HOW IRELAND RATED

ROB KEARNEY 7 Another assured display. Experience vital as young replacements rolled on. KEITH EARLS 8 Ball didn’t come his way a lot but provided options and made last-ditch tackles. GARRY RINGROSE 9 Stayed alert for first try. Brilliant first-half steal and oozed quality throughout. BUNDEE AKI 8 We’ve been waiting to see more from Aki going forward and he delivered. JACOB STOCKDALE 8 What a dream few weeks for the 21-year-old. Magic solo try on stroke of half-time. JOHNNY SEXTON 7 Another mixed day from the boot. Seemed to carry the effects of some big hits. CONOR MURRAY 8 Put under huge pressure but pulled strings effectively and made some vital tackles. CIAN HEALY 8 Bruising day for Healy, but he was solid in the scrum and powerful in the tackle. RORY BEST © 8 Lineout was solid and led by example, making his case with Schmidt for the World Cup. TADHG FURLONG 9 Powerhouse in defence and great hands for a prop, underlined value to this team. JAMES RYAN 8 Hard to believe it is Ryan’s first Six Nations. So confident, decision making was spot on. IAIN HENDERSON 7 Got through a mountain of work and made a huge turnover near end of first half. PETER O’MAHONY 7 Got through the usual high workload but Ireland leaked a try when he was sin-binned. DAN LEAVY 8 Superb. Hard to imagine he wasn’t first-choice at start of this tournament. CJ STANDER 8 Deserved his try. Carried with purpose in a game that suited him down to the ground.

REPLACEMENTS

S Cronin (for R Best 65), J McGrath (for Healy 51), A Porter (for T Furlong 65). D Toner (for Ryan 67), J Murphy (P O’Mahony 74), K Marmion (for K Earls 74). J Carbery (for Sexton 33-40, 67). J Larmour (for B Aki 56).

ENGLAND

A Watson 6 (M Brown 33); J May 6, J Joseph 5 (G Ford 56), B Te’o 6, E Daly 8; O Farrell 8, R Wigglesworth 6 (D Care 61); M Vunipola 6 (J Marler 53), D Hartley 6 (capt) (J George 58), K Sinckler 5 (D Cole 53); M Itoje 6, G Kruis 5 (J Launchbury71); C Robshaw 5, J Haskell 6, S Simmonds 5 (D Armand 67). Referee: A Gardner (Australia) 7