Duncan Casey: Ireland doing the simple things well? More of that please

England's current problems can be traced directly back to the acrimonious departure of Felix Jones from the set up in August.

HAPPY HOOKER: Ireland's Dan Sheehan puts an exclamation mark on his country's fourth and bonus point try in the Six Nations opener against England at the Aviva Stadium. Pic: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

WHILE the full-time score in the Aviva probably flattered England, it didn’t look like things were going to pan out that way in the first half. The general consensus ahead of the game was that an Irish win was a certainty but I was less convinced. Though they lost three out of four in a terrible November series, England had looked like a side who could beat anyone but who lacked the stamina and composure to do so.

Their current problems can be traced directly back to the acrimonious departure of Felix Jones from the set up in August 2024. Felix handed in his notice because he didn’t see himself staying there long-term. A disastrous bit of news for Borthwick and the RFU, who had hired him seven months earlier, but these things happen in professional sport.