There have been raucous celebrations of green days in the past, but few can compare to this particular final chime. Andy Farrell’s modern Ireland was already the best team in the world, and now they have added a Six Nations grand slam to their collection of accomplishments. In reality, however, the applause also reflected a genuine sense of relief that shamrock wishes had been realized.
Even with 14 men, after a controversial red card was shown to an aghast Freddie Steward just before halftime, the hosts led by only 10-9 with 19 minutes remaining. England was proving to be an unyielding adversary, and the worst Irish nightmare was still a remote possibility. Ireland had never before won a grand slam in Dublin, and the weight of history became increasingly palpable.
In the end, however, everything turned out just great. The center Robbie Henshaw scored a try to relieve the tension, and his energetic comrade Dan Sheehan scored his second try of the night to eliminate any chance of a significant upset.
Even the spectacle of Johnny Sexton limping off in his final Six Nations game could not dampen the emerald fever on the island of Ireland on Saturday night.
Would they have won if Steward had remained on the field? Nobody will ever know, but Farrell’s team has a knack for finding a solution. Even though this wasn’t Ireland’s best performance ever or even this season, it sets them up well for the Rugby World Cup in the fall. “I just told Johnny that there are bigger fish to fry,” Farrell confirmed. This Irish team has absolutely no chance of resting on its laurels between now and September.
Ireland’s players now comprehend what a truly monumental match entails. Friday’s St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin was estimated to have attracted 500,000 spectators, but many imagined that Saturday’s contest was even larger. They had spent the entire week discussing the match and not the occasion. When a nation is so rife with anticipation, it is simple to say but difficult to execute.
Having won 21 of their previous 23 Tests, Ireland’s confidence was through the roof. Not since the 2011 World Cup, when everyone anticipated New Zealand to defeat France in the final, had there been comparable levels of confidence before a match? If it was difficult to make a compelling case for England’s extraordinary success, nothing in elite sport is ever assured.
On a cold, breezy evening, a few fluttering pre-homecoming nerves were unmistakable. The early scoreboard pressure was exerted by the visitors through two Owen Farrell penalty kicks, heightening the tension inside Aviva Stadium.
The Irish are excellent, but they are still human. Motivated by their poor start against France at Twickenham, England was also committing more effort to the breakdown.
Consequently, it was a relief for the Irish devotees when overzealousness allowed Sexton to convert the penalty he needed from 40 meters out to become the highest points scorer in Six Nations history. The last thing England needed was for Sexton to settle into a rhythm, as the fly-half had already been denied when a quick touch near the opposition’s line resulted in him being stopped.
Farrell complained audibly to referee Jaco Peyper that the Irish captain made a mess of the tackle. After Sexton ceased clutching his head, he took a similarly dim view of the accusation, and both sides’ hackles began to rise.
Perhaps that was all Ireland needed to return to its feral state. After 33 minutes, they showed they are as smooth and accurate off the first phase as any local side. Josh van der Flier, earning his 50th England cap, sent his Leinster comrade Sheehan through a gaping hole directly from a lineout, which was defensively disappointing from England’s standpoint. Ireland was ultimately in charge of their destiny once again.
Their mission was about to be greatly simplified. If there was no significant malice in Steward’s braced challenge as Keenan attempted to retrieve a lost ball. He did catch the fullback with a clenched elbow for which Peyper could find no mitigating factors.
For the second consecutive year in this match, England was reduced to 14 players before halftime.
Even though Ireland squandered a clear try-scoring opportunity just before halftime by ignoring a large overlap wide to the right. The already daunting mission now appeared insurmountable. England only survived because they wanted to redeem their 53-10 home loss to France.
However, Henshaw’s try broke the white dam, and Sheehan and Rob Herring’s substitute added gloss. A close-quarters battle won by Jamie George did the same for England, but their bottom-half finish does not deceive. They have now finished outside of the top two for the third consecutive season.
At least they can take pride in their spirited performance, and Dan Cole’s 100th uniform is another moment to cherish. Nevertheless, numerous issues remain unanswered. What is Marcus Smith’s next step? Is there truly enough time to regroup in all areas and compete for the World Cup? And so forth.
This was Ireland’s day, even if the final salvo wasn’t quite as resounding as they had anticipated. Sexton and his crew have nothing to fear in France this fall. Even when the green machine is not operating smoothly, it is difficult to halt.
