RBS Six Nations Championship 2009

Ireland   14  v    13  England 

Match Review

The English and Irish teams line up before the RBS 6 Nations match at Croke Park, Dublin, Ireland. Picture date: Saturday February 28, 2009.

All pictures by Empics

England went to Ireland to prove they could cut out the penalties defend well and do a job! Well they defended well and almost did a job but the penalties ............. Agghhhh give me strength!

England had a good positive start in the first 10mins, defending well, they held Ireland and slowed their ball down.  For rugby fans it was not a particularly good match to watch especially in the first half, bit boring in fact. England were lucky though not to be down 9 - 3 at half time as O'Gara did not have his kicking boots on today and missed two easy penalties but drove the third straight through the posts.  

Also a good bit of 'Ping Pong' went on in the first half and I will never in a million years understand the idea behind kicking the ball straight back down the throat of  the opposition, we also saw a lot of quick box kicks especially as we got into the Irish 22 - what is the point I ask?  Might as well just hand the ball to the player opposite you because that did not work either.

However, for England fans it will have been good to see a more positive defence and England did try to create and use quick ball.

Phil Vickery still does not seem to be able to stop giving penalties away in this half it was first Illegally Binding and then holding on, how many times do players at this level have to be told. 

Near the end of the first half  Toby Flood put a super kick down deep into the Irish half, England won the ball back pressing the Irish who gave away a penalty - Flood did what he does best and kicked the three points.

First Half: Ireland 3 - 3 England

In the second half  Ireland came out firing and within 15 seconds again England's indiscipline surfaced Penalty and again O'Gara missed.  However, man of the match Brian O'Driscoll after massive pressure by the Irish in the 44th minute slotted over a drop goal 6 - 3.

Some hard and dubious tackles going in all over the place,  51 mins England again giving lots of  penalties away Armitage this time.

53 mins massive pressure on the England line by the Irish, England holding, holding, England warned again from the Ref., next one to the bin and guess who does not listen ........yep Vickery - England down to 14men yet again.  55 mins still massive pressure from Ireland and that man again O'Driscoll goes over for a well deserved try and again O'Gara can't kick for toffee!  11-3.

Irelands Brian ODriscoll burrows over to score their first try during the RBS 6 Nations match at Croke Park

61mins a Brilliant move by England almost saw Mathew Tait streak in for a try but he was tackled just short however, he had Flutey to his left and he really should have off loaded. Games are won and lost in these situations, heads up rugby is needed.

63mins  Amazing one of Ireland first penalties against, Paddy Wallace is penalised for not rolling away and Delon Armitage, instead of Toby Flood, slots three crucial points  11-6

Then yet another moment of madness by an English player, Danny Care this time who is sin-binned after intervention from the touch judge. A late tackle with the shoulder is the reason and England's poor discipline continues.  Anyone watching the game live will have seen Martin Johnson's reaction to this incident and I would not like to be Danny Care tonight!

How England hope to play against top flight International sides with 14 men for nearly half the game, words fail me, this needs to be sorted out!  

So Penalty to Ireland and this time O'Gara has no problems seeing the posts. 14-6

England's only bright interval (and no I am not talking about the weather) was in the dying moments of the second half when Andy Goode made  a good half-break, off loading  to Mike Tindall who made good ground, recycling the ball  then Goode pushed the ball through for Delon Armitage to pounce on it over the line. Goode converted and for the first time you could feel the urgency in the England team 14-13

 Englands Delon Armitage scores a try during the RBS 6N match at Croke Park

The ref., warned Ireland to stop wasting time as there was only seconds to the end of the match, England did try to move the ball and keep it in play but it was a big ask.

Final Result Ireland 14 v England 13

Ireland: (3) 14
Tries: O'Driscoll Pens: O'Gara (2) Drop: O'Gara

England: (3) 13
Try: Armitage Con: Goode Pens: Flood, Armitage

Some players need to take a long hard look at themselves Phil Vickery and Danny Care being two, because if we had played with 15 men throughout this match we maybe could have nicked it.  Having said all of that, well done to Ireland as they ground out the win but it was not a game of rugby to entertain.  

Come on Johnno sort this rabble out!  They are letting us down badly on indiscipline, not professional at all.

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