Irish boys take all the honours

Ireland 27 England 19

Any win over England is welcome but this was rather special. Three minutes into the game, the powerful English struck with a fantastic try after ripping the Irish defence to shreds.

But physique doesn't always win matches and Ireland, combining tactical awareness, sheer will power and high levels of skill in key positions, ultimately emerged as the better side.

England will bemoan the fact that opening try scorer, the impressive Peter Swatkins, had to retire with a hip injury and that second row Ian Kench was taken off on a stretcher when he fractured an ankle before the break.

But they cannot have many other complaints because Ireland, through Thomas Anderson (son of Willie Anderson) and Conor McInerney totally dominated the line outs. That they managed to do so said much about the quality of Cian Culleton's "dart" throwing.

When English captain Glen Townson, flanker Sam Stitcher, out half Giles Pryor and particularly centre Jack Adams threatened Ireland, they found the Irish back row trio of captain David Pollock, William Falloon and Rory Hamilton a huge force to be reckoned with.

At scrum half, Adam Bartholomew grew in stature, and outside him Brian Collins ran the show from number ten. Ultimately, with a lot of help from centres Mark McRea, Keith Earls (son of former Munster flanker Ger Earls) and Luke Fitzgerald (son of former Irish international prop Des Fitzgerald), the left winger Vasily Artemiev, Ireland prospered.

Swatkins opened the scoring after three minutes with that great try and, despite the fact that Ireland responded with a penalty from Collins, were 11-3 to the good after 20 minutes. Pryor kicked two penalties.

Ireland struck back in injury time with a fine try from prop Cian Healy who took an inside pass from Collins, who then converted. At 11-10 to England, it was game on.

Seven minutes into the second half, Artemiev waltzed over for the first of his two tries. He had much work to do when put in space by Anderson but did the hard yards and got the reward. Ten minutes later he was sent away again this time by McRea and Collins added the conversion.

In the last minute of normal time, Adams ploughed through for a try that Pryor converted and, suddenly, Ireland looked vulnerable. But with 14 men they battled on and Bartholomew cheekily took on the English defence in a 30-metre run to make it all the way to the line. The nine points winning margin was no less than Ireland deserved.

IRELAND: L. Fitzgerald (Blackrock College), S. Hanratty (Gonzaga), M. McRea (Belfast HS), K. Earls (St. Munchin's), V. Artemiev (Blackrock College), B. Collins (Castleknock), A. Bartholomew (Royal School Armagh), C. Healy (Belvedere), C. Culleton (Blackrock), R. Burke-Flynn (St. Michaels), T. Anderson (Rainey), C. McInerney (Blackrock College), C. McInerney (Blackrock), R. Hamilton (Methodist), D. Pollock (Royal School Dungannon, capt.

Replacements: D. Gilchrist (Belvedere) for Culleton (37, inj), M. Ferguson (Sullivan US) for Burke-Flynn, N. Simpson (RBAI) for Healy, D. Keogh (CBC Cork) for Hamilton, D. Moore (Blackrock College) for Bartholomew, J. Shiells (RS Dungannon), all 68, temporary, O. McMurray for Fitzgerald (10-18)

ENGLAND: P. Swatkins, S. Caven, J. Appleton, J. Adams, I. Davey, G. Pryor, S. Alford, R. Batty, M. Wernham, O. Tomaszczk, I. Kench, G. Townson, S. Stitcher, T. Wood, J. Cann.

Replacements: T. Swingewood for Kench (29, inj), H. Walford for Swatkins (44, inj), A. Sykes for Swingewood (45, inj), P. O'Grady for Davey (50), J. Mason for Wernham (58), C. Steel for Tomaszczk (59).

Referee: T. Hayes (Wales)