England vs Ireland LIVE: Six Nations 2022 result and final score as Ireland win after early England red card
England 15-32 Ireland: Six Nations 2022 live updates as Ireland stay in tournament title hunt after battling past 14-man England at Twickenham
Follow live coverage as Ireland overcome a valiant, 14-man England in an extraordinary Six Nations clash at Twickenham to keep their title hopes alive heading into Super Saturday.
Ireland took full advantage of a red card for England lock Charlie Ewels after less than two minutes to claim a bonus-point 32-15 victory that keeps them in the hunt for the title.
Ewels was sent off for a head-on-head tackle on Ireland second row James Ryan - the fastest dismissal since the championship began in 1883 - and led 15-9 at half-time after tries for James Lowe and Hugo Keenan.
Amid a feverish atmosphere England hit back superbly, smashing the Irish scrum, and levelled the scores with two Marcus Smith penalties, but Ireland finished strongly, pulling clear with another Sexton penalty and then tries by Jack Conan and Finlay Bealham that earned a potentially key bonus point.
France top the standings on 18 points after winning their first four games. Ireland have 16 and could still take their first title since 2018 with victory or possibly even a draw against Scotland in Dublin next week if England can upset France in Paris.
Follow all the reaction and analysis from Twickenham:
The second Irish try
Here is the second Ireland score. Sharp work from Jamison Gibson-Park after England had infringed and Hugo Keenan went over.
HALF TIME: ENGLAND 9-15 IRELAND
Well, Charlie Ewels’ memories of today won’t fill much of his autobiography. The England second row spent just 82 seconds on the pitch before being given his marching orders by Mathieu Raynal, with Ewels paying for his upright technique in tackling James Ryan, a head-on-head collision resulting in a red card. It was accidental, of course, but they are the rules.
When James Lowe finished off a lovely Ireland try down the left soon after, it felt like it might turn into a romp, but England have fought back into it. They’ve been aggressive and niggly in all facets, and the scrum has been dominant, with Ellis Genge bristling.
But a second Irish try arrived before half-time and 78-and-a-half minutes is an awfully long time to defend with only 14 players. Ireland will be confident they can make their advantage count after the resumption.
PENALTY! ENGLAND 9-15 Ireland (Marcus Smith penalty, 40 minutes)
He does, it is, and off the two players go, England traipsing, Ireland full of energy.
England 6-15 Ireland, 39 minutes
What work from Jack Nowell! It’s a perfect restart from England, and Andrew Conway is on his heels as an onrushing Nowell snatches it from him in the air.
England attack with clever flourishes, including a nice delayed connection between great Harlequins mates Marcus Smith and Alex Dombrandt, and some Irish misdeeds on the floor are penalised. Marcus Smith will, you’d think, pop this through from bang in front and that’ll be that for the first 40 minutes...
TRY! England 6-15 IRELAND (Hugo Keenan try, 37 minutes)
Ireland play quickly twice and have a second try! They are first awarded a free kick at the lineout, which Iain Henderson taps and rumbles, brought to floor five out. Ellis Genge ends an Irish carrier with a chiropractic hit to the ribs, but England are then offside two phases later.
Jamison Gibson-Park spots the opportunity to the right, wastes little time tapping and Hugo Keenan takes the space on offer to score between English bodies clutching at him. Johnny Sexton converts.
England 6-8 Ireland, 35 minutes
Itoje now connects high on Garry Ringrose as he shuts down the edge, and that’ll be penalty advantage for Ireland. Dan Sheehan nearly puts Max Malins in difficulty with a shimmy, but English hands get to the ball on the floor so back Mathieu Raynal will bring Ireland for their penalty.
No further sanction required, but Itoje did snare Ringrose over the shoulder as the centre stepped. Ireland return to the England 22.
England 6-8 Ireland, 34 minutes
Ireland chase hard after the restart and nearly engulf Maro Itoje, but the England second row, playing without his scrum cap, intriguingly, gets to ground.
Harry Randall’s boxed clearance is a good’un, but Jack Nowell stumbles over a retreating Irish player and Hugo Keenan claims. Ireland’s attempt grubber through is blocked over the touchline.
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