As it happened: England v Ireland, Six Nations
GREEN DAY: Ireland's Jamie Osborne scores their side's fifth try during the Six Nations match at the Allianz Stadium Twickenham. Pic: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.
That's it from the liveblog for today. Thanks for joining us on one of the great days for Irish rugby - and who thought we'd be saying that when we woke up this morning?
We'll have you covered with all the post-match reaction as the evening and the rest of the weekend flies by, including our latest Rugby Special podcast with Simon Lewis direct from Twickenham.
Slán!
It's the one you've all been waiting for: Mick Cleary's player ratings! He's teased us by putting England first.
Interesting words from Andy Farrell on RTE:
“We know where we're going, you know? Honestly, I didn't care whether we won or lost today, just whether we grew as a group. And again, the respect that we had for the shirt shows to each other how much it means to play for Ireland and going not getting in your own way and having a bit of freedom and just play the game."
A couple of interesting stats...
Ireland had less carries and passes but more post-contact metres, line breaks, turnovers, a better tackle rate and kicked almost twice as much.
Caelan Doris topped the tackle charts with 20.
Robert Baloucoune had the most dominant tackles (4), most turnovers (3) and joint most line breaks (3).
Stuart McCloskey had the second most carries (15) and the third most tackles completed (14).
Jamison Gibson-Park ... Stats couldn't do that man justice.
'Probably one of the best days of our lives', Joe McCarthy says on TV.
Caelan Doris on RTE: “It’s a special feeling. I've been saying to you that there's been belief at the core of what we've been doing. We've seen some of that in training, and it hasn't fully come to fruition in games, but we saw more of that today. Definitely a pleasing performance. It feels it gets us back on track a little bit, but two big games still to come.”
Simon Lewis' match report is in. A performance for the ages," says our rugby correspondent.
"The Ireland of old," says Jamison Gibson-Park on TV. "A performance we can be proud of." It was certainly that.
Hold off on those obituaries for Irish rugby! The game, the national team, and even outside hopes of a Six Nations title tilt are all very much alive and well after an utterly dominant defeat of England in Twickenham.
Ireland scored five tries to claim a record win in England's back yard. It's their best performance since they beat France in Marseille on the opening day of last year's Six Nations. And they did it with some serious players absent with injury.
There was no suggestion that this was coming. A day to remember.
Sam Underhill gets England's third try. Far too little far too late.
George Ford puts another two on the board. It's 21-42.
The 33-year old Stuart McCloskey runs down Marcus Smith in the Ireland 22 after the England playmaker intercepts Jack Crowley. In the 73rd minute. Just wow!
Ireland are wiping the floor with England at almost every ruck. The dominance in pretty much every department is actually incredible.
It's only 16 days since they were 29-0 down to France in Paris. They were lucky to beat Italy last week. And now this!
Jamison Gibson-Park goes off. The scrum-half was at his world-class best today. Simply sensational. Craig Casey comes in.
And that's the fifth. Ireland have penalty advantage and use it brilliantly with backs and forwards playing off the cuff in the England 22 and Jamie Osborne making the break to get over.
Jack Crowley makes it 14-42.
This is on course to be a record win for Ireland in Twickenham.
Another penalty for Ireland straight in front of the posts and in the 22. Tommy Freeman penalised for not releasing as he runs infield and into an Irish trap.
Jack Crowley does the necessary. It's 14-35.
England need three converted tries just to break even.
Robert Baloucoune smashes Tommy Freeman into touch as the England wing flies into the 22. Great workrate from the Ulsterman.
Cian Prendergast is on now too and takes a lineout within seconds.
Jamie Osborne returns from the naughty step. Ireland are back to 15.
Penalty for England off that scrum. Pity. Finlay Bealham the man penalised.
Tadhg Beirne and friends hold George Ford up in the tackle and earn a free-kick. This is catnip for Ireland as the seconds tick by.
It's a kickable penalty for Ireland. Great call. Eat up the clock while down a man and up on the scoreboard...
