A sensational attacking display by Ireland saw them put England to the sword with a 42-21 win at a stunned Allianz Stadium, Twickenham in the third round of the Six Nations.
Andy Farrell’s side scored five tries in the victory through scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park, wings Robert Baloucoune and Tommy O’Brien, hooker Dan Sheehan and full-back Jamie Osborne.
Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley – restored for this contest in place of Sam Prendergast – also added 17 points via the boot through three penalties and four conversions.
England, for whom Freddie Steward and Henry Pollock were sin-binned in either half, scored tries through centres Fraser Dingwall and Ollie Lawrence and replacement Sam Underhill, but were comprehensively outplayed for a first home defeat since 2024.
Ireland, meanwhile, made history in the win in posting their highest ever points total and margin of victory at Twickenham, eclipsing the 32 scored in March 2022 within a 17-point win.
England suffered a first home defeat since 2024 as Ireland scored a record points total and margin of victory at Twickenham
Ireland started strongly as a clever Crowley tactical kick to touch was followed by a Tadhg Beirne lineout steal and nice offloading and running into the 22, where James Lowe spilled under no pressure into touch.
A Joe McCarthy maul turnover saw Ireland attack again at great pace, and once England were ruled offside, Crowley kicked over the opening points in the ninth minute.
Jack Crowley kicked over the opening points of the Test in the ninth minute
George Ford soon missed touch with a penalty kick to the corner, before England’s opening spell of possession in the 22 saw the visitors dig in and force a Steward knock-on.
England won a scrum penalty against the head soon after, but Ford missed his second consecutive penalty to touch, kicking dead this time as Twickenham moaned.
Instead, Ireland struck for the opening try in the 20th minute when Baloucoune and O’Brien combined to take play into the 22, and when McCarthy carried on and England infringed, Gibson-Park took a clever quick-tap penalty to slide over in the corner.
Jamison Gibson-Park produced a quick-tap try in the first half
A tight refereeing call denied Ireland and Gibson-Park a second try soon after with O’Brien penalised for making contact in the air with Steward as both competed under a Crowley skyscraper.
It mattered not for the away side as their second try arrived in the 27th minute: O’Brien claiming a high ball, Stuart McCloskey making a stunning break past Lawrence and Gibson-Park firing a long pass out to Baloucoune.
England were also reduced to 14 players as Steward was sin-binned for cynically playing Gibson-Park before the nine got his pass away.
Referee Andrea Piardi then pulled his quad and was replaced after a Josh van der Flier break almost saw Ireland in again, before Crowley took the wrong decision in trying a kick-pass which Henry Arundell marked.
On the half-hour Ireland had their third try through O’Brien after wonderful Baloucoune work to bamboozle Tommy Freeman with a dummy and pace. When Crowley converted, Ireland’s lead stood at a remarkable 22-0.
Tommy O’Brien scored Ireland’s third try after wonderful attacking work from Baloucoune
England put on big pressure before the end of the half but Ireland seemed to have done enough when Beirne produced a stunning piece of breakdown defence by the try-line to deny the hosts before the break after Baloucoune and Tadhg Furlong had halted Jamie George.
A Sheehan overthrow by his own 22 kept pressure on Ireland, however, and in the final play of the half Dingwall dived over past a stretched defence.
Ford’s conversion left the half-time score 22-7, but the visitors emerged with similar vigour at the start of the second half as bulldozing Caelan Doris and McCloskey carries took them close, where Pollock was sin-binned for failing to release on the try-line.
Fraser Dingwall scored for England in the final play of the first half, but Ireland started the second period stronger too
Within a minute Ireland had their fourth try as Sheehan dived over after Furlong and McCloskey had been stopped short, with Crowley converting for 29-7.
The hosts got over for their second try in the 54th minute when Lawrence finished by the posts, with Ireland reduced to 14 as Osborne was sin-binned for a similar offence to that of Pollock.
England failed to take advantage of having a player more, though, as Crowley added a penalty in the 59th minute after Bevan Rodd put hands in a ruck.
Dan Sheehan scored Ireland’s fourth try early in the second half
Just before Ireland were restored to XV Freeman had space to run for the corner, but a superb Baloucoune and O’Brien double-tackle put him into touch before Osborne re-emerged.
Instead, Ireland were the next to score when Crowley added another penalty after Guy Pepper was pinged trying to stop the outstanding Beirne at the breakdown, and with 10 minutes to go came Ireland’s fifth try: more sharp hands and flowing attack in the 22 creating space for Osborne to break through and finish well.
Jamie Osborne scored Ireland’s fifth try as they made history at Twickenham
Crowley converted for a stunning points haul, and though Underhill scored late on, England failed to push on for a fourth try bonus-point and are left to lick some considerable wounds.
‘Not good enough’ – Itoje says players must accept responsibility
England captain Maro Itoje to ITV:
“I guess the first half we turned the ball over too much, when we did get in their half we weren’t clinical. As players we have to own it. We have to take responsibility and make sure we’re better.
“Ultimately we weren’t accurate. We got into good positions. We didn’t come away with points or score. We know it’s not good enough. We’ll be working harder to get it right.
“We need to look after the ball. We need to make sure our possessions are accurate. Ultimately we turned the ball over too much.”
Sheehan: One of our best ever performances
Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan to ITV:
“We’re such a hungry group. We believe in ourselves a lot. We’ve been under the pump by the media a lot.
“That performance was right up there with one of the best we’ve ever had.
“We’ve stuck together, we’ve ignored that. When we all come together special things happen.
“To get this win at Twickenham is special.”
What’s next?
England next travel to face Italy in Rome in Round 4 of the Six Nations on Saturday March 7 at the Stadio Olimpico (4.40pm kick-off).
Ireland host Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin for their fourth Six Nations clash on Friday March 6 (8.10pm kick-off).
