James Lowe shines for Ireland in a 27-22 victory over England. Lowe's impactful performance, return from injury, and ability to agitate the opposition prove crucial. England, despite showing signs of progress, ultimately fall short.
Ciarán Kennedy Reports from Aviva Stadium FOR A MAN who came to this rivalry relatively late in his career, James Lowe takes a lot of joy in beating England .
Three of Ireland’s four tries involved Lowe breaking free from English jerseys before serving up the score for a teammate. When he wasn’t testing the top speed of the defenders in his firing line, Lowe was grabbing them by the scruff of the neck during the smattering of scuffles which broke out. And so, predictably, England rumbled into this game with their sleeves up and their chests out. Marcus Smith darted around the pitch like a wasp in a kitchen. One moment he was stepping defenders and spraying passes wide, the next sitting back to send the ball to the skies. The new-look back row combination of Ben Earls and the Curry twins added athleticism to the England pack and made an impact at the breakdown. Maro Itoje leered over everything typically menacing intent.
Encouragingly, none of that seemed to knock his confidence. As Ireland looked to claw back England’s five point lead early in the first half, Prendergast took possession near the 22 but shoved the ball into touch. Two minutes later he had his hands on the ball again, and from a more central position the Leinster player hit Bundee Aki with a sharp skip pass, with the Connacht centre finishing brilliantly under pressure in the corner.
A Smith penalty left England five up at the break but their effort faded after the interval as Ireland’s bench turbo-charged their strong second-half showing.
RUGBY SIX NATIONS IRELAND ENGLAND JAMES LOWE
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