Everyone said this Grand Slam decider would be a cakewalk but for a full hour it was anything but that
Truth is, we’re not used to this stuff. All this confidence and free-wheeling favouritism, we’re not made for it. We’ll have a go at it but we won’t be entirely comfortable. All week, the whole country had played at being top dogs, convinced that the Grand Slam was only a matter of getting on the bus. In the history of Irish sport, this was probably unique.
Ireland were, collectively and individually, having a good old-fashioned shocker. A better team than England would surely have spoiled the party. Steve Borthwick’s side did their best, all grizzled and dogged, cheering every penalty award like it was a try. Owen Farrell kicked his points and as long as Ireland were toiling at the other end, it left them in with a chance.
But they weren’t. At least not for a while. We all presumed that the sending off meant Ireland would go from scrabbling around in the dark to fumbling upon the light switch but that wasn’t how it was. England spent the third quarter on top, pushing Ireland back, slowing everything down, stitching a Farrell penalty to bring the score back to 10-9.
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