BETTER for England. Much better.
Signs that there is something to move on with under new skipper Maro Itoje.
But still nowhere near good enough as Irish eyes were smiling all over the Aviva.
Late tries by Tom Curry and Tommy Freeman ensured Steve Borthwick’s men will head back home with a losing bonus point and something tangible to grasp.
Yet those scores could not hide the fact England were blown away in the second half, unable to repeat the exertions of the first 40 minutes that had brought them an unlikely interval lead.
And while the final margin was only five points, for much of that second half it felt significantly more than that.
Once again, England found a way to lead, Cadan Murley in dreamland when he scored a terrific try with his first attacking touch of the ball in international rugby.
They found a heart and soul, too, defending with a passion and desire that could not be faulted.
But once again, just as so often over the past year, they could not quite get over the line – and ended up well beaten.
When it really mattered, their two key tackling errors were brutally punished as Jamison Gibson-Park and Bundee Aki scored either side of the interval to wipe out their advantage.
And once Sam Prendergast finally found his kicking boots to nudge the home side in front, there was an inevitability about what followed.
James Lowe tore through the disintegrating England defence to allow Tadgh Beirne to canter home with the winger fending off Marcus Smith to set up Dan Sheehan to clinch the bonus point, although Curry and Freeman then cut the gap in the final minutes.
In the end, despite that late double, Ireland looked more like themselves, England a level – or more – below.
Yet what will hurt so much is how well Borthwick’s side, with Marcus Smith at his elusive best, started, reducing the home crowd to near silence.
Smith who was in at the beginning as England – and Murley – made the first statement.
He fielded a steepler from opposite number Prendergast and fed Ollie Lawrence, who made a key incision to put the Irish midfield on the back foot.
England moved the ball quickly to the left, with Henry Slade’s delicate kick allowing Murley to make the perfect opening to his international career, Smith kicking a beauty from the touchline.
It sparked the expected Irish response, England defending with desperation – and earning a warning from Kiwi ref Ben O’Keefe.
All Six Nations 2024 fixtures – Dates, kick-off times and TV channels for huge tournament
They had one escape when a try from hooker Rohan Kelleher was ruled out after the TMO spotted Beirne illegally grabbing hold of Itoje’s leg to prevent him from making a tackle.
England, too, had a try chalked off, although the whistle had gone for a knock-on as Itoje dislodged the ball before Mitchell scampered over.
That tackle by the new skipper summed up England’s approach, that mobile back row popping up all over the pitch to smother and deny.
The question was long long they could sustain the effort for – a task made even tougher when Smith was sent to the bin for a blatant offside after winger Mack Hansen had surged to within a few steps of the line.
Even so, the try they conceded just as Smith was getting set to return was disappointing – for Mitchell and Freddie Steward in particular.
Mitchell had a firm grasp on Lowe just inside the England half but allowed the winger to elude his grasp and power forward before flipping inside to Gibson-Park, who made Steward look silly as he misread the side-step.
2025 Six Nations Fixtures & TV Schedule
Round 1
France v Wales | January 31 at 8.15pm | ITV
Scotland v Italy | February 1 at 2.15pm | BBC
Ireland v England | February 1 at 4.45pm | ITV
Round 2
Italy v Wales | February 8 at 2.15pm | ITV
England v France | February 8 at 4.45pm | ITV
Scotland v Ireland | February 9 at 3pm | BBC
Round 3
Wales v Ireland | February 22 at 2.15pm | BBC
England v Scotland | February 22 at 4.45pm | ITV
Italy v France | February 23 at 3pm | ITV
Round 4
Ireland v France | March 8 at 2.15pm | ITV
Scotland v Wales | March 8 at 4.45pm | BBC
England v Italy | March 9 at 3pm | ITV
Round 5
Italy v Ireland | March 15 at 2.15pm | ITV
Wales v England | March 15 at 4.45pm | BBC
France v Scotland | March 15 at 8pm | ITV
Somehow, Prendergast pulled the conversion wide of the uprights, with England still, narrowly, in front.
Smith, back on the field, stretched the advantage from in front of the posts with the last play of the half.
But from the start of the second period, the England tank looked drained.
Pressure after Murley misjudged a high ball eventually told as Aki bulldozed through Smith, shrugged off Mitchell and then carried Freeman with him over the line.
Prendergast missed again but was on the money four minutes later when Itoje was adjudged – somewhat harshly – to have pushed Jack Conan in the line-out.
Once they were ahead, Ireland put down the hammer, England’s tiredness showing as the green tide kept on surging.
Beirne and then Sheehan were the beneficiaries to stretch the lead and ensure a fifth point for the holders.
Curry, who never gave up, did force his way over the Irish line to cut the arrears with four minutes to go with Freeman scoring another with the clock in the red zone.
But they were just consolation tries. For all the effort, another defeat. And it’s France next week.
Ireland 27 England 22: Six Nations
ENGLAND suffered a shocking second-half collapse against Ireland as their Six Nations opener fell apart in a 27-22 defeat.
The Red Roses dominated the first 40 minutes before the Boys in Green showed them what’s what in the next.
Here’s how SunSport’s Martin Lipton rated every Red Rose from Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
Freddie Steward – 6. Secure and so solid under the high ball but made to look silly by Gibson-Park when he left the full-back on his backside for Ireland’s first points.
Tommy Freeman – 5. Few chances to really explode down the wing and among those outfoxed by Aki for Ireland’s second try. Not sure the Northampton man is a game-breaker.
Henry Slade – 7. Superb grubber to set up Murley for the early England try and made a stream of big hits as he defended with relish and passion.
Ollie Lawrence – 7. Carried the ball with power and his tackling was as exceptional as those of Slade alongside him.
Cadan Murley – 7. Dream debut for the Harlequins winger as he scored a beauty inside the first 10 minutes. Spent much of the remainder of the game defending for his life.
Marcus Smith – 7. Showed that imagination and footwork from the outset to give England hope and inspiration.
Alex Mitchell – 5. Returning scrum half brought calmness but the missed tackle on Lowe, just as Smith was getting ready to return, was critical.
Ellis Genge – 6. Old fashioned grunt and grind in the front row rarely gets the plaudits but it meant England were never going backwards at the set-piece.
Luke Cowan-Dickie – 6. Missed his first line out but other than that got the radar working, a vital factor with England a jumper short because of the back row mix.
Will Stuart – 6. Another whose best work goes unrecognised by most but he showed the same application as his team-mates.
Maro Itoje – 8. The new captain promised he would lead by example. He did not disappoint in an all-action demonstration of his prowess.
George Martin – 7. Worked well in tandem with his captain to ensure England were able to compete and nat times silence the home crowd.
Tom Curry – 7. Like his twin, the Sale flanker seemed to be popping up everywhere within a remorseless determination.
Ben Curry – 7. Ireland really must have wondered how many Currys were on the pitch as he gave total commitment to the cause.
Ben Earl – 6. The Saracens man might not be a traditional No 8 but his willingness to bust his guts from first to last minute is a sign of his mentality and quality.
Replacements:
Dan (for Cowan Dickie) – 6. Did his job in a difficult cause.
Willis (for Earl) – 6. Came on just as the tide really started to turn against England. Could not stem it.
Cunningham-South (for Ben Curry) – 6. Sent on to give England more bulk and energy in the last quarter.
Chessum (for Martin) – 6. Back after injury and giving England extra line-out capacity in the final stages.
F Smith (for Steward) – 6. All or nothing move with namesake Marcus moving to full-back but the die was cast
Randall (for Mitchell) – 6. Another who came on when the game was gone.