...And Jack Crowley sends it over. It's 14-32.
Ronan Kelleher comes on for Dan Sheehan.
'Swing Low' belting around Twickers now. England are starting to believe.
Ciaran Frawley has replaced Garry Ringrose.
Ollie Lawrence strolls in under the sticks after fierce pressure nearer to the touchline. George Ford adds the extras while Jamie Osborne is sent to the sinbin for ten minutes.
Crucial 10-15 minutes coming up now. It's 14-29.
Henry Pollock returns to the field. England are back to 15.
Penalty for Ireland on their own line. Jamie George pinged for a croc roll on Jamison Gibson-Park.
Nick Timoney is on for Ireland. He has made a huge impact off the bench in rounds one and two. Josh van der Flier makes way.
England are ringing the changes too, btw.
Finlay Bealham and Tom O'Toole are coming in to Ireland's front row. Tahdg Furlong and Jeremy Loughman are done for the day.
Furlong gives Loughman, Ireland's fourth-choice loosehead, a pat on the head on the way.
A picture that sums the day up so far...
Ireland's quick tap from a few metres out leads to a bonus-point try from Dan Sheehan.
Jack Crowley's penalty is true. It's 7-29.
That's the perfect start to the second-half, especially after England closed the opening period with some momentum.
Caelan Doris hares through another gaping hole in the English midfield and Henry Pollock gets a yellow card for stopping the Irish attack on the English try line.
Oh no. We're going to the TMO. It looks like Tadhg Furlong caught Tom Curry high with a clearout earlier in that move.
Pierre Brousset lets that go.
We are back underway...
Someone grab me a cold, damp towel. That was a blizzard of rugby with Ireland scoring three tries and conceding one in the last act of the half.
We've also had four replacements - three for England - a yellow card and a new referee. Bonkers!
As promised: Ireland's third try. This made it 22-0.
Fraser Dingwall goes over in first-half injury-time. The pressure was mounting and the hosts finally get on the board on the back of their sixth visit to the Irish 22.
And George Ford adds the two. It's 7-22 and we are only halfway there.
Marcus Smith is on for Freddie Steward. There's 22 seconds to go in the half and England have a scrum inside the Ireland 22.
Massive. Just massive. England try to go down the short side off the lineout but Tadhg Beirne snaffles it on the deck and Ireland escape.
Freddie Steward is back on.
England are in the Ireland 22. They badly need a score and the crowd is mock-cheering George Ford for kicking a simply penalty to touch from a few metres out.
This is Ireland's second try. Don't worry, we'll get to the third. There's a lot happening!
Good God almighty! Robert Baloucoune makes a metre and sends Tommy O'Brien free down the wing. Excellent from Ireland but England are just all over the shop here.
Jack Crowley adds the two extra. It's 22-0. Apologies: it's 0-22!
Jamie George is on for Luke Cowan-Dickie.
It's all happening. Referee Andrea Piardi is down now. It has been hectic, to be fair. Pierre Brousset replaces him.
Josh van der Flier flies through a gap in the English midfield. England are in ribbons.
This is dreamland stuff. Savage line break through the midfield from Stuart McCloskey. He is finally grounded but Gibson-Park spreads it wide to Robert Baloucoune who just has to fall over the line.
And there's more good news for Ireland with Freddie Steward getting a yellow card for blatant offside at the ruck
Jack Crowley sends a difficult touchline conversion inches wide.
That Ireland try. Beautiful!
Big, questionable call against Tommy O'Brien in the air, with Gibson-Park racing free to the try line off the bouncing ball.
Jack Crowley has shanked a penalty miles to the left. A pity. He had nailed his first two at goal and and his work with ball-in-hand has been excellent.
England have made big yards with some of their carries but there are too many errors here as they move the ball through the hands and not through the air.
Andy Farrell preached the need for a fast start this week. He's got it!
