Digby's Minute-by-minute (to save the Ireland thread)

[Digby]

Minute 57

England send the ball back to Sinckler who's in a pod of 3 with Curry inside and Underhill outside. Ireland have 3 defenders ahead of them, the middle of those Irish defenders (Toner) takes Sinckler but he's dropped the ball off to Underhill and Underhill runs into the space Toner was and Henderson cannot match Underhill who moves ahead waits for the cover and then sends Curry clear for the line.

[Digby]

Minute 58

Presented with another kick in front of the posts the conversion is made inside 60 seconds.

England take the restart, picture a little obscured by replays. Heinz box kicks downfield, and Ireland gather a contestable kick, the ball is with Henderson pretty much smack in the middle of the pitch as the minute ends

[Digby]

Minute 59

Excellent footwork from Sinckler, as both Marler and Billy are pushing up hard outside him and he has plenty of space to cover to get across and make a tackle on Carty. For a tighthead prop about an hour into the match on a hot day it's a remarkable effort.

Carty gets the ball away to POM who's tackled by Marler, LCD is straight in over the ball and once Toner can't clear him out it's just a matter of waiting for Nigel to award the penalty, as LCD even effects a turnover we get the advantage and Heinz passes to Farrell who kicks left footed down the left touchline for May to chase, the kick is too far so it's back for the advantage.

[Digby]

Minute 60

Farrell puts a good kick out deep into Ireland's 22, just.

England win the lineout and try to set a maul, but Ireland lay waste to that idea, so Heinz gives the ball to Big Joe to carry up, which is fine, but after less impressive carries from LCD and Lawes we find Porter clamped onto the ball. Damned if I can see a release from Porter after he and Toner tackled Lawes, but Kruis and Itoje can't shift him, there's another turnover and this time it's Ireland getting the reward.

[Digby]

Minute 61

Ireland kick to touch for the lineout, and they even win said lineout, just.

Ireland pass down the line, and kindly they're doing so without drawing any defenders which is nice to save the England lads needing to adjust with quick footwork in this heat. Ireland do get to the outside and Stockdale is running down the touchline with Cokanasiga trying to get across, but Manu is even quicker across and Stockdale puts a foot into touch.

[Digby]

Minute 62

Lawes wins lineout ball, and there's scope for the ball to have gone higher.

Ford puts up a high kick, Ireland claim the kick and England go for a hold up maul turnover. I'm with Owens here having Ireland retain the put in for the scrum, I don't want England encouraged to kick more

[Digby]

Minute 63

Ireland get the ball to the back of the scrum

[Digby]

Minute 64

Ireland pass down the line, they're miles away from the defensive line when passing and the supposed dummy runners are a waste of time. Leinster didn't look a thing like this under Schmidt, so it's not like he doesn't know about shape and passing of an attacking line. Passing that early would be okay if you put a fast man into space I suppose, but Stockdale gets man and ball and loses the ball forwards in contact

[Digby]

Minute 65

England win the scrum, or at least enough for Nigel to want the ball used. Excellent hands from Farrell waiting for the defender to be drawn in before dropping a pass off to Cokanasiga. Big Joe has space in front of him but also Stockdale coming across, Stockdale rather sums up his day by gallantly buying the dummy from Cokanasiga rather than having to dive into the spokes trying to tackle him, try next to the posts.

[Digby]

Minute 66

Another easy conversion, and again the kick is made inside 60 seconds.

Ireland restart and Toner is adjudged to play Itoje in the air, a touch harsh maybe given how close to a fair contest that is, but understandable. England try to use the advantage passing down the line but it's all a mess and it's back for the penalty.

[Digby]

Minute 67

England win lineout ball and pass the ball wide. Ireland simply don't have a good enough system to cope with Ford, Farrell and Daly as receivers and the power running options around them often enough, they do manage it here but they're not looking comfortable as to who should be doing what, though lots of subs are on now and it's their first real hit out,

Ford makes a cross field kick around 10m too far, Carty claims the mark, taps to himself and hits a wobbly kick ahead into the England half.

[Digby]

Minute 68

Some kicking tennis which we haven't had much of in fairness, Ireland clearly win this mini game and end up with a lineout which they manage to slap back on their side just inside England's half.

