ENGLAND..18 IRELAND....7
AUTUMN NATIONS CUP
ENGLAND’S sprint king Jonny May lit up Twickenham with a try for the ages as Eddie Jones’ side outpaced then outmuscled Ireland to make it four in a row.
Jones’ intention for the Autumn Nations Cup was to put smiles on the faces of England’s supporters and May’s 90m score – his second touchdown in the space of four golden minutes – will have done just that.
“It was 100 per cent instinct. I don’t have enough time to think about it when it is like that off a quick turnover ball,” said May.
“There are just so many feelings and emotions when you score a try for your country. It is awesome scoring tries for England.”
May, who once ran the 100m in 10.71sec and has in the past honed his speed at the Michael Johnson performance centre in Dallas, had opened his account by outjumping Hugo Keenan to collect a cross-kick from Owen Farrell in the 16th minute. But that was just the warm-up act.
As an attacking lineout in the England 22 went awry for the Irish – a recurring theme – England chanced their arm and moved the ball down the line to May who picked up possession 10m from his own line, stepped inside Chris Farrell and set sail on his solo passage to glory.
His acceleration took him clear of the first wave of green and as Keenan covered across he chipped over the Irish full-back and into open waters.
He put on the afterburners, hacked on and as Jamison GibsonPark was left in his wake, regathered possession and set off for the line. No-one was going to chase him down.
It is a try May will rewatch when he is old and grey with enormous pride. England thought they had chalked up a third try before the break after Sam Underhill swarmed all over GibsonPark and took the ball off the scrum-half to touch down but referee Pascal Gauzere disallowed it for the flanker failing to roll away in the tackle after consulting with the TMO.
England’s 12-0 advantage at the break was extended further by two penalties from Farrell early in the second half as Ireland’s discipline fractured under relentless pressure.
If you were at Twickenham you did not have to watch the game to know which way the tide was flowing. You just had to listen.
The noise from the field all came in an English accent and it was a constant racket.
Ireland had much more of the ball but that simply meant more bruises as they were hammered in the tackle.
“I thought our defence was at them today,” said Farrell.
It will have irked the England captain to have finally conceded a try six minutes from time as Jacob Stockdale picked off a neat chip by replacement Billy Burns but by then the job was well and truly done.
TEENAGE winger Louis Rees-Zammit on scored a try his first start
Wales as a youthful ended a six-game streak with losing an 18-0 victory Georgia. Rees- over try Zammit also set for replacement up a Webb scrum half Rhys and fly half Callum scored his first Sheedy points in a Wales jersey. Coach
Wayne Pivac said: “I was pleased the boys, with it was tricky out there.”