Slammed into submission

Ireland 6 England 42

Though Ireland were merely seven points adrift at the break, the outcome was never in question.

They lacked that killer instinct which Clive Woodward's charges possessed in abundance and duly displayed in a second half of shock and awe for which the home side simply had no answer.

Throughout Ireland were stifled up front and strangled whenever they looked to be in threatening positions.

Take for example the quarter hour prior to the break when the Irish pushed and pushed but failed to gain any return for a significant period of pressure. It was the defining time of the game. England, against the wind, led by six points at the interval and importantly scored the only try of a frenetic opening spell.

English pressure forced the error by Peter Stringer at the base of a scrum. The lightening hands of Matt Dawson whipped up possession at the wheel, he made ground and sent Lawrence Dallaglio steaming away for a try that Jonny Wilkinson converted with ease.

Wilkinson went on to justify his Man of the Match status with a superb variety of kicking and tackling while his opposite number David Humphreys was laboured with a grave lack of quality possession.

One wonders how Ronan O'Gara would have fared had he been introduced a little earlier.

English coach Clive Woodward could afford to smile with a Grand Slam title firmly in his grasp.

"O'Driscoll is always dangerous. We laid out a plan to keep him quiet and we figured we might win if we achieved it.

"All due credit to Ireland. We won well. It was convincing on the scoreboard but it wasn't quite as easy on the pitch. I thought Ireland played some pretty good rugby. Unfortunately, sometimes it was catch-up rugby and in that circumstance it's always difficult."

Nothing could more graphically illustrate that comment than England's last try when Geordan Murphy, one of Ireland's lone stars, flicked inside to the waiting Keith Gleeson inside his own '22 close.

Dan Luger intercepted the pass and England turned the screw further to push themselves into a 42-6 lead.

It was one of those days for Ireland in the second half. A fact which coach Eddie O'Sullivan accepted. "We had our chances and we needed scores at crucial times. We didn't take advantage and that is not good enough against a team like England," he said.

It was all the more painful as Ireland had made all of the early running. Humphreys was short with a long range penalty goal but made amends when he dropped a goal after five minutes. But then England struck back with that quick-fire try from Dallaglio and conversion from Wilkinson before Humphreys kicked a 27th minute penalty to keep Ireland within touching distance.

But then came the crucial stage. After O'Driscoll was turned over near the England line on 37 minutes, England stormed back to take a six points lead with a drop goal from the effective Wilkinson.

The third quarter was hard fought but you sensed that one more English score would seal this. It came midway through the half from Mike Tindall and substitute Paul Grayson kicked the conversion to push England into a 14 point lead.

Then the floodgates opened.

Will Greenwood went in for another try five minutes later and Wilkinson, by then back on the pitch after some running repairs, kicked the conversion.

Three minutes later the out half kicked a penalty and England polished the Irish off in injury time with tries from Greenwood and Luger, the second of which was converted by Wilkinson.

There can be no complaints about the outcome even though Irish coach O'Sullivan and his squad can still be proud to look back on ten victories from eleven games this season.

Still, the perfectionist that he is, O'Sullivan wanted a 100% return. And certainly he didn't want his side beaten as badly as they were yesterday.

IRELAND: G. Murphy (Leicester), J. Bishop (London Irish), B. O'Driscoll (Blackrock), K. Maggs (Bath), D. Hickie (St. Mary's), D. Humphreys (Dungannon), P. Stringer (Shannon), M. Horan (Shannon), S. Byrne (Blackrock), J. Hayes (Shannon), G. Longwell (Ballymena), M. O'Kelly (St. Mary's), V. Costello (St. Mary's), A. Foley (Shannon), K. Gleeson (St. Mary's). Replacements. P. O'Connell (Young Munster) for Longwell (59), R. O'Gara (Cork Constitution) for Humphreys (63), A. Quinlan (Shannon) for Costello (70), J. Fitzpatrick (Dungannon) for Horan (76), G. Dempsey for O'Driscoll (81, injured).

ENGLAND: J. Lewsey (Wasps), J. Robinson (Sale), W. Greenwood (Harlequins), M. Tindall (Bath), B. Cohen (Northampton), J. Wilkinson (Newcastle), M. Dawson (Northampton), G. Rowntree (Leicester), s. Thompson (Northampton), J. Leonard (Harlequins), M. Johnson (Leicester, captain), B. Kay (Leicester), R. Hill (Saracens), L. Dallaglio (Wasps). K. Bracken (Saracens) for Dawson (injured, 70), D. Luger (Harlequins) for Cohen (71), temporary replacements. J. Worsley (Wasps) for Hill (24-34)