Born-again Ireland dismantle England in record victory

Ireland delivered a statement performance for the ages to stun England and claim a record Six Nations win at Twickenham.

Andy Farrell's under pressure team scored five tries as they completely out-played the hosts, who had won their last nine home games going back to 2024.

Not since Ireland's win at the start of that year - when they dismantled France in Marseille - have the side hit the heights they reached in London in this demolition job, bettering their previous biggest winning margin of 17 points here in 2022.

Man of the match Jamison Gibson-Park, Rob Baloucoune and Tommy O'Brien all scored first-half tries with Jack Crowley's kicks giving Ireland a 22-7 lead.

It was more of the same after the break as Dan Sheehan and Jamie Osborne piled extra misery on a beleaguered England side, whose second defeat in a row ends their title hopes, while Ireland will look for a favour from Scotland or England when they meet leaders France in rounds four and five.

It was Ireland's fifth win from their last six championship meetings against England and few will have been as sweet as the home fans streamed out of the ground, barely able to comprehend what they had just witnessed.

After absorbing some early English possession in their own half, Tadhg Beirne stole a lineout and on the far side Gibson-Park, Crowley and Jeremy Loughman combined before finding James Lowe, who inexplicably dropped the ball five metres out with one man to beat.

But Joe McCarthy pinched another ball on the 22 at the next lineout and Gibson-Park's burst caught England offside allowing Crowley to kick the penalty over the bar in the ninth minute.

Ireland continued to frustrate the hosts, who threatened off the back of McCarthy conceding a penalty with Henry Pollock, Ollie Lawrence and Ellis Genge carrying inside the 22 before Baloucoune forced a knock on and Jamie Osborne cleared the lines.

It was the start Ireland, who lost Jack Conan off the bench to illness before kick off, targeted, taking their time at scrum and lineout and hitting hard to force handling errors with the added bonus of two missed touch kicks from George Ford, the second of which went dead in the corner.

But the game was being played in Ireland's half on England's terms and two big carries from Maro Itoje, on his 100th cap, brought the hosts within five metres, however, another poor pass halted the move, while Lowe seemed to damage his knee running across and was replaced by O'Brien.

Quick as a flash, Ireland went up the other end and scored their first try.

Baloucoune took on Henry Arundell on the outside and offloaded to O'Brien and then England went offside at the breakdown. Gibson-Park wasted no time, tapped and raced past Joe Heyes into the corner for a try that was converted by Crowley for a double-digit lead.

It could have been more but the Munster out-half, in the team for Sam Prendergast, pulled a long-range penalty attempt wide.

But the tide had turned and Ireland's play was irresistable.

O'Brien took in a high ball shortly after being harshly penalised for a similar attempt before Gibson-Park moved it quickly and the in-form Stuart McCloskey, exceptional throughout, brushed off his man and made 40 metres.

Ireland were quick to the breakdown and the scrum-half moved it swiftly to Baloucoune who dashed in at the corner.

Meanwhile, as Ireland celebrated, referee Andrea Piardi yellow-carded full-back Freddie Steward, who had played Gibson-Park at the back of the ruck.

Josh van der Flier, one of five changes to the starting team that beat Italy, burst out of the 22 and made 60 yards but Crowley's kick was mopped up by Arundell as referee Piardi was forced off with a quad injury to be replaced by Pierre Brousset.

Incredibly, Ireland grabbed a third try from the next passage.

Baloucoune came off his wing to make an extra man near halfway and he skipped out of a Lawrence tackle before popping to O'Brien, who had the gas to beat Tommy Freeman.

Crowley's conversion made it 22-0 with half an hour gone.

The Red Rose was being comprehensively out-played and their supporters out-sung as the Fields of Athenry rang out in South West London.

England were desperate for a score before the break, one they needed to keep them in the contest, but after a turnover in midfield, O'Brien, Gibson-Park and McCloskey combined to deny Freeman.

Across the other side, England forced a penalty but Ireland held out in the corner with Beirne getting the back slaps after winning a penalty just metres out.

It was breathless stuff as McCarthy raced 50 metres but the play was called back for an Irish knock on, while England sent on Marcus Smith for the last play of the half in which they eventually breached the line.

They stayed patient playing a penalty advantage when James Ryan used his hands in the ruck and Fraser Dingwall powered between Van der Flier and Baloucoune to dot down, with Ford converting to bring an end to an incredible half of rugby.

But it was a sting of a dying wasp as Ireland burst out of the blocks when the play restarted.

Caelan Doris cut through in midfield and England's scramble defence had to concede a penalty with Pollock going in the bin for cynical play.

Sheehan tapped the penalty and Ireland went through the phases close to the line before the hooker spotted space and barged over for another try converted by Crowley.

A strange hush descended across the stadium with the home fans as stunned as the players. Two penalties brought them within range but a croc-roll clear-out by Jamie George let Ireland out.

But Ireland's indiscipline was beginning to tell and England moved the ball quickly off a lineout on the 22, went over and back sucking in defenders and leaving the space for Lawrence to dot down under the posts to make it score 29-14 with 24 minutes left, while Osborne was sent to the bin for playing the ball on the ground soon after.

England tried to run from their own 22 but Nick Timoney forced another knock on with the scrum resulting in a free kick that quickly led to a penalty, duly dispatched by Crowley, who finished with 17 points.

Finlay Bealham took the restart and Ireland turned a tackle into a maul to earn a scrum and another huge cheer from the thousands of Irish among the 81,953 in attendance.

England won a scrum penalty and Freeman looked sure to score on the far side but O'Brien and Baloucoune double-tackled the Northampton flyer into touch with the hosts conceding a needless penalty from the next passage of play and another concession close to the posts handed Crowley a simple shot at goal.

Steve Borthwick's men were barely second best.

Another kick and chase from Gibson-Park led to a penalty and Ireland kicked to the corner, secured the lineout ball and went through the phases before Osborne powered over, with the conversion making it 42-14.

England scratched around desperately for a bonus point and Sam Underhill crossed with five minutes to play but that the 21-point margin just about flattered the hosts as Ireland's team in transition took a significant step forward.

England: Freddie Steward; Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Fraser Dingwall, Henry Arundell; George Ford, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Joe Heyes; Maro Itoje (capt), Ollie Chessum; Tom Curry, Ben Earl, Henry Pollock.

Replacements: Jamie George (Cowan-Dickie 29), Bevan Rodd (Genge 52), Trevor Davison (Heyes 72), Alex Coles (Itoje 55), Guy Pepper (Curry 52), Sam Underhill (Earl 70), Jack van Poortvliet (Mitchell 26), Marcus Smith (Steward 40).

Ireland: Jamie Osborne; Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Sheehan 56), Tom O'Toole (Loughman 47), Finlay Bealham (Furlong 47), Nick Timoney (van der Flier 50), Cian Prendergast (McCarthy 63), Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley (Ringrose 55), Tommy O'Brien(Lowe 18).

Referee: Andrea Piardi (FIR).