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And while we wait for kick-off, have a read of this: Talk of cheap-shots and health puts focus on referee ahead of Ireland-England
You can follow our man on the ground, Tom Hamilton(@tomESPNscrum), who'll be giving us his live updates straight from Twickenham.
ESPN's preview of the game can be read HERE.
ENGLAND XV: Brown, Watson, Joseph, Farrell, Nowell, Ford, Youngs; Marler, Hartley (c), Cole, Itoje, Kruis, Robshaw, Haskell, B. Vunipola
Replacements: George, M. Vunipola, Hill, Lawes, Clifford, Care, Daly, Goode
IRELAND XV: Kearney, Trimble, Henshaw, McCloskey, Earls, Sexton, Murray; McGrath, Best, Ross, Ryan, Toner, Stander, Van der Flier, Heaslip
Replacements: Strauss, Healy, White, Dillane, Ruddock, Reddan, Madigan, Zebo
Hello and welcome to ESPN's live commentary of the Six Nations clash between England and Ireland!
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| 1 |
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And it's taken just 36 seconds for the first scrun. Ireland's ball.
England have kicked us underway here at Twickenham!
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| 2 |
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Scrum required resetting, but we're now into some bash and barging. Ireland the one on the prowl, but Murray's kick falls into Brown's grasp. England's go to attack now.
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| 3 |
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George Ford tries his own kick, and it's given England some territory, albeit not much.
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| 4 |
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Another scrum as England are penalised for the knock on.
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| 5 |
0 - 3 |
Dan Cole concedes the penalty. Disappointing for England and Cole. Binding issues, lost his footing and the scrum collapsed. Sexton now has the chance for the first points.
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| 6 |
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Ireland try to pass and play the ball out of danger, but get caught in their own 22. Forced to eventually kick it clear. Ireland have the majority of the ball so far.
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| 7 |
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Watson down the left flank for England after some good, patient possession. Nice phases from England.
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| 8 |
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England are penalised for foul play, Ireland have the penalty and have booted up for the lineout deep in English territory.
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| 9 |
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Great tackle from Joseph who stops the bulldozing Henshaw. So far, an entertaining game. Both sides battling it out in the middle of the pitch, Ireland probably just edging it at the moment.
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| 10 |
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Penalty for England after CJ Stander failed to roll away. Opportunity here to level the scores.
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| 11 |
3 - 3 |
Farrell - penalty goal
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| 12 |
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Wonderful kick from Ford and Watson timed his run brilliantly, collecting well. However, England aren't able to hold their feet and have gifted Ireland the free kick into the corner.
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| 14 |
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Ireland couldn't do much with the lineout and England launch a massive counterattack which accumulates nearly the entire length of pitch. Nowell and Brown chase, but Kearney holds on, JUST! England have conceded the penalty again though, and have pretty much surrendered all their territory again.
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| 15 |
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| 16 |
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Penalty for England missed!
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| 18 |
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Murray tries another kick, Brown collects for England. The home nation are working it swiftly down the line, and slowly but surely have made their way in their way into the Irish 22 courtesy of Nowell. Try looming...
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| 19 |
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Ireland escape that, and Earls has kicked clear.
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| 21 |
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Ireland penalised for another knock on and we've got the English scrum.
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| 22 |
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Ireland penalised for collapsing the scrum and England have the chance to punt into the corner.
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| 23 |
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Vunipola escapes the back of the driving maul, and it's nearly a try! Ireland need to call on three defenders to force the bulldozing Englishman into touch.
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| 24 |
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Kruis takes the lineout and England are pushing for the try, just under the sticks...
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| 25 |
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England's first, big muscular drive from England. Another great carry for B Vunipola to get things off and England's captain Hartley has grounded it just under the sticks. TMO's required to see if the try is to stand or not. Been ruled out for a double movement.
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| 26 |
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Ireland scrum bang on half way.
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| 27 |
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England desperate for that try, Nowell pushing hard through the right hand channel but Ireland keep him out.
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| 28 |
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Scrum just under the posts with England to feed.
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| 29 |
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Rory Best has stopped a certain try just on the line - great stuff! England still pushing very hard for those five points. They've built it to phase 8 and B Vunipola has made his tenth carry of the game!
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| 31 |
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Ireland scrum within their half now. The men in green have slowed the game down a tad, but they're still very much on the back foot.
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| 32 |
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Marler penalised for collapsing, chance for Ireland to clear their lines.
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| 33 |
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| 34 |
6 - 3 |
Penalty for England! Haskell working hard in the breakdown and are Ireland penalised for tackling off their feet. Farrell to have a shot at goal.
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| 35 |
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Laser precision. Good kick. Deservedly infront.
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| 36 |
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| 37 |
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B Vunipola again carrying the ball into battle - great effort. England have built it to phase 8...
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| 38 |
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Just as it looked like Joseph was away for the try, Brown's offload is penalised for offside.
