Summary

  • England beat Ireland to keep alive Six Nations title hopes

  • Ireland's bid for Triple Crown and Grand Slam is over

  • Ford and Daly tries give England 17-0 half-time lead at Twickenham

  • Cowan-Dickie try in second half ensures victory

  • Henshaw and Porter touched down for visitors

  • Highlights on BBC Two at 18:00 GMT

  1. Postpublished at 17:48 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    You can watch highlights of today's game on BBC Two from 18:00 GMT.

    They will be streamed right here on the BBC Sport website and app as well.

    So England get the wagon back on the road after a defeat by France and a creaky, if winning, performance against Scotland.

    Ireland have their hopes of a Grand Slam and Triple Crown derailed meanwhile.

    The title looks like a three-way scrap with France having the tightest grip.

    Bye for now.

    IrelandImage source, Getty Images
  2. 'We know we can get better'published at 17:44 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    England head coach Eddie Jones: "We had a good preparation, we were always looking at this game and the next as the ones we had to be at our best.

    "We were disappointed with the second half, but when you are playing against a side like Ireland you expect them to get some possession, we had to defend pretty well.

    "We know we can get better than this. Maybe next week we'll pick six locks to give you guys something to talk about..."

    On Courtney Lawes:"We gave him a week off last week, freshen him up. He wasn't happy with his performance against France, he came back into the camp ready to go. He's a fine player."

  3. 'We put Ireland to the sword'published at 17:42 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Eddie JonesImage source, PA

    England head coach Eddie Jones speaking to the BBC: "I thought they were outstanding in that first 40 minutes, we put Ireland to the sword. They were going to do this, going to that... We played really well and we know they're a good team so had to play well to beat them.

    "The Six Nations is a different sort of rugby. People want to see this floaty, long-passing game but it's just not like that, the conditions don't make it like that and the intensity of the rivalries, it's a different type of game.

    "I thought we played well in Scotland, any time you beat Scotland at Murrayfield, you've got to play well because they're a tough team. The wind was strong and the rain was strong and we dominated that game as we dominated today.

    "They're a good team, this England team, and any time we have a small mishap it's the end of the world, the whole world's falling in. The players get a lot of criticism, and I'm really proud of what they did.

    "[The Wales game] is going to be fantastic. Wales have got a new coach, they're playing a little different as we've seen and we're looking forward to hosting them here. There will be 81,000 waiting for them. We'll welcome them coming down the... M40 is it? M4!"

  4. Postpublished at 17:37 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    BBC Radio 5 Live

    Eddie Jones has been in sparkling form in the post-match press conference.

    “If it was a cricket match we would have declared at half-time,” he has just told BBC Radio 5 Live.

  5. 'England really comfortable'published at 17:32 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Matt Dawson
    England World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Owen FarrellImage source, Reuters

    It's a fantastic win for England, they were dominant throughout the whole game. Tactics in the first half were spot on, a bit strange they didn't continue that after half-time and put the game away.

    They were happy to let Ireland have the ball and defend. They were really comfortable.

  6. 'Ireland needed to show up and didn't'published at 17:27 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Jamie Heaslip
    Former Ireland number eight on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Maybe Ireland got a little bit ahead of themselves. This is a different level. You're up against a side who were in the World Cup final. There were a lot of things in England's favour. Ireland needed to show up, and some players didn't today.

  7. 'We didn't play until it was over'published at 17:26 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Andy FarrellImage source, Getty

    More from Andy Farrell: "We didn't start to play how we wanted to play until the game was over. England were excellent, every side will look at themselves physically and they certainly won that battle. We didn't fire a shot in that first half.

    "England were fighting to stay in the championship and that's what we need to be in the next two games - I need to look at myself regarding the performance of the first half."

  8. 'The scoreline flattered us'published at 17:25 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Andy FarrellImage source, PA Media

    Ireland head coach Andy Farrell talking to the BBC: "Disappointing. I think the scoreline flattered us a little bit. We started firing a few shots when the game was over, and that's not what we want to do.

    "I think it was a knock-on effect of cumulative errors. The opposition had something to do with it obviously, they played really well. They played like a side that was desperate to stay in the competition, so fair play to England for that. But we'll look at ourselves for the reasons we allowed them to play the game they wanted to play.

    "First and foremost, I look at myself. Why were England up for it, winning the physical edge? That's down to myself. The reality is the last try at the end allows the points difference not to be too bad and we're in the competition, you know. We go into the Italy game knowing what we've got to do. If we perform like we want to in that game we'll take it to the last weekend."

  9. 'We are unbelievably happy'published at 17:19 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    England captain Owen Farrell: "We know what we are capable of, we've played in two games where one we didn't show our best and the second was bad conditions. We couldn't wait to get out against a proper opponent like Ireland.

