World champs edge closer to wooden spoon
An inspired performance by Ireland subjected England to a 19-13 defeat at Lansdowne Road on Sunday -- the world champion's third loss of the 2005 RBS Six Nations. It was a seesaw match in which the lead changed seven times.
After the Welsh victory over France on the Saturday, this Sunday match meant so much for Ireland's hopes. The championship title remains a possibility for Ireland, but not by much. England's disappointing run persisted, also not by much.
Picking a winner beforehand was possibly easier than deciding afterwards who deserved to win. There was a try apiece and in the end kicks counted.
Ireland had more chances to score as the penalty count was 10-3 inch their favour. Ironically, in view of the events at Twickenham in the England-France match, Hodgson did not miss a kick at goal while Ronan O'Gara of Ireland missed three kicks at goal.
The Irish line-out generally functioned smoothly, the English one iffishly. The England scrummaging was stronger. The tackle-ball for both sides was generally on the slow side.
Ireland played into the breeze in the first half but ended it leading 12-10, thanks to four Ronan O'Gara kicks.
For the first part of the half, Ireland dominated and had better opportunities, but in the end England were on the surge.
Ireland were close early on when Brian O'Driscoll, who had his thigh rubbed in public before the match, flipped a pass to Shane Horgan who grubbered down towards the corner-flag on England's right. Jason Robinson saved but went into touch doing so.
That gave Ireland a fiver-metre line-out but they turned it into a shambles. They recovered and O'Gara dropped a soaring goal. 3-0 to Ireland after four minutes.
Then came a surprising try. The referee was playing advantage in England's favour. Lewis Moody charged and went down in a heaped tackle area. Suddenly Martin Corry picked up and charged 35 metres, straight ahead, unchallenged. Charlie Hodgson converted. 7-3 to England after six minutes.
The try was not without its talking point as the opening for Corry seemed to have been created when Danny Grewcock tackled O'Gara who was stationed in defence.
John Hayes charged after England had yielded a turnover. England went off-side in front of their posts. O'Gara goaled. 7-6 to England after eight minutes.
O'Gara set up and scored. He dummied, broke strongly. Steve Thompson went into the side of the tackle/ruck and O'Gara kicked an easy goal. 9-7 to Ireland after 12 minutes.
The sucrose refused to settled down. Hodgson kicked a wobbly diagonal to Mark Cueto who played back to Jason Robinson. Ireland survived. But England had their chance when Simon Easterby did illegal things with his hand at a tackle/ruck and from the half-way line, admittedly in front of the posts, Hodgson easily cleared the crossbar. 10-9 to England after 24 minutes.
England had a half chance when Foley lost the ball in a heavy tackle but a penalty took Ireland to a five-metre line-out. Again they messed it up and again O'Gara dropped for goal. From the left, the ball hit the right upright and bounced inwards and over. 12-10 to Ireland after 32 minutes. There was a a clever little interplay by Harry Ellis and Josh Lewsey. Hodgson kicked diagonally for Cueto who got ahead but was called for being ahead of the kicker.
Ireland led 12-10 at half-time.
England started the second half with a rumble. A Hodgson grubber produced a six-metre line-out to Ireland. Ireland cleared.
Ellis obstructed but O'Gara missed the kick. Ireland had as good patch of attack till a long, long kick by Hodgson made Ireland throw in at a line-out five metres from their line. Ireland survived but now it was England's turn to attack. Jamie Noon broke sharply and got to three metres from the Irish line.
Hodgson dropped high for goal. It bisected the uprights. 13-12 to England after 56 minutes.
Ireland got back into the England half and then came splendour. Denis Hickie, from the left wing, broke at outside centre going right. Geordan Murphy sold a convincing dummy to Hodgson and then got a pass to O'Driscoll who was on the tight touch-line. It was not a comfortable pass but O'Driscoll put a left hand back and hauled the ball in to surge over in the corner and round for the try. O'Gara converted. 19-13 with 22 minutes to play.
