England v Ireland - Teams and Prediction

SIX NATIONS, ROUND THREE: There is no love lost between England and Ireland, and this Saturday at Twickenham, they will write another chapter in their age-old rivalry.

Supporters around the world are in for a monumental encounter – one that could define both teams’ Six Nations campaigns.

Both sides arrive in London needing to assert their title credentials. England are seeking a response after a bruising Calcutta Cup defeat, while Ireland want to reinforce their clinical edge following a hard-fought victory over Italy.

History looms large. This will be the 144th meeting between the nations, with the Millennium Trophy once again on the line.

England have traditionally dominated at Twickenham, claiming 48 victories on home soil (now known as Allianz Stadium). But recent contests reflect the competitive balance of the professional era, with little separating the sides in modern meetings.

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Tactical intrigue abounds as Alex Mitchell’s aerial bombardment meets the rising talent of Irish fullback Jamie Osborne.

Margins are typically razor-thin in this fixture, and another high-stakes arm wrestle built on territory, breakdown pressure and physicality is anticipated.

Ireland scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park believes familiarity between the squads has added a new dimension to the rivalry.

“I think there was a bit of ‘mateship’ created between us and to me, that adds to a rivalry,” the 33-year-old told reporters at this week’s news conference.

“When I think of the inter-pros in Ireland, they are my favourite games to play because you know the lads. I’ve spoken on it before that it’s a brotherly kind of rivalry.

“We played with these guys for two months over the summer and got to know them pretty well, some great fellas. To me, that adds to the challenge and the rivalry.”

Forwards are different…

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It will be a big occasion for England captain Maro Itoje, who will earn his 100th Test cap at Twickenham.

He will become just the ninth Red Rose men’s player to reach the landmark.

Prop Joe Heyes was full of praise for his skipper.

“You know Maro is on your team – he’s talking to you at mauls, scrums, nominating and talking around the pitch,” said Heyes.

“He’s a genuinely brilliant leader by words – he is incredibly articulate – but also by his actions.

“He drives a lot of standards. He is one of the best captains that I have played under.”

Henry Pollock will be given a first Test start after seven appearances as a replacement.

The 21-year-old Northampton back-row has already become a fans’ favourite with the Twickenham faithful and Heyes has no doubt that Pollock will star as England’s new No.8.

“Henry’s a very confident, very skilful and very ambitious player,” said Heyes.

“He provides a huge amount of energy to the team. He’s going to go far.”

Rivalry in numbers

One of the oldest and most storied rivalries in international rugby, England and Ireland first met in 1875 at The Oval. Since then, they’ve contested 143 Test matches, with England winning 81, Ireland 54, and 8 ending in a draw.

Players to watch:

For England: One name that immediately stands out in the England line-up is Henry Pollock. The rookie earns his first Test start and will be eager to justify the faith shown in him. He has already built a strong support base, but whether he can handle the pressure of such a high-stakes occasion remains to be seen. Captain Maro Itoje, set to win his 100th Test cap, has extra motivation to deliver a commanding performance and mark the milestone in style. In the backline, Freddie Steward will be a crucial component in the aerial battle, while Ireland must also find a way to contain the dangerous Henry Arundell out wide.

For Ireland: All eyes will be on the No. 10 jersey, worn by Jack Crowley. Ireland have faced questions at flyhalf, and Andy Farrell has made the bold call to drop Sam Prendergast – placing added responsibility on Crowley to control the tempo and dictate proceedings. Crowley will combine with Jamison Gibson-Park in a pivotal halfback partnership. Up front, Tadhg Furlong, Dan Sheehan and Jeremy Loughman must help restore pride in the Irish scrum after struggles against Italy. Meanwhile, Josh van der Flier – who has not quite hit his usual standards – will need to step up in the loose trio and make his presence felt at the breakdown.

Prediction

Rugby365: England by 7 points

Teams: 

England: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 Henry Arundell, 10 George Ford, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Henry Pollock, 7 Ben Earl, 6 Tom Curry, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Joe Heyes, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Ellis Genge
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Bevan Rodd, 18 Trevor Davison, 19 Alex Coles, 20 Guy Pepper, 21 Sam Underhill, 22 Jack van Poortvliet, 23 Marcus Smith

Ireland: 15 Jamie Osborne, 14 Robert Baloucoune, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 James Lowe, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris (captain), 7 Josh van der Flier, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 James Ryan, 4 Joe McCarthy, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Jeremy Loughman.
Replacements: 16 Rónan Kelleher, 17 Tom O’Toole, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Nick Timoney, 20 Jack Conan, 21 Craig Casey, 22 Ciaran Frawley, 23 Tommy O’Brien.

Date: Saturday, February 21
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Kick-off: 14.10 (14.10 GMT)
Expected weather: Light rain and a gentle breeze. A high of 14°C and a low of 11°C
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (France), Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)

*Additional source: AFP & BBC