The rugby world shall be within the unfamiliar place of wanting England to win in a fortnight. Scotland, specifically, shall be wishing it arduous. Ireland are six factors away from the sphere after three rounds, which implies a bonus-point victory at Twickenham in spherical 4 would yield them the title, even earlier than the go to of Scotland in spherical 5. Just a win would all but assure it.
“It sets it up nicely,” stated Andy Farrell, “because we’ve earned the right to get to that point. But going to Twickenham, everyone knows how difficult a task that is. We will certainly be looking forward to that after the fallow week.”
It is conventional at this level to say that group X may have to be higher once they go to group Y subsequent, but the reality is, Ireland won’t actually. They might not have been at their finest towards Wales in profitable 31-7, but they have been so significantly better than the group who ran England shut within the earlier spherical that they get pleasure from important room for error.
A bonus-point victory, their third from three, was secured with the final play of the sport, but they performed practically half the second half with 14 males, courtesy of yellow playing cards for Tadhg Beirne and, within the final 10 minutes, James Ryan. The truth they appeared to wobble with out ever main by lower than 10 tells its personal story.
Much will rely on how England react to their defeat at Murrayfield. Farrell wouldn’t be drawn on what Ireland want to do to beat England. “We played against the same side [Wales] that played at Twickenham [in round two],” Ireland’s coach stated. “So you could say that Wales played better here than they did at Twickenham, but we still found a way.
“It’s not as simple as saying we need to be better to win at Twickenham. Of course, we always want to play better, but the game is what it is, from minute one. For example, we’re winning the penalty count hands down at half-time and then all of a sudden within minutes of the second half, it has evened up. That could happen in two weeks’ time. The game takes its own shape, but there’s parts of our game we obviously need to improve. That’s never, ever going to be any different, but I suppose it won’t be for England either.”
It was amid that rush of penalties towards Ireland initially of the second half that Wales scored their solely factors, a penalty attempt from a Wales lineout and drive, which additionally noticed Beirne obtain the primary of the yellow playing cards. One may say Wales have been fortunate to be awarded it – Farrell actually had his doubts – but it was as shut as they got here to bothering their hosts.
Ireland scored from a lineout and drive themselves within the first half, then swung the ball this fashion and that for his or her second, completed by James Lowe. After their “wobble” initially of the second half, they registered tries within the remaining quarter by Ciaran Frawley and Beirne.
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Can anybody cease them? One factor we are able to say for certain. England will want to be higher if they’re to get even shut.
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