Ireland vs England LIVE: Six Nations 2023 result and reaction as Ireland seal grand slam after red card
Ireland 29-16 England: Freddie Steward’s controversial red card helped change the game as Ireland completed a deserved 2023 Six Nations grand slam in Dublin
Ireland completed just their fourth-ever Six Nations grand slam with a 29-16 victory over England at the Aviva Stadium, emphatically underlining their status as the world’s top-ranked team heading into September’s World Cup.
None of Ireland’s three previous clean sweeps had been completed in Dublin but this victory over their fiercest rivals was the sweetest way to seal a deserved grand slam on St Patrick’s Day weekend.
There was controversy late in the first half when England full back Freddie Steward was sent off for a dangerous hit on Hugo Keenan despite bracing for impact and turning away from his opposite number, with contact appearing accidental. The harsh call prompted a mountain of reaction on Twitter, including from England cricket captain Ben Stokes.
However, Ireland were still good value for their victory, as Dan Sheehan scored two tries, with Robbie Henshaw and Rob Herring also dotting down, to fulfil Irish dreams.
Relive the action from the Aviva Stadium below:
Scotland 12-6 Italy, 32 minutes
Smart thinking from Scotland, flinging the ball out to Kyle Steyn on the right wing knowing that Simone Gesi is off, allowing the former sevens star to make easy metres up the touchline.
Italy re-form well as Scotland spread to the left. But Jack Dempsey pops free, scurrying away from a pair of Italians after a messy breakdown and connecting with Duhan van der Merwe.
Bosh! Van der Merwe collides Sebastian Negri in a rather beefy meeting, with the Italian back-row getting the better of it. Knocked on - Italy’s scrum.
TRY! SCOTLAND 12-6 Italy (Blair Kinghorn try, 30 minutes)
At last, Scotland go over!
A midfield scrum leaves Italy in all sorts of defensive bother having sacrificed a back. Ben White picks the left, holding the inside defenders by threatening a carry and then finding his half-back partner. Blair Kinghorn steps inside Alessandro Fusco and through Michele Lamaro’s low tackle to score Scotland’s second. He knocks through the conversion, too.
Scotland 5-6 Italy, 29 minutes
Poor Simone Gesi has played half-an-hour of international rugby and his first major involvement will be a ten-minute removal to allow the introduction of Pietro Ceccarelli as Scotland call for another scrum.
Yellow card! Marco Riccioni is sent to the sin bin! Scotland 5-6 Italy, 29 minutes
Down it goes again, and off Riccioni will go. That feels very harsh on the Italian tighthead - it looked like the scrum went down first on the other side, with Zander Fagerson looking to turn in under pressure from Danilo Fischetti. But you felt Angus Gardner’s mind might already have been made up - the Australian referee retrieves his yellow card and dispatches the Saracens prop for a ten minute sit-down.
Scotland 5-6 Italy, 27 minutes
Marco Riccioni is pinged again. The Italian tighthead and his front-row mates are summoned for a stern warning from Angus Gardner, with captain Michele Lamaro told a card may be coming.
Scotland 5-6 Italy, 27 minutes
A scrum penalty for Scotland as Italy once again draw Angus Gardner’s whistle with an early transference of weight into Scottish shoulders.
Jamie Ritchie doesn’t fancy three. Down again for another engagement.
Scotland 5-6 Italy, 26 minutes
Scotland build the phases again, seven, eight, nine and still five metres short. Lorenzo Cannone leads a counter-ruck and the ball pops into Italian hands, but not before a little knock-on on the floor.
Scotland get another chance. They could do with another moment of magic like their opening score:
Scotland 5-6 Italy, 24 minutes
The scrum goes down, with referee Angus Gardner delivering some instructions to both front rows in an attempt to solve the issues. He asks for better height on the reset.
Free kick to Scotland - too much weight on from Italy. The hosts tap and go...
Scotland 5-6 Italy, 23 minutes
And Italy survive again! Jamie Ritchie is hoisted early but George Turner’s throw comes late, and the Scotland captain knocks on in the air with no Italian competing.
That’s an extended period in the opposition 22 without points for Scotland. All a little too wasteful from the home side.
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