England tackles made - 38
Ireland tackles made - 90
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| 39 |
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| 40 |
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HALF TIME
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| 40+1 |
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ESPN's Tom Hamilton had this to say straight from Twickenham:
"In utterly Baltic conditions at Twickenham, England head into the break wondering exactly how they haven't managed to get a try on the board. They are just 6-3 ahead but the first-half has been dominant from Eddie Jones' side but composure is lacking and they have a horrible habit of knocking on or throwing inaccurate passes when the try line is gaping. Billy Vunipola and Jonathan Joseph have enjoyed good first-half's while Maro Itoje has made his presence felt and won a key turnover in the final stages of the half. Find that composure and Ireland are there for the taking for England but this game is still nicely poised with just three points in it."
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| 40 |
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We're back underway here at Twickenham!
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| 42 |
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Ireland have the penalty and have kicked for the lineout in the corner. Could have gone for the points but didn't fancy it.
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| 43 |
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The lineout -- which is deep in the English 22 -- is won by Stander and Ireland are pushing hard for the try, but they're being kept out for the minute.
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| 44 |
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High tackle from James Haskell and he's off for 10 minutes. Played really well up until now, shame. Ireland again have gone for the lineout.
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| 45 |
6 - 8 |
The lineout turns into the usual driving maul but Robshaw has done well to keep Ireland at bay, so far anyway...
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| 46 |
6 - 10 |
IRELAND TRY!
Decision to kick to the corner has paid off! Murray erupts from the deck with the ball and jumps with the ball over the line. A sniper's try. Great kick from Sexton as well who adds the extra points.
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| 48 |
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Ireland penalised for taking the man out, penalty for England... Devin Toner the man at fault.
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| 49 |
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And Farrell's teeing it up...
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| 50 |
9 - 10 |
48 metres, but it doesn't matter -- 3 points!
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| 52 |
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Ireland are exploring England's 22 but can't make much of it. Bash and barge from the Irish forwards, but struggling to make any sort of opening.
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| 53 |
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Great work from England at the breakdown and they've won the scrum!
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| 54 |
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B Vunipola takes the ball from the scrum and carries the ball again into battle. Has had such a good game so far. Very brave and committed performance.
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| 55 |
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| 56 |
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Late hit from Sexton by Youngs has got him dazed. Was passed the ball moments after the tackle, and fumbles it. Unlike him. Scrum now.
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| 57 |
14 - 10 |
England are back to how they ended the first half by bashing their way into the Irish 22. Just under the sticks from 5m, can they make it...
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| 58 |
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ENGLAND TRY!
Anthony Watson scores! Great stuff from England and finally they have a try. Nowell did brilliantly on the right hand touch line, and two/three phases later Watson gets over for five points.
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| 60 |
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Ireland penalised for being offside at the ruck and they have the penalty, which is kicked for the lineout upfield.
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| 61 |
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Great work from the English pack at the lineout. They've forced the driving maul and made substantial ground. They're 5m short...
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| 62 |
19 - 10 |
ENGLAND TRY!
Ireland just blown away again. Simple passing from England opens the way for Brown down the right flank. Ireland were really sretched after Watson's initial burst down the opposite flank.
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| 63 |
21 - 10 |
Farrell - conversion
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| 64 |
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England aren't allowing Ireland any time on the ball again, forcing them back into their own half. Zebo tries to escape with ball in hand but he's quickly nailed to the deck again.
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| 65 |
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Ooooooh so close for Ireland!
What a last ditch tackle from Nowell that was! The England winger JUST forces Henshaw to drop the ball about a foot away from the line. Could not have been anywhere nearer to being a try.
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| 66 |
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| 67 |
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Ireland penalty, but they've gone for the corner lineout as they need a try, three points isn't going to do much at the moment.
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| 70 |
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Ireland do have the ball -- and have held it for the past three or so minutes -- but they're really struggling to make any sort of ground. They're pushing, though...
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| 71 |
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Danny Care is off for a cynical infringement. Penalised for not rolling away. Ireland have the scrum from 5m and England don't have a scrumhalf...
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| 72 |
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| 73 |
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Ireland have a very good shout at a try. Josh Van der Flier very nearly scores for Ireland. Daly successfully holds it up and the referee says the ball hasn't been grounded! Scrum now from 5m.
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| 74 |
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Ireland penalised for a collapsing scrum and England have the penalty - a chance to kick clear and release the pressure! Crucial penalty!
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| 76 |
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Ireland pinched the lineout, but it's not long before England have another penalty after Jack Clifford closes the door so Ireland's Henshaw can't roll away.
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| 77 |
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Another England penalty as Ireland are penalised for offside.
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| 78 |
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Lineout in the Ireland 22 results in the driving maul and England are pushing well...
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| 79 |
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Man of the match has gone to Billy Vunipola, he's made 18 carries and has been excellent today for Jones' side.
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| 80 |
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FULL TIME!
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| 80+1 |
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ESPN's Tom Hamilton had this to say straight from Twickenham:
"England are three from three after a 21-10 win over Ireland at a freezing Twickenham. Anthony Watson and Mike Brown's tries proved to be the difference but ill-discipline will worry them - they had two players sin-binned - and so will their inability to finish off some good attacking positions. Billy Vunipola was again heroic for England but so was Jonathan Sexton for Ireland. England will now prepare for Wales in a fortnight as the prospect of a long-awaited Grand Slam hangs over them."
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