Steve Borthwick’s side have the potential to upset their all-conquering opponents but must cut out errors
It is now 54 years since Tony O’Reilly, briefly back on loan from the executive world, turned up at Twickenham in a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce to play for Ireland. At no other time in rugby history, though, has an Irish squad cruised more smoothly into south-west London, nor been more widely tipped to accelerate away from an England team currently positioned several rows behind them on the grid.
The pre-match stats certainly hint at a Max Verstappen-esque procession: Ireland are chasing their fifth straight Test victory in this fixture and have won all three of their previous championship games by 21 points, 36 points and 24 points respectively. In their past 25 Tests they have lost just twice (to New Zealand, on both occasions). Aside from their agonising one-point defeat to the All Blacks in the World Cup quarter-final, they have been sweeping all before them.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/mar/08/england-must-stop-cohesive-ireland-or-pay-price-six-nations-rugby-union under the title “England must stop cohesive Ireland at source or pay the price”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
