By Mitch Phillips
LONDON -Eire took full benefit of a purple card for England lock Charlie Ewels after lower than two minutes of Saturday’s titanic Six Nations encounter at Twickenham to say a bonus-point 32-15 victory that retains them within the hunt for the title.
Ewels was despatched off for a head-on-head deal with on Eire second row James Ryan and Eire led 15-9 at halftime after tries for James Lowe and Hugo Keenan.
England hit again fantastically to stage the match by way of Marcus Smith’s boot in an incredible ambiance however Eire completed strongly as tries by Jack Conan and Finlay Bealham earned a doubtlessly key bonus level.
France prime the standings on 18 factors after successful their first 4 video games and can take the grand slam with victory over England subsequent week.
Eire have 16 and will nonetheless take their first title since 2018 with victory or probably even a draw towards Scotland in Dublin if England can upset France within the closing sport of the championship. A French draw is also sufficient for Eire to prime the standings with a win.
“Typically with 14 males you don't have anything to lose and we turned a bit determined at instances however we stayed on process and bought an excellent victory and completely deserved that bonus level,” stated Eire coach Andy Farrell.
England coach Eddie Jones stated he had no difficulty with the purple card and as a substitute praised his group’s spirit and tactical self-discipline. “At 15-all we simply made a few errors that allow them again in however I couldn’t be prouder,” he stated.
The eagerly-awaited showdown seemed to be successfully determined with 82 seconds on the clock when Ewels’ upright deal with on reverse quantity James Ryan gave the officers no room for “mitigation” to scale back the punishment to yellow.
It was the earliest sending off for any group for the reason that championship started in 1883 as Ewels turned the seventh England participant to be despatched off and the primary since Elliot Daly early on towards Argentina in 2016. England got here by means of to win that sport however an in-form Eire was a unique proposition.
They have been shortly 8-0 up after the damaging Lowe crossed however England regrouped effectively, forcing a collection of penalties enabling Smith to get it again to 8-6. An incredible operating line by fullback Keenan stretched the lead, which was 15-9 at halftime after one other Smith penalty.
England got here out stuffed with power after the break, usually demolishing the Eire scrum and the Twickenham crowd, all of the sudden scenting a victory for the ages, have been at full quantity as Smith clipped over two penalties to stage the scores after an hour.
They exploded once more when Freddie Steward grabbed an interception on his personal line and galloped clear for a sure attempt, just for play to be known as again for an Eire penalty. It proved the turning level of the match as Sexton knocked it over.
Eire then piled on the stress and England’s gutsy goalline defence finally cracked when Conan crossed within the nook and Bealham then bundled over for the important thing fourth attempt.
It was harsh on England, whose followers gave them a rousing reception – far more so than after their scruffy victory over Wales two weeks in the past – absolutely appreciating the monumental effort they put in to remain within the sport for therefore lengthy when so deprived.
However they now go to Paris looking for to keep away from three championship defeats for the second 12 months in a row, whereas Eire might want to do a job on Scotland then sit again and, if they'll, cheer England on in Paris.
“Already within the dressing room we’re wanting forward and I feel already the main target has shifted,” Sexton stated. “Now we have an opportunity to win a triple crown in entrance of our personal crowd and I feel England can go over there and do some harm.”
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