Ireland recover to secure bonus point 27-22 win over England
DUBLIN :Ireland had to come from behind against England to get their bid for a third successive Six Nations title off to a winning 27-22 bonus point start on Saturday thanks to a ferocious second half after the visitors had made life very uncomfortable.
England got their gameplan spot on in the first half to lead 10-5 at the break, striking early through a debut Cadan Murley try before frustrating a stop-start Ireland at the breakdown with only Jamison Gibson-Park able to break through.
The game swung decisively Ireland's way early in the second half with a powerful Bundee Aki try and Sam Prendergast penalty putting them ahead for the first time after 55 minutes before a Tadhg Beirne try delivered a knockout blow 10 minutes later.
The relentless hosts pushed for the fourth bonus point-clinching try to cap off interim coach Simon Easterby's first game in charge and got it through replacement Dan Sheehan before Tom Curry halted the second-half onslaught and Tommy Freeman grabbed another consolation try at the death.
"We have to give a lot of credit to England, they stuck it to us for the most part. They're a quality side with quality players," man of the match Gibson-Park said in a pitchside interview.
"I think we certainly saw glimpses of that (reaching our potential) in the second half, there was some nice footy being played. We'll take a bit of confidence out of that."
England bossed the opening period and took a deserved lead on nine minutes when Harlequins winger Murley collected a beautifully deft kick through from scrumhalf Alex Mitchell and Marcus Smith added the conversion.
The speed of England's defensive line was having the desired impact and Steve Borthwick's men were also edging the aerial battle before one glaring infringement too many after Ireland began to make inroads sent Smith to the sin bin.
But a sloppy Ireland failed to take immediate advantage as Borthwick's decision to start three opensides in the backrow - including twins Ben and Tom Curry starting together for the first time - also appeared to be paying early dividends.
However, the pressure eventually told as Smith returned with Irish winger James Lowe making the initial break from a tired defender on the halfway line before scrumhalf Gibson-Park sold Freddie Steward a dummy to go over.
Ireland's 21-year-old flyhalf Sam Prendergast, starting his first Six Nations game, missed a relatively easy conversion and a Smith penalty doubled England's lead at the break.
England's defence needed to dig deep again as soon as the second half began and they were firmly pinned back when Aki drove past three English defenders to score in the corner.
Prendergast, who set up the try, missed another conversion but the scores weren't level for long as England's penalty count ticked up and the Leinster youngster nailed a long penalty to put the hosts in front for the first time.
Ireland did not put the foot down straight away - continuing with some of the errors that marked an uneven November series - but once Beirne broke through to make it 20-10, there was no way back for a punchdrunk England.
Sheehan's try looked an inevitability and while Curry and Freeman gave England a losing bonus point, it was ultimately a seventh narrow loss in nine games for Borthwick since England wrecked Ireland's grand slam dreams a year ago.
The schedule potentially opens up now for Ireland who will fancy making winning trips to Scotland and Wales before coming home for a mouth-watering potential title decider against France on March 8.