There's a nice tip on pass from Toner in one of the phases they run, otherwise not much is happening until Manu is pinged for being offside. Not entirely sure what Manu does wrong tbh, he runs up after McGrath picks the ball up, he isn't stood behind Toner before the ball is picked up, but nobody is, Toner seems incidental and is simply lying on the floor near where the offside line would be. You could perhaps say Francis was marginally offside, but Francis was edging back just prior to the halfback picking up and was still edging back as he did and then didn't really run forwards. And if it was somehow Francis how the skinny white bloke in a scrum cap looks like Manu is going to need Scooby and the gang to solve that mystery.

[Digby]

Minute 69

Ireland kick to touch (after being allowed to play to see if there was an advantage)

[Digby]

Minute 70

Ireland win their lineout, try to maul, get stopped.

Ireland bring the ball out to Porter who rather ducks into Lawes and so perhaps you let Lawes off the high tackle, Courtney is clearly worried his arm around the neck is judged not his fault so he falls on the wrong side of the tackle to ensure a penalty is actually awarded. You have to admire the commitment.

Cary kicks back into the corner

[Digby]

Minute 71

Ireland lose manage to knock the lineout ball back in their side but under pressure the ball has squirted out into touch. England decide to just catch their own lineout throw.

Have Ireland hired the Welsh lineout coach?

[Digby]

Minute 72

Heinz gets away a box kick into touch, it's a little short and ignored with England so far in the lead.

Ireland win a lineout with POM at the front. Ireland don't threaten a line break but they do manage to carry with some determination, and the ball is being played at good speed

[Digby]

Minute 73

Another tip on pass and Ireland make good positive ground, ball moved to the shoreside where Aki takes it. Ford runs out of the line towards Aki allowing Aki to step him, Billy steps across into the channel Ford has vacated but that opens the space between Billy and Itoje on his inside and Aki steps through that too.

Daly has collected a fair amount of criticism for his defence on Aki, but he's got too much space either side of him to really defend one runner coming at pace. Daly might as well take on a punt on where Aki will be rather than get sat back on his heels, but if he's moving to the outside Aki would probably have just stepped back inside given the space. Once Daly has sat back on his heels he can't catch Aki in a race for the line.


Minute 74

More than a minute taken and the conversion is missed anyway

[Digby]

Minute 75

Ireland take the restart from England, Conway initially makes some ground but Ireland are forced back into the 22 and Carty clears off the pitch up to halfway or so

[Digby]

Minute 76

England win the lineout, Francis carries the ball up and just before contact tips it on to Billy. Billy is pretty well tackled.

A couple of decent passes, Daly dinks the ball ahead for Cokanasiga to chase, but it dribbles into touch for a 5m lineout to Ireland

[Digby]

Minute 77

Ireland mess up another lineout, ball goes over the back where LCD takes it and flops over for a try.


Minute 78

Nothing happens, something might have happened, but around 80 seconds after the try was scored and as Ford was eventually getting around to taking the conversion the officials decide to review the try. Just a waste of time, and odd they didn't look earlier if there was any reason to

[Digby]

Minute 79

Ford knocks over the extras

Ireland restart, England kick the ball away in faintly shambolic style, but they've perhaps already moved on to more important matters in their minds, whether what shall I have for tea, or I hope Mako isn't badly injured I don't know.

Ireland run the ball back to almost halfway

[Digby]

Minute 80

Having barely given away a penalty all game we get pinged twice in seconds, first playing the ball off feet, can't be bothered to check who, and then Kruis with a high shot that he's yellow carded for. All suggesting we have switched off.

Ireland kick out for a linnet, Ireland lose the lineout. This is surely one of the worst lineout displays ever.

England just kick it off the park. Game over, and really that's a daft scoreline. Ireland are much better than that, maybe not in attack but surely in defence.

[Digby]

Overall very happy with George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Underhill, Curry, Billy and Manu. George is sailing well under the radar on the praise front.

And happy with everyone else, even Youngs who really did move the ball quickly alongside some daft errors

[Puja]

Overall very happy with George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Underhill, Curry, Billy and Manu. George is sailing well under the radar on the praise front.

And happy with everyone else, even Youngs who really did move the ball quickly alongside some daft errors

What about Marler!? On a serious note, I thought he did very well in the rucks and looked like he'd never been away.

Puja

[Banquo]

Overall very happy with George, Sinckler, Itoje, Kruis, Underhill, Curry, Billy and Manu. George is sailing well under the radar on the praise front.

And happy with everyone else, even Youngs who really did move the ball quickly alongside some daft errors

Ford? I was very happy.