Ireland secure fourth-ever Grand Slam with battling victory over 14-man England
JOYOUS SCENES: Ireland celebrate winning the Grand Slam. Pic: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
Ireland made history in Dublin on Saturday as they completed just the fourth Grand Slam in their history as they were crowned Guinness Six Nations champions on home soil for the first time in 75 years with a bonus-point victory over England.
It was not Ireland’s finest performance as England rebounded from a record home defeat to France seven days earlier to make a fight of this contest but Andy Farrell’s men just had too much in their arsenal to succumb to the visitors’ pressure. Two tries from hooker Dan Sheehan, plus scores from Robbie Henshaw and Rob Herring saw them home.
SIX NATIONS RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2025
Your home for the latest news, views and analysis of this year's Six Nations Championship from our award winning sports team.
SIX NATIONS RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2025
Your home for the latest news, views and analysis of this year's Six Nations Championship from our award winning sports team.
England had lost full-back Freddie Steward to a red card on 40 minutes and also lost flanker Jack Willis to a late yellow card but it does not take the shine off Ireland’s achievement, their first Six Nations title since they completed a Grand Slam under Farrell’s predecessor Joe Schmidt in 2018. It was also the first of the professional era secured in Dublin and the Aviva Stadium rocked in celebration of the fact on this St Patrick’s Day weekend.
If there was any lingering doubt about what was needed from this Ireland side then France delivered a timely reminder with a 41-28 bonus-point victory over Wales that lifted them into top spot with their schedule complete, a point ahead of the Irish with 80 minutes ahead of them to secure their place in Irish rugby lore.
Two early penalties from England captain Owen Farrell and a less than fluent performance from the home side who’s entries into the visiting 22 failed to bear fruit and added some unneeded anxiety among the home support. Their applause when Ireland won a penalty and Sexton called for a shot at goal underlined the concern. Normally it would be a kick to the corner that earned praise but needs must and a steadying presence on the scoreboard was needed.
The captain duly delivered on 18 minutes, the three points from Sexton’s successful penalty also moving the fly-half past compatriot Ronan O’Gara as the Six Nations’ leading points scorer on 560. Tellingly the stadium big screens marked the milestone by adding “560… and counting” and so it would be before the half-time whistle sounded.
England’s bright start and Ireland’s understandably nervy start gave way to more assured and characteristic play from the home side and though they did not score for another 15 minutes it was a crucial blow landed on the men in white.Â
England loosehead prop Ellis Genge had conceded a penalty for a late tackle and Ireland went for the corner. The five-metre lineout for the left touchline was initially mauled and when Josh van der Flier, in his 50th Test appearance, launched off the back the flanker drew English defenders with h9im before switching back inside with his pass to find Dan Sheehan running an immaculate line to breach the defensive line.Â
There was still work for the hooker to do from 10 metres out but tackler Manu Tuilagi could not live with Sheehan’s power or pace and the Englishman followed his man over the line as Ireland took the lead. Sexton’s penalty made it 10-6 and though that scoreline remained to the half-time whistle there was more drama to come before the interval.
Full-back Steward was sent off with 40 minutes on the clock after he contested a loose ball with opposite number Hugo Keenan after Ireland had threatened down the left wing. Mack Hansen had knocked forward with an offload attempt to the edge but Keenan went in search of the ball in the immediate aftermath and was gathering the ball when Steward turned his shoulder inward towards the Irishman with his upper arm making contact with Keenan’s head.
Referee Jaco Peyper went to his TMO Marius Jonker and the officials agreed there had been “a high degree of danger” involved in the contact from an upright defender. With no apparent mitigation available to Peyper he issued a red card to the England No.15, his sense of the situation endorsed by the fact that Keenan was removed for a Head Injury Assessment from which he did not return after the half-time break.
It was the second season in a row that England had had a player sent off following Charlie Ewel’s red card at Twickenham 12 months earlier and just as then, Ireland did not immediately take advantage of the one-man advantage.
When Keenan’s replacement Jimmy O’Brien spilled a Farrell high ball, England won the resulting penalty which the captain dispatched on 51 minutes to make it a one-point game at 10-9. English tails were up and the pressure they were applying was forcing mistakes from Ireland, yet the men in green did not come close to conceding a try and having weathered the storm momentum began to turn back in their favour.
A penalty won on the edge of their own 22 had relieved pressure and tension within the Aviva, and Ireland gradually worked their way upfield before Sexton launched a high ball into open ground in the right corner of England’s 22.Â
The ball bounced wickedly, as Ireland poured into the area to drive replacement Joe Marchant over the tryline and earn an Irish five-metre scrum.
The scrum provided the platform and having worked two penalty advantages, Ireland struck off the back of a ruck form close-range, Gibson-Park’s try finding Bundee Aki who found his midfield partner on his outside shoulder, Robbie Henshaw picking the perfect gap between front rowers Jamie George and Kyle Sinckler to claim an all-important second try on 62 minutes.
Sexton’s conversion made it 17-19 and Ireland were on a roll.Â
Sheehan added his second of a man of the match performance, again converted by Sexton from the right touchline and though England salvaged some more pride with a well-worked try of their own from Jamie George, it was Ireland who had the last laugh, Sheehan’s replacement Rob Herring powering over off the back of a maul to seal the deal.
Ireland had lost Sexton to what appeared to be a groin injury when England had scored their sole try while Caelan Doris was removed for a late HIA but the celebrations had already begun in deafening fashion among the sell-out crowd.Â
Ireland were home and dry and Grand Slam champions once more.
H Keenan (J O’Brien, 40 - HIA); M Hansen, R Henshaw, B Aki, J Lowe; J Sexton – captain (R Byrne, 75), J Gibson-Park (C Murray, 75); A Porter (C Healy, 76), D Sheehan (R Herring, 68), T Furlong (T O’Toole, 59); R Baird (K Treadwell, 73); J Ryan; P O’Mahony (J Conan, 55); J van der Flier, C Doris (P O’Mahony, 79 – HIA).
F Steward; A Watson, H Slade, M Tuilagi, H Arundell (J Marchant, 59); O Farrell – captain, J van Poortvliet (A Mitchell, 70); E Genge (M Vunipola, 64), J George, K Sinckler (D Cole, 67), M Itoje, D Ribbans (N Isiekwe, 70); L Ludlam, J Willis (B Curry, 53-64 - blood), A Dombrandt (B Curry, 64).
J Wilis – 75 minsÂ
F Steward - 40 minsÂ
J Walker, M SmithÂ
J Peyper (South Africa).
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