Jack's lads take giant stride

ENGLAND produced another incredible late try blitz here yesterday for a record victory.

And it sets up a title showdown with France at Twickenham in two weeks.

Just as they did against Scotland in the opening game, England cut loose with some blazing rugby once they had subdued early Irish fire.

Against the Scots it was three tries in five minutes. Yesterday it was four in eight sensational minutes.

The question now is who can stop another England Grand Slam?

Both their record wins against the Scots and Irish have come without them hitting anything like top form.

It was game, set and match to Jack Rowell in his personal head-to- head with his old Bath coaching partner Brian Ashton, Ireland's new coaching co-ordinator.

England's Simon Shaw and Tony Underwood had stoked the fires by calling the Irish "animals and wild dogs". They certainly came out snarling with aggression in the opening 10 minutes.

At the first line-out, Paul Wallace and Paddy Johns whacked Graham Rowntree and Martin Johnson.

But it was the Irish who paid the price for the highly physical opening.

Leicester No.8 Eric Miller was stretchered off at the end of a footrush that produced Eric Elwood's first penalty in the 13th minute.

Thirteen minutes later, with England 11-6 ahead, Elwood went off with a knee injury.

Ireland drew first blood in the raw battle when Jon Sleightholme fumbled during a terrific Irish rush and England killed the ball.

But even as Elwood was lining up his penalty, the Irish bench was more concerned at Miller lying motionless in a heap.

Elwood drilled over his penalty as Miller was replaced by Anthony Foley and much of Ireland's real menace had gone.

Paul Grayson, in his best game yet for England, levelled the score in the 14th minute. But Elwood knocked over his second penalty.

That was the last time Ireland led. Sleightholme finished off a superb counter-attack with a try after 19 minutes.

Maurice Field failed to find touch and Tony Underwood scorched his way past two tackles before linking up.

Lawrence Dallaglio and Phil de Glanville provided the link that allowed Sleightholme to beat James Topping in a dash to the corner. Grayson