England vs Ireland: Player Ratings from Six Nations Defeat

Twickenham witnessed another dispiriting afternoon for England on Saturday, falling to a 42-21 defeat against a dominant Ireland side in round three of the Six Nations. The loss, compounding a previous defeat to Scotland, effectively ends England’s hopes of challenging for the championship title. A look at the individual performances reveals a team struggling for consistency and impact.

England player ratings v Ireland

15 Freddie Steward: Steward’s day was marred by a costly yellow card, allowing Ireland to build significant momentum and score 14 unanswered points during his absence. While showing flashes of his distribution skills early on, the indiscipline proved decisive. Ultimately pulled before the end of the first half. 3

14 Tommy Freeman: Freeman showed glimpses of potential when afforded possession, but opportunities to truly influence the game were limited. He wasn’t able to consistently make an impact out wide. 5

13 Ollie Lawrence: A mixed bag for Lawrence. He started with some early errors but improved as the match progressed, managing to score a try. However, it wasn’t the explosive performance he likely envisioned after missing the opening two Tests. 5

12 Fraser Dingwall: Dingwall continued to demonstrate a neat distribution game, but was exposed defensively, with his opposite number capitalizing on the mismatch. 4

11 Henry Arundell: Arundell’s pace and handling skills offered moments of promise, but he couldn’t quite break through for a game-changing try. His efforts lacked the final, decisive touch. 5

10 George Ford: A frustrating performance from Ford, characterized by inconsistency. Early missed kicks to touch hampered England’s attacking efforts, although he did find some rhythm later in the game, enabling some positive attacking shape. A performance he’ll undoubtedly be disappointed with. 3

9 Alex Mitchell: Mitchell performed adequately within the constraints of his limited game time, departing after just 25 minutes due to injury. 5

Back-row

8 Henry Pollock: In his first start, Pollock displayed energy and enthusiasm, but his afternoon was ultimately overshadowed by a sin-binning. He will be frustrated by the referee’s decision and the impact it had on the game. 5

7 Ben Earl: Earl emerged with some credit despite the team’s overall struggles. He consistently led England in carries, demonstrating his work rate and physicality in the tight exchanges. 6

6 Tom Curry: Curry’s return to the starting XV didn’t quite deliver the desired impact. He contributed in the tight, but was unable to consistently overcome his opposite numbers. 5

Tight five

5 Ollie Chessum: A solid, if unspectacular, display from Chessum. He looked to contribute to the attack, but defensive errors detracted from his overall performance. 5

4 Maro Itoje (c): Itoje led by example with a tireless work rate, ending the game as joint-top tackler for England. However, even his considerable efforts couldn’t stem the tide. 5

3 Joe Heyes: The scrum was arguably England’s strongest area, and Heyes played a key role in that solidity. He also contributed effectively in the loose. 6

2 Luke Cowan-Dickie: A difficult day for Cowan-Dickie. While he showed some strength in the loose, the lineout proved to be a significant issue for England, operating at just 67% efficiency during his time on the field. He was subsequently hooked after 29 minutes. 3

1 Ellis Genge: Genge mirrored the performance of his fellow props, providing a solid platform in the scrum and demonstrating physicality around the park. 6

Replacements: The replacements offered some improvement, injecting a degree of polish into a largely dismal performance. Marcus Smith’s introduction added a different dimension to England’s attack, while Bevan Rodd, Jamie George, and Guy Pepper also ended the game with credit. Steve Borthwick will undoubtedly have questions to answer regarding his starting XV, given the impact of his bench. 6

The defeat leaves England facing an uphill battle to salvage any pride from the remainder of the Six Nations. Ireland, meanwhile, continue to demonstrate their championship credentials with a dominant display that will send a message to their rivals.