Last-gasp Smith stars as England shatter Ireland’s Grand Slam dream

Marcus Smith’s last-ditch drop-goal noticed England finish Six Nations champions Eire’s hope of successive Grand Slams with a dramatic 23-22 win at Twickenham on Saturday.

There have been greater than 80 minutes on the clock when substitute fly-half Smith, making his first look of the match, landed the profitable kick as England ended a run of 4 straight defeats by Eire.

“I’ve been practising my drop-goals and I assumed why not!,” mentioned Smith after what was simply Eire’s second defeat since July 2022 following an agonising World Cup quarter-final loss to New Zealand final yr.

Eire, nevertheless, can nonetheless retain their title by beating Scotland in Dublin subsequent Saturday.

This defeat ended Eire’s bid to grow to be the primary staff in Six Nations historical past to win consecutive Grand Slams, with France the final staff to attain the feat within the 1997 and 1998 5 Nations.

“We’ve got been superb at profitable. We’ve got to be good at dropping,” mentioned Eire coach Andy Farrell.

England had been 17-8 behind early within the second half when Eire wing James Lowe scored the primary of his two tries.

However England hit again with tries from George Furbank and Ben Earl to steer 20-17 in opposition to an Eire aspect diminished to 14 males after captain Peter O’Mahony was sin-binned.

Lowe’s second strive, nevertheless, edged Eire two factors forward and, after England substitute Elliot Daly was simply astray with a long-range penalty moments after approaching, it appeared the Irish had accomplished sufficient.

However England, making good on captain Jamie George’s pre-match promise to “defend our dwelling” stored enjoying and had been rewarded with a win in entrance of a crowd of over 81,000 that revived their title hopes forward of subsequent week’s concluding match away to France.

‘Depth’

England completed third on the World Cup after capitalising on a lopsided draw, however this win was arguably their greatest peformance since Steve Borthwick’s appointment as head coach in December 2022.

“The staff has been progressing,” mentioned Borthwick.

“We’re 4 video games into constructing a brand new staff right here. I’m delighted for the gamers and particularly the supporters. There can be lots of people on their sofas and within the pubs pleased with themselves.

“Whenever you take a look at that recreation the gamers confirmed unbelievable depth from the primary minute to the eightieth minute.”

England dominated territory and possession within the first half, with centre Ollie Lawrence scoring the one strive of the opening 40 minutes.

But Eire nonetheless led 12-8 at half-time because of 4 penalties from fly-half Jack Crowley, who opened the scoring within the third minute.

However barely 60 seconds later, England hit again with a wonderful strive.

Furbank ran the ball throughout subject following a rushed clearance kick by Lowe earlier than Henry Slade launched fellow centre Lawrence for a strive within the nook that fly-half George Ford couldn’t convert.

Scrum-half Alex Mitchell, coming back from harm after lacking England’s 30-21 defeat by Scotland final day out, gave the Pink Rose assault a much-needed sharper edge.

Lawrence nearly had a second strive within the twenty fourth minute when he appeared to regather his intelligent grubber-kick behind Eire’s defence. However the rating was disallowed for a previous knock-on by Furbank.

The rest of the factors scored within the first half got here from penalty kicks, with Eire 12-8 forward on the break.

Eire, benefiting from a uncommon probability, went 9 factors clear early within the second half when, with Slade out of place, they created an overlap as Lowe dived in on the nook.

Crowley couldn’t convert, however Eire now led 17-8.

Nevertheless it took England simply 4 minutes to reply, with good dealing with from lock Maro Itoje paving the best way for Furbank’s check out large.

Ford was once more astray and Eire had been 17-13 forward.

However quickly afterwards flanker O’Mahony was proven a yellow card for diving over the ball and Earl made the person benefit rely with England’s third strive.

Lowe once more went in on the nook within the 73rd minute just for Crowley to make a horrible mess of the conversion in what turned out to be a major error.