England’s ineptitude encourages Irish Triple Crown dreams

IRELAND’S confidence is sky-high as they travel to Twickenham on Saturday in search of the Triple Crown and possibly even the RBS Six Nations championship.

Eddie O’Sullivan’s team were no great shakes beating Scotland at Lansdowne Road on Saturday, but England were so inept in crashing 31-6 to France in Paris yesterday that there is a growing belief in the Irish camp that they can pull off a famous victory.

Whatever about the championship, now very much in French hands as they head for the Millennium Stadium, a second Triple Crown in three years is within Ireland’s reach. Under-siege English coach Andy Robinson saw his side concede a soft seven-pointer before there was a minute gone at the Stade de France, and apart from a short spell immediately after half time, they were totally at sea.