That's sensational. Brilliant crosskick sends Robert Baloucoune flying up the wing and he hands off to Tommy O'Brien. That was the start of it. Seconds later and Jamison Gibson-Park scoots over after a quick tap penalty.
All that off a scrum that was going backwards as well!
Jack Crowley nails the difficult conversion as well. It's 10-0.
Tommy O'Brien, who started in Paris but sat out the Italy win, is on for Lowe.
Another massive stand by Ireland in the 22 after 16 0r 17 English phases.
England were making serious inroads but coughed it up again.
The down side is that James Lowe is down and looks in trouble.
Ireland concede a second scrum penalty but George Ford botches the kick by sending it dead. Wow, what a letoff!
Tommy Freeman intercepts a Stuart McCloskey pass when the visitors had a 3-on-1 overlap.
Brilliant aerial take by Robert Baloucoune!
Huge phase for Ireland as the defence holds firm in the face of huge English carries inside the 22. A score looked certain before the ball was spilled forward and kicked clear of the danger area.
The visitors take the lead. Huge Irish pressure in the England 22 after Joe McCarthy steals off an English lineout. Ireland's execution is looking really good with ball in hand.
It ends with a penalty under the posts and Jack Crowley slots it over.
It's 3-0 to Ireland.
Scrum penalty against Ireland on England's first put-in. Hmmm. Not good. Not this early.
Excellent Irish attack with offloads from Jamison Gibson-Park and Jack Crowley only for James Lowe to spill it over the sideline in the 22. Drat. But promising.
It's an Irish put-in, which helps, but it needs a reset and then it's a free-kick against England. Result.
And then Ireland nab England's first lineout. England have been the best team out of touch in this tournament so far.
Ireland cope with the first English attack after the hosts go through the phases and then turn to the air.
First scrum incoming!
Anthems done. It's almost time...
This marks the first time that the Six Nations has been played three weeks in a row. That's on the back of last summer's British and Irish Lions tour to Australia which always has an effect on those involved.
Keep an eye out for Henry Pollock, the Marmite forward from Northampton Saints who wears the No.8 jersey for England. Ireland captain Caelan Doris has already highlighted the threat he poses on what is his first start for his country.
Bernard Jackman on Ireland's scrum troubles on RTE just now: "The England front row will be licking their lips like it's an all-you-can-eat buffet. Ireland need to make sure the kitchen is closed from the off."
Bravo, Bernard! Bravo!
England have won the toss. Ireland will receive the kick.
RTE are digging in to the No.10 debate already. Simon Zebo has always talked Jack Crowley up, whether with Munster or with Ireland. "He's been really good any time he has been called upon [off the bench]," says Zebo. Now he gets the chance to do it from the off.
"He needs to raise it from minute one," says Stephen Ferris.
Maro Itoje earns his 100th cap for his country today. Here's the squad that backs him up for the occasion...
A reminder of how we line up to face Ireland today 🌹@O2 | #WearTheRose
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 21, 2026
Here's Ireland's tweaked line-up for today's game...
There is one late change to our Match Day Squad.
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) February 21, 2026
Jack Conan has been ruled out through illness, with Cian Prendergast coming onto the bench. pic.twitter.com/OoVstVOWw9
It has been confirmed that Jack Conan has been ruled out due to illness. His place on the bench goes to Connacht's Cian Prendergast who started in round one away to France.
Good afternoon all! Well, it doesn't get much bigger than Ireland-England in the Six Nations. The Range Rovers and the wicker picnic baskets are already in situ around Twickers as we count down the minutes to a 2.10pm kick-off and with question marks over both sides today.
England's long winning run was ended in no uncertain terms by the Scots in Murrayfield last weekend. Ireland got their first win of the Championship, against Italy, the same day but failed to impress again for long periods.
So many talking points and for us and Donal Lenihan has dug into the most important of them for us. No better man!
Simon Lewis is our man in London today and he has set the scene with his match preview. According to Simon, Ireland have very little room for error as they go about chasing just a third win in eleven attempts at the home of rugby.
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