THE two Tadhgs, Beirne and Furlong, achieved such dominance that England were rarely on the front foot. England looked meek in front of the overwhelming superiority of the Irish forward pack.
When England did seize momentum, a cute and agile Irish defence either held the English ball carriers up or knocked them over and nicked the ball.
CJ Stander’s brand of rugby, offering himself as an option to the passer and pelting incessantly into opposing players, isn’t sophisticated but it’s heroically confrontational and terrifyingly effective.
A big part of Johnny Sexton’s game is his unflinching...