, except to deprive the Blues of a Grand Slam. A motivation that should be enough for them…
Never stingy with incendiary pre-match phrases, Eddie Jones had promised “hell” to Ireland. The danger of these provocations is that they can quickly turn against you. Even if he is Australian, the coach of England took the boomerang full force.
In his defense, General Jones was quickly abandoned by his soldiers. From the third minute, Charlie Ewels went headlong into James Ryan. The obvious high tackle was sanctioned by a red card. The XV of the Rose had already lost one of its petals, certainly not the most delicate but still quite important to handicap the team.
Reduced to 14 against the Irish reassembled like Swiss cuckoo clocks, the English drank the cup instantly. The grizzled Sexton was still just as young against the poles (3-0, 4th). A few moments later, Lowe was at the conclusion of a perfectly played surplus on the closed side (8-0, 6th)
The green reaper nearly passed the double blade in the 13th minute, when the third line Caelan Doris took himself for Jonah Lomu, sending Randall on the buttocks to flatten in a corner. Unfortunately for the XV of Clover, the test was finally canceled for a preliminary advance, following a new ball slowed down by Maro Itoje. The English second line, through his experience, then became the symbol of a dominated team but which managed, thanks to his knowledge of the game, to lull the Irish spirit somewhat.
Marcus Smith, who had no opportunity to show his genius with the ball in hand, on the other hand assured the foot (2/3) and even brought the XV of the Rose back to a respectable distance (6-8) at half an hour. game. At that time, Ireland, however the most disciplined team of the Tournament, was already conceding 8 penalties.
Was the worm in the clover? While England completely chloroformed their opponent, the latter still jumped. A penalty quickly played by hand by the tricky Gibson-Park sent Keenan behind the in-goal of an English defense for once disorganized (6-15, 37th). But Smith still spoke his foot there to allow his people to hang on just before the break (9-15, 40th). If not brilliant, this England was a fighter.
The recovery confirmed it. Genge’s partners, monstrous in the scrum, then put the Irish forwards on their heels in each grouping and Smith continued to garner (12-15, 53rd). The opening half continued his festival and coldly concretized the work of his teammates to finally, 20 minutes from the end, snatch the equalizer (15-15). Unreal, if we remember the first ten minutes of play.
Sexton was in vain to restore three points in advance to the Irish, the latter bent under the weight of the incessant English candles. 8 minutes from the end, however, physical logic eventually regained the upper hand: England, flushed out by their excess of energy, gave in on a third try from returning Conan (15-25, 72nd), then on that of offensive bonus thanks to Bealham (76th).
Andy Farrell’s men have been very hot but remain in contention to win the tournament. For that they will first have to beat Scotland on the last day, Saturday afternoon, before praying that England surprise France in the evening. We would then have to get out the calculators. The Blues can avoid this headache and know what they have to do.