    "It's pressure from everybody else, not us, we are unbelievably happy with how it is going in-house - we feel we are getting better and couldn't wait to play this game.

    "It's nothing to do with anyone on the outside, we are giving ourselves lots of confidence to rip in come kick-off."

    On Manu Tuilagi: "Any team in the world would want him, he's in a good place, playing great rugby."

    On having two weeks off before Wales: "It's another opportunity, we'll enjoy this win first, it's a big win for us and brilliant to be back at home. We'll celebrate that and then get on to the next opportunity."

    FarrellImage source, Reuters
  10. 'That is Eddie Jones' England'published at 17:15 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 France

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    Eddie JonesImage source, Getty

    That is Eddie Jones' England. They weren't too hot in the World Cup and then played one of their greatest games. They started with a whimper in France and then this. The disappointment from England's point of view is there isn't a Grand Slam on the cards. If this resets the dial on perfromance levels then that puts them in good stead for the next two rounds.

  11. 'We gave a good team two tries'published at 17:10 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton: "We gave a very good team two tries from our mistakes, not covering the chip kick, and then we didn't take our chances.

    "We were getting the ball on the back foot, trying to get to the edges and we couldn't, looked a bit silly at times.

    "We still have a big home game against Italy and if we can do that we still have a championship to play for.

    "We need to be a bit better, not play in certain areas of the field when we are going backwards."

    SextonImage source, PA Media
  12. How it standspublished at 17:08 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Six Nations

    This is how things are looking with three games gone in the 2020 Six Nations championship.

    France are still eyeing up a possible Grand Slam. They have Scotland away and Ireland at home to complete their campaign.

    England and Ireland will be hoping to pounce on any slip-ups.

  13. 'Andy Farrell will be his own biggest critic'published at 17:04 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Matt Dawson
    England World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    It's early days for Ireland. Andy Farrell will be his largest critic, he'll have a quite night. He'll have to eat a bit of humble pie with his family and Owen.

  14. Get Involvedpublished at 17:04 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    #bbcrugby or text us on 81111 (UK only)

    Andrew Priestley: Ireland lost by 12 points. Johnny Sexton was responsible for missing two very straightforward kicks worth 5 points during the game. Those alone would have given Ireland a losing bonus point. His all round play today was also very poor.

    Philip West: England efficient and hugely improved from the first two games. Back to basics in defence and our kicking game, and it worked brilliantly. Ireland were largely woeful, and Sexton looks finished at this level.

  15. 'England had to get the win'published at 17:01 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Paul Grayson
    Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    It's an international and first and foremost they have to win the game. It's still only a 12-point game, but I was never comfortable with them throwing the ball around because it's done and dusted... Ireland didn't turn up for a potential Triple Crown and launchpad to the Grand Slam.

    I would expect Ireland to almost punch themselves out to get to a level where they can come to Twickenham and win, and they were nowhere near it.

  16. 'We came out flying'published at 17:01 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Man of the match Courtney Lawes: "We knew Ireland were on good form and we came out flying, we put an emphasis on that all week. It was great to get out here with the boys.

    "Any chance I get to put on the shirt, especially at my old age, I relish it. We just want to keep building, the goal is to be the best team the world has ever seen."

    LAwesImage source, PA Media
  17. Match statspublished at 17:00 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    England - Ireland

    Possession: 39%-61%

    Territory: 41%-58%

    Metres run: 202-234

    Clean breaks: 3-2

    Defenders beaten: 9-15

    Tackles made/attempted: 175/190 (92% success) - 97/106 (92% success)

    Penalties conceded: 12-7

  18. 'Make basic mistakes, you get punished'published at 16:56 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Jamie Heaslip
    Former Ireland number eight on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    If you keep showing the same picture against a side like England, they'll punish you. Make basic mistakes in the back-field, you will get punished. If you want to win a championship, you can't make those mistakes.

  19. 'Ireland had no answer to England'published at 16:55 Greenwich Mean Time 23 February 2020

    FT: England 24-12 Ireland

    Matt Dawson
    England World Cup winner on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

    The whole England squad played really quite well. They had an intensity, the tactics were spot on and to be congratulated. The management have had a good couple of weeks.

    England have come up against Ireland and taken them apart with the tactics. Ireland had no answer to England today.

  20. try

    Converted try - England 24-12 Irelandpublished at 80+3 mins

    Andrew Porter (con Cooney)

    Andrew Porter, with Robbie Henshaw providing some shove in his back pocket, is over from a metre out.

    But the chorus of Swing Low is unbroken.

    John Cooney lands the conversion, but this is just small print...