- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Ireland took full advantage of a record-breaking red card for England lock Charlie Ewels 82 seconds into their Six Nations clash at Twickenham after less than two minutes to claim a bonus-point 32-15 victory that keeps them in the hunt for the Six Nations title.
Ewels was sent off for a head-on-head tackle on Ireland second row James Ryan on Saturday after just 82 seconds and Ireland led 15-9 at halftime after tries for James Lowe and Hugo Keenan.
England hit back superbly to level the match via Marcus Smith’s boot in an amazing atmosphere but Ireland finished strongly as tries by Jack Conan and Finlay Bealham earned a potentially key bonus point.
France top the standings on 18 points after winning their first four games and will take the Grand Slam with victory over England next week.
Ireland have 16 and could still take their first title since 2018 with victory or possibly even a draw against Scotland in Dublin if England can upset France in the final game of the championship.
A French draw could also be enough for Ireland to top the standings with a win.
“We showed today how much it means to be part of this team. We didn’t give up for a second,” said England captain Courtney Lawes.
“We knew it was going to be tough from minute two. As soon as the red card went up the energy went up – but we were pretty tired at the end.”
The eagerly-awaited showdown appeared to be effectively decided when Ewels’ upright tackle on opposite number James Ryan gave the officials no room for “mitigation”.
It was the earliest sending off for any team since the championship began in 1883 as Ewels became the seventh England player to be sent off in a Test.
After a Johnny Sexton penalty, the dangerous Lowe was given way too much space and crossed for the opening try to give the visitors an 8-0 lead.
England regrouped well forcing a series of penalties enabling Smith to get it back to 8-6, only for a great running line by fullback Keenan to stretch the lead, which was 15-9 at halftime after another Smith penalty.
England regularly demolished the Ireland scrum after the break as Twickenham scented a victory for the ages as Smith clipped over two penalties to level the scores after an hour.
They exploded again when Freddie Steward grabbed an interception on his own line and galloped clear for a certain try, only for play to be called back for an Ireland penalty.
It proved the turning point of the match as Sexton knocked it over before Ireland piled on the pressure, eventually forcing England’s goalline defence to crack when Conan crossed in the corner and Bealham then bundled over for the potentially key fourth try.
England now go to Paris seeking to avoid three championship defeats for the second year in a row, while Ireland will need to do a job on Scotland then sit back and, if they can, cheer England on in Paris.
England coach Eddie Jones said the match was a great learning experience for his side, but they suffered for inexperience and over exuberance.
“I thought we were in a position to win the game,” said Jones. “Our inexperience and exuberance is fantastic for the team but it cost us a bit at the end.
Jones said his side “opened the field up for Ireland” in the latter stages as Jack Conan and Finlay Bealham made it over the tryline to end England’s chances of winning the title.
“It’s just experience, knowing what to do at the right time,” he continued. “All young players go through that.”
Jones said he had no issue with the red card because “the safety of the players is paramount”.
“It’s just something you’ve got to adapt and respond to,” he added.
Jones’ side travel to Paris to take on France, who are chasing a Grand Slam after dominating the first four rounds of the tournament.
“We’ll be right,” Jones said.
“We don’t have a shortage of spirit. We’ll get ourselves right and rip into France. You’ve got to set-piece well against them. The way they attack gives you opportunities to attack against them.”
England full-back Steward was as hopeful about England’s final game as Jones, but admitted losing any chance of wining the title was “devastating”.
“The Six Nations is always a tournament we want to win and that’s not going to be possible,” he said.
“This team is one that is not going to give up. We’ll review the game and we’ll attack the France game as we would any other. It’s a really exciting prospect to go to that atmosphere and put on a show.”
Meanwhile, Centre Chris Harris scored a brace of tries as Scotland edged to a 33-22 bonus-point victory over Italy in their Six Nations encounter at the Stadio Olimpico, inflicting a 36th successive defeat in the competition on their hosts.
Centre Sam Johnson, wing Darcy Graham and fullback Stuart Hogg also crossed for tries as Scotland came out on top in a game that was more of a street fight than an arm wrestle, with both teams playing some loose rugby compounded by errors.
Italy had managed only a single try in the Six Nations coming into the game, but got three in Rome as scrumhalf Callum Braley and debutant Ange Capuozzo, with a brace, crossed to score.
Capuozzo’s first try gave the home side their first second-half points in this year’s competition.
Scotland move into fourth in the table with 10 points from their four games, while Italy remain marooned at the foot of the standings, having yet to break their duck and with a game to come in Wales next weekend.
Italy had scored only 16 points in their three games before this one, so their haul against Scotland is another sign of their slow, but visible, improvement under coach Kieran Crowley.
It is hard to argue with a five-try win, though the visitors will be unhappy with some aspects of their play, particularly how they gave up possession with unforced errors.
It took Scotland almost a quarter of the game to string together some phases and enter the Italy 22, with their attack launched by the unlikely sight of hooker George Turner bursting down the right wing. The move was finished in the opposite corner by Johnson.
One quickly became two as Scotland went coast to coast from their own 22 after an intercept from scrumhalf Ali Price, who fed wing Kyle Steyn.
The latter’s kick towards the posts was collected unopposed by Harris to canter home.
Italy got their reward for a bright first half-hour when they found some space outside, wing Pierre Bruno showing excellent feet to stay in the field as he released the ball inside for Braley to score.
Harris scored another as the visitors led 19-10 at halftime, and they claimed their bonus-point try eight minutes into the second period when Finn Russell passed inside to Graham, who zig-zagged his way across the tryline.
Hogg cantered in for the visitors’ fifth try with 20 minutes remaining, but the last two scores in the game went to the lively Capuozzo as Italy finished the stronger.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.