England
george furbank There were some great things like the break of Lawrence’s try and a smart score of his own, but there were also an error or two. 8
Immanuel Faye-Waboso Defensively he was impressive and always looked like he could come out from the wing. He couldn’t wriggle free, but he didn’t want to try. It plays an important role in the final passage of the play. 7
henry slade There was a performance and I felt good here. A nice dummy who gave Fay-Waboso the ball in space and led the defensive line well. 8
ollie lawrence His try was successful before he was properly denied the next try. Discipline needs to improve, but it poses a threat. 7
tommy freeman He looked dangerous when England were able to get him into space, but it was just one or two naive moments. You will definitely learn from them. 7
george ford He was often at the heart of it when England kicked into gear, but had a difficult day kicking a goal. He is under pressure over his position. 7
alex mitchell He made a welcome return from injury and added tempo to England’s attack. That jersey will be his in the near future. 9
Ellis Genge Part of a more dominant front row, he produced his most prominent carry-half under Steve Borthwick in the opening 40. 8
Jamie George (Captain) Although he had one or two lineout troubles, he recovered well and appeared at Ruthwell. England’s remarkable progress is highly commendable. 7
Dan Cole Ireland complained to the referee about the scrum, which could be taken as a compliment. He was at war, but he continued to live as a soldier. 7
Maro Itoje He often has a big influence in big matches like this, and he showed his presence again in the final quarter. 8
george martin England’s bailiff. Against McCarthy, he made the first move with a big tackle and hit Beirne just before half-time to let him know. 9
Ollie Chetham He made a strong tackle on Aki, forcing him into touch, and performed his lineout job perfectly. This will develop into an important part on this side. 8
sam underhill Robust carry and offload that creates space for Firbank’s tries and typical tough tackles. I emptied the tank before leaving on time. 8
Ben Earl Another great performance. He showed beautiful footwork many times and successfully scored tries. A prominent telecommunications company in England. 9
replacement Theo Dunn (George, 54) 7; Joe Marler (Genge, 54) 7; Will Stewart (Cole, 54) 6; Chandler Cunningham-South (Underhill, 61) 7; Alex Dombrandt ( Chetham, 66) 6; Danny Care (Mitchell, 66) 6; Marcus Smith (Ford, 58) 8; Elliot Daly (Slade, 66) 8
Ireland
Hugo Keenan After Nash’s sending off he was forced to play on the right wing, but when Frawley was sent off he returned to full-back and struggled to make an impact as changes were made. 6
Calvin Nash He had a huge collision with Freeman in the build-up to Lawrence’s try and was injured six minutes later when his second best was removed. Five
robbie henshaw A nice choke tackle on Slade earned Ireland a scrum, but the game was relatively quiet. Plain but solid. Five
Bundy Aki He took every opportunity to run down the Ford Channel, often making yards. Even a breakdown is deadly. He performed well at the World Cup and continues to do so. 8
james lowe Trusty’s left spike was as effective as ever, and after a quiet first half with the ball in his hands, he brilliantly scored two tries early in the second half. 8
jack crowley Very structured for those new to international setups. He didn’t panic when England were on top, and in the build-up he delayed a pass brilliantly, leading to Lowe’s try. 8
jamison gibson park He is a very reliable performer in this well-oiled machine and will slot in seamlessly on the wing when called up. Killer pass for Rowe’s second try. 7
andrew porter He ruined a promising position by conceding a goal with a stupid penalty and was matched against Cole in a scrum, but he was always ahead. 6
Dan Sheehan He endured some lineout wobbles, but was unable to make an impact from out wide, as he often does. Five
Tadhg Furlong It was a quiet game by his high standards. Genge appeared arrogant and clashed with the players, and was unable to make an impact on set pieces or when he was in possession of the ball. Five
Joe McCarthy He arrived on a high profile, was a good tackler and looked dangerous at times in close quarters, but England managed to keep him together well. 6
Tadhg Berne He is always a threat in between England’s long lineouts. England made sure he wasn’t a force to be reckoned with. 6
peter o’mahony He was naturally shown a yellow card for the ironic penalty, and struggled at the lineout. It was an unforgettable day for the Ireland captain. Five
Josh van der Flier He got the midfield up well in the early going and continued that flow. Excellent at making yards through contact. He also won an important penalty at the breakdown. 8
keiran doris England defended superbly in the first half and scored with a try from Lowe. But he is not an inexorable force of nature. 7
replacement Ronan Kelleher (Sheehan, 63) Rolled up sleeves 6. Sian Healy (Porter, 72) None. Finlay Bealham (furlongs, 62) Not applicable. Ian Henderson (McCarthy supporter, 62) struggling 5; Ryan Baird (O’Mahony, 69) 6; Jack Conan (van der Flier, 63) N/A. Conor Murray (Frawley, 50) 6; Kieran Frawley (Nash, 6) 6
