Problems with scrum and lineout were punished ruthlessly by Jonny May as Ireland were manhandled out of the game
A first glimpse of a future without Ireland’s longstanding think tank at half-back, a first glimpse of a side that cannot quite summon the fury of recent times – and it reveals a work in progress with much still to accomplish. This England team were in the World Cup final a year ago and are Six Nations champions, but if that is the standard to which Ireland aspire, which it must be, Andy Farrell found much to ponder at Twickenham, his team manhandled out of this contest to a degree surely inconceivable to recent iterations in green.
Much was familiar. Ireland made England tackle nearly four times as much as the other way round, but they found hosts more than willing.
Related: Jonny May runs in rapid double as England see off Ireland
Continue reading...