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England crushes Ireland for grand slam decider
Dublin, Mar 31: England clinched the grand slam decider with a crushing 42-6 victory over Ireland in the final match of the Six Nations championship at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.
Dublin, Mar 31: England clinched the grand slam decider with a crushing 42-6 victory over Ireland in the final match of the Six Nations championship at Lansdowne Road on Sunday.
Tries by Lawrence Dallaglio, Mike Tindall, Will Greenwood (two) and substitute Dan Luger, and a 15-point haul by flyhalf Johnny Wilkinson, gave England their 12th grand slam overall on Sunday (March 30) and their 23rd triple crown.
England, who lost three successive grand slam finales to Wales, Scotland and Ireland between 1999 and 2001, won their first grand slam since 1995 and their 25th championship title.
"It was a tough game but I thought the boys came through really well," said England captain Martin Johnson.
From the kickoff this must have been one of the hardest matches the old stadium has seen, with every tackle a bone-cruncher and boots and scrumcaps flying out of rucks and mauls.
But it was not just blood and thunder and some of the handling and running, all accomplished at a frenetic pace, was of the highest quality.
The expected early Irish onslaught duly came but, apart from a solitary fifth-minute drop goal from flyhalf David Humphreys, the home side had nothing to show for all their pressure.
England stormed back with a try after a mistake from Irish scrumhalf Peter Stringer allowed flanker Richard Hill to set Matt Dawson free, and his darting run put number eight Lawrence Dallaglio across the line under the posts.
Wilkinson converted and England led 7-3 after 10 minutes. Ireland redoubled the intensity of their attack but England stretched every sinew to keep them out and all the home side had to show after being camped in their opponents' half was a Humphreys penalty on the half-hour.
That was quickly cancelled out by a right-footed drop goal from the super-cool Wilkinson, who added another in injury time to put his team end his team 13-6 ahead at the break.
England came out for the second half with renewed purpose and, after weathering another early Irish storm, they applied pressure of their own.
They gradually wore down the Irish defence until cracks appeared and both England centres, the underrated Tindall and Greenwood, scored tries within five minutes of each other just after the hour mark.
Both were converted and England had a comfortable cushion at 27-6. Wilkinson added another penalty and, with the Irish spent, Greenwood and Luger both crossed the line untouched in injury time.
Six Nations rugby union championship results and final standings after Sunday's match: P W D L F A Pts 1. England 5 5 0 0 173 46 10 2. Ireland 5 4 0 1 119 97 8 3. France 5 3 0 2 153 75 6 4. Scotland 5 2 0 3 81 161 4 5. Italy 5 1 0 4 100 185 2 6. Wales 5 0 0 5 82 144 0
Results to date: Feb 15 - England 25 France 17 Italy 30 Wales 22 Feb 16 - Scotland 6 Ireland 36 Feb 22 - Italy 13 Ireland 37 Wales 9 England 26 Feb 23 - France 38 Scotland 3 Mar 8 - Ireland 15 France 12 Scotland 30 Wales 22 Mar 9 - England 40 Italy 5 Mar 22 - Wales 24 Ireland 25 England 40 Scotland 9 Mar 23 - Italy 27 France 53 Mar 29 - France 33 Wales 5 Scotland 33 Italy 25 Mar 30 - Ireland 6 England 42
Bureau Report
But it was not just blood and thunder and some of the handling and running, all accomplished at a frenetic pace, was of the highest quality.
The expected early Irish onslaught duly came but, apart from a solitary fifth-minute drop goal from flyhalf David Humphreys, the home side had nothing to show for all their pressure.
England stormed back with a try after a mistake from Irish scrumhalf Peter Stringer allowed flanker Richard Hill to set Matt Dawson free, and his darting run put number eight Lawrence Dallaglio across the line under the posts.
Wilkinson converted and England led 7-3 after 10 minutes. Ireland redoubled the intensity of their attack but England stretched every sinew to keep them out and all the home side had to show after being camped in their opponents' half was a Humphreys penalty on the half-hour.
That was quickly cancelled out by a right-footed drop goal from the super-cool Wilkinson, who added another in injury time to put his team end his team 13-6 ahead at the break.
England came out for the second half with renewed purpose and, after weathering another early Irish storm, they applied pressure of their own.
They gradually wore down the Irish defence until cracks appeared and both England centres, the underrated Tindall and Greenwood, scored tries within five minutes of each other just after the hour mark.
Both were converted and England had a comfortable cushion at 27-6. Wilkinson added another penalty and, with the Irish spent, Greenwood and Luger both crossed the line untouched in injury time.
Six Nations rugby union championship results and final standings after Sunday's match: P W D L F A Pts 1. England 5 5 0 0 173 46 10 2. Ireland 5 4 0 1 119 97 8 3. France 5 3 0 2 153 75 6 4. Scotland 5 2 0 3 81 161 4 5. Italy 5 1 0 4 100 185 2 6. Wales 5 0 0 5 82 144 0
Results to date: Feb 15 - England 25 France 17 Italy 30 Wales 22 Feb 16 - Scotland 6 Ireland 36 Feb 22 - Italy 13 Ireland 37 Wales 9 England 26 Feb 23 - France 38 Scotland 3 Mar 8 - Ireland 15 France 12 Scotland 30 Wales 22 Mar 9 - England 40 Italy 5 Mar 22 - Wales 24 Ireland 25 England 40 Scotland 9 Mar 23 - Italy 27 France 53 Mar 29 - France 33 Wales 5 Scotland 33 Italy 25 Mar 30 - Ireland 6 England 42
Bureau Report