RUGBY:IF EVER the description 'a friendly test match' constituted an oxymoron it surely applies to an Ireland-England contest, be it anything from tiddlywinks to rugby. There will be an extra frisson of anticipation in the air for the second oldest fixture on the international calendar, dating back to 1875, when the 124th instalment kicks off this afternoon, as well as a distinct whiff of cordite.
A la the meeting last March when England came looking to complete a Grand Slam, down through the centuries Ireland have always been better primed when the English confidently strutted into town only to be ambushed – and one ventures not just when it came to rugby matches.
So it was that Ireland derailed the Sweet Chariot in a manner even more comprehensive than the 24-8 scoreline indicates. That constituted Ireland’s seventh win in the last eight meetings since England were crowned World champions in 2003, and to compound this England are also feeling sore over their defeat last time out to Wales.
Increasingly England have assumed more of a Leicester guise of late, hardly surprising when you consider Martin Johnson is at the helm. Another gnarled warrior from the Tigers’ lair, scrum coach Graham Rowntree, declared earlier this week: “This game is definitely not a friendly. We have not forgotten what they did to us over there. We got well beaten that day and that is in the back of our minds. It will be fuelling our fires at the weekend, that’s for sure.
“They brought an intensity to the game, to the breakdown and set piece that they hadn’t really brought all tournament. They saved that one for us,” said Rowntree. “We have had a good look at that video in the training camp and it has given us a few things to work on.”
This was on foot of Johnson’s earlier declaration that he’d rather win ugly than lose pretty, as if we ever doubted it, and as if to prove the point, he has picked a huge side strong on physicality. Before going around Ireland, if at all, they clearly intend going through them.
Nowhere is the greater threat posed by England compared to last March more evident than in midfield, where the relatively limited attacking pair of Shontayne Hape and Matt Banahan have been replaced by Mike Tindall and Manu Tuilagi. The English-reared member of the rugby playing Tuilagi clan may be raw, especially given his propensity to shoot a little recklessly out of the defensive line, but his extraordinary power and low centre of gravity can make him a nightmare to stop.
“I just run hard at defenders and try to break them down. It is simple but it’s effective really,” he says, and his duel with Keith Earls, who can be lethal in possession one on one, promises some fun and games. Furthermore, whereas Toby Flood’s international woes emanated in large part from his unhappy afternoon here in March, Jonny Wilkinson brings experience, confidence and points scoring aplenty.
With Matt Sheridan in the frontrow, and Courtney Lawes and Tom Croft restored to their second and backrows, England also look like they should have stronger set-pieces.
As with the last meeting Ireland, admittedly, are also in redemption-seeking mode, and take the field with a fairly strong selection. But there’s a degree of rustiness too given Geordan Murphy, Jerry Flannery and Stephen Ferris are making their first Test starts in nine, 18 and nine months, while David Wallace is making his seasonal reappearance.
It could be that their return will be a spark, and with the in-form Eoin Reddan on from the start Ronan O’Gara will revel in this match-up with Wilkinson. As was the case last March, the defensive building blocks remain for another strong showing, but Ireland also need to rediscover the intensity of that afternoon, primarily at the breakdown, and their footballing instincts to mix their game up, as well as considerably more variation in alignment and formation to their back play.
Victory today is all about generating some confidence and momentum for World Cup campaigns which begin a fortnight hence. With two even-looking sides and so many imponderables, even some of the bookies cannot call it, and make this a scratch game. Arguably that is hardly a ringing endorsement of home advantage. That win last March remains a peak which Ireland haven’t come close to sustaining over 80 minutes. Perhaps the sight of the Red Rose will do it.
REPLACEMENTS
IRELAND: R Best (Ulster), T Court (Ulster), D Ryan (Munster), D Leamy (Munster), C Murray (Munster), J Sexton (Leinster), F McFadden (Leinster).
ENGLAND: D Hartley (Bath), M Stevens (Saracens), S Shaw (Unattached), T Palmer (Stade Francais), J Simpson (London Wasps), T Flood (Leicester Tigers), D Armitage (London Irish).
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales).
FORECAST: England to win.
Ireland
Geordan Murphy
Tommy Bowe
Keith Earls
Gordon D'Arcy
Andrew Trimble
Ronan O'Gara
Eoin Reddan
Cian Healy
Jerry Flannery
Mike Ross
Donncha O'Callaghan
Paul O'Connell (capt)
Stephen Ferris
David Wallace
Jamie Heaslip
England
Ben Foden
Chris Ashton
Manu Tuilagi
Mike Tindall (capt)
Mark Cueto
Jonny Wilkinson
Richard Wigglesworth
Andrew Sheridan
Steve Thompson
Dan Cole
Louis Deacon
Courtney Lawes
Tom Croft
James Haskell
Nick Easter