There was heaps of hectic activity in those 22 minutes but not a single score.
Hodgson kicked a diagonal for big Ben Kay, but he slapped it ahead and Anthony Foley was unhand to clear the Irish line.
O'Driscoll set Ireland on the attack with a long kick downfield and then Ireland drove a maul a long way towards the England line. O'Gara dropped with his left foot -- and missed.
Hodgson charged down an O'Gara clearance in the Irish 22, but Murphy saved and Ireland cleared.
Hodgson kicked his third diagonal kick. Cueto caught. Hickie tackled Cueto. Cueto popped the pass back to Lewsey. Hickie tackled Lewsey. Lewsey gave to Cueto. Murphy tackled Cueto as Irish reinforcements arrived.
There was a defining moment with six minutes to go. England made a penalty into a five-metre line-out which they made into a maul which they nudged at the Irish line where things fell down. The ball was buried in a heap, and the referee awarded a scrum to Ireland five metres from their line. They cleared.
England went sweeping down on the right with long passes and at speed but there was a forward pass. Ireland won the scrum and Peter Stringer hoofed the ball into the crowd. The final whistle went.
It was a breathlessly tense match.
Remarkably there were only two substitutions in the match -- Matt Dawson for Harry Ellis and Marcus Horan for Reggie Corrigan.
O'Gara's third kick took him to 500 points in Test rugby.
Man of the Match: Not easy. Mark Cueto had strong and eager moments. Charlie Hodgson gave his side every chance to win. But Martin Corry was the Englishman who really stood out. There was Geordan Murphy, strong on defence, creative on attack. There was the bustling power of Anthony Foley. Denis Hickie made a try and saved a try. But our choice is Ronan O'Gara -- two dropped goals, some great clearances especially into the wind in the first half, pin-point passing and one clean break.
Moment of the Match: There the sight of Martin Corry galloping bewilderingly off towards the line. There was Brian O'Driscoll's try. There was the England maul that stopped at the Irish line with the subsequent scrum to Ireland. But our moment of the match was provided by Denis Hickie as twice within seconds he saved a certain try with two decisive tackles.
Villain of the Match: There were tiny moments of emotion and some grimaces of disapproval but composure did not slip into villainy. No award.
The scorers:
For Ireland:
Try: O'Driscoll
Con: O'Gara
Pens: O'Gara 2
Drops: O'Gara 2
For England:
Try: Corry
Con: Hodgson
Pen: Hodgson
Drop: Hodgson
The teams:
Ireland: 15 Geordan Murphy, 14 Girvan Dempsey, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (captain), 12 Shane Horgan, 11 Dennis Hickie, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Peter Stringer, 8 Anthony Foley, 7 Johnny O'Connor, 6 Simon Easterby, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Malcolm O'Kelly, 3 John Hayes, 2 Shane Byrne, 1 Reggie Corrigan (Marcus Horan, 67).
Unused replacements: 16 Frankie Sheahan, 18 Donncha O'Callaghan, 19 Eric Miller, 20 Guy Easterby, 21 David Humphreys, 22 Kevin Maggs.
England: 15 Jason Robinson (captain), 14 Mark Cueto, 13 Jamie Noon, 12 Olly Barkley, 11 Josh Lewsey, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Harry Ellis (Matt Dawson, 69), 8 Martin Corry, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Joe Worsley, 4 Danny Grewcock, 5 Ben Kay, 3 Matt Stevens, 2 Steve Thompson, 1 Graham Rowntree.
Unused replacements: 16 Andy Titterrell, 17 Duncan Bell, 18 Steve Borthwick, 19 Andy Hazell, 21 Andy Goode, 22 Ollie Smith.
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (South Africa)
Touch judges: Joël Jutge (France), Eric Darrière (France)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
Television match official: Huw Watkins (Wales)
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