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England v Ireland Match Review
By Kath 19/3/08 March 19 2008
England 33 v Ireland 10 RBS Six Nations 2008 Match Review England went into this match with nothing to win and more pride to lose, the match unfortunately was billed once again as the battle of the fly halves the old predictable stalwart of Jonny Wilkinson and the New young Maverick that is ~Danny Cipriani. Danny won out and got the call to wear the No10 jersey.

England  33  v Ireland 10

RBS Six Nations 2008

Match Review

England went into this match with  nothing to win and more pride to lose, the match unfortunately was billed once again as the battle of the fly halves the old predictable stalwart of Jonny Wilkinson and the New young Maverick that is ~Danny Cipriani.   Danny won out and got the call to wear the No10 jersey.  

Danny Cipriani, England

Danny Cipriani, RBS 6 Nations Championship 2008 England v Ireland - Twickenham

Brian Ashton England's Head Coach listened to the clamour from the media and fans for Jonny to be dropped and Danny to start however many agree that more players should have been dropped after the abysmal perfomance up at Murrayfield!   Hang on a minute, of course it is easy to look back in hindsight but maybe ~Ashton was right just to drop Wilko, after all England won the match and won it well, the fact that the forwards and many others on that Twickenham turf on Saturday were playing for the International Careers - maybe that had something to do with the performance against Ireland.

Danny Cipriani afterwards said himself (in his usual colourful style) that it was the forwards who should have got 'Man of the Match' that day.  Yes Danny many would agree with you, there was a lot more effort by ALL players during this match.

Danny Cipriani is a 20 year old who clearly feels comfortable bossing games and his players around, a completely different style to the introverted Wilkinson.  Many times I looked over to the bench to see the reaction on Jonny's face when Cipriani was playing and in particular when converting or taking penalties.  There was no reaction at all it seemed and in his own column in the Times he said:  

"That was a phenomenally impressive start from Danny Cipriani in the England No10 shirt on Saturday. And believe me, from where I was sitting on the England bench for most of the game, it was a joy to watch".

I do believe in Danny Cipriani we have found our next leader on the field at No10, his maturity on the field is amazing the only thing that does worry me is his attitude and choices outside of the game and when being interviewed.   Gabby Logan said after the match interview "we have seen the good and the ugly side of Danny today", this was a reference to him swearing on national television in front of millions.  Millions of young lads who will now think perhaps it is ok to do that,  as Danny does it, so it is ok to do! Yes I know they will hear worse elsewhere and much worse is said in the changing rooms prior to the match etc., etc.,   However, we are dealing with a HERO, now Danny is one and he needs to now live up to that mantle both on and off the field of play, regardless of his age.  He is now the man that England are talking about and want to see at No10, he is the man that youngsters will now want to copy.


The game itself well, England came out with a passion and urgency to do well.. It has to be said thought that Ireland were poor, apart from the first opening minutes when they scored a try and then a penalty, Ireland did not really feature in this game.  

 

 

Richard Wigglesworth during the RBS 6 Nations match at Twickenham, London.
Richard Wigglesworth during the RBS 6 Nations match, England v Ireland - Twickenham

 

England players held firm after this and racked up 33 points against the Irish on a wet Twickenham turf at times, putting to rest the claim that they can't play in bad weather.  Some excellent performances from Sackey, Spud (Matthew Tait), Jamie Noon (who was Man of the Match), in fact the whole team played much better all round.

Englands Jamie Noon tackles Irelands Andrew Trimble

 Englands Jamie Noon tackles Irelands Andrew Trimble - RBS 6 Nations Championship 2008 - England v Ireland - Twickenham

 

England
Iain Balshaw (Gloucester Rugby), Paul Sackey (London Wasps), Jamie Noon (Newcastle Falcons), Toby Flood (Newcastle Falcons), Lesley Vainikolo (Gloucester Rugby), Danny Cipriani (London Wasps), Richard Wigglesworth (Sale Sharks), Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks), Lee Mears (Bath Rugby), Phil Vickery (London Wasps, captain), Simon Shaw (London Wasps), Steve Borthwick (Bath Rugby), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Michael Lipman (Bath Rugby), Nick Easter (Harlequins).  Replacements: George Chuter (Leicester Tigers) for Mears 82 mins, Matt Stevens (Bath Rugby) for Vickery 62 mins , Ben Kay (Leicester Tigers) for 62 mins, James Haskell (London Wasps) for Lipman 67 mins, Paul Hodgson (London Irish) for Wigglesworth 80 mins, Jonny Wilkinson (Newcastle Falcons) for Flood 52 mins, Mathew Tait (Newcastle Falcons) rep Sackey 47-60, 67 mins.
 
Tries: Sackey, Tait, Noon; Penalties: Cipriani 4; Conversions: Cipriani 3

Ireland
Geordan Murphy (Leicester Tigers), Tommy Bowe (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster), Shane Horgan (Boyne/Leinster), Robert Kearney       (UCD/Leinster), Ronan O'Gara (Cork Constitution/Munster, captain), Eoin Reddan (London Wasps), Marcus Horan (Shannon/Munster), Rory Best (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), John Hayes (Bruff/Munster), Donncha O'Callaghan (Cork Constitution/Munster), Paul O'Connell (Young Munster/Munster), Denis Leamy (Cork Constitution/Munster), David Wallace (Garryowen/Munster), Jamie Heaslip (Clontarf/Leinster). Replacements: Bernard Jackman (Clontarf/Leinster) for R Best 76 mins, Tony Buckley (Shannon/Munster) for Horan 70 mins, Mick O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution/Munster) for Wallace 72 mins, Simon Easterby (Llanelli) for Leamy 11 mins, Peter Stringer (Shannon/Munster) for Reddan 76 mins, Paddy Wallace (Ballymena/Ulster) for Horgan 84 mins, Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster) for Murphy 37 mins.                   

Tries: Kearney; Conversions: O'Gara; Penalties: O'Gara

Referee: S Dickinson (Aus)

 

We look forward now to the Summer Tours, If Ashton will retain his role as Head Coach, If Martin Johnson will get involved......... lots of ifs and lots to talk about and mull over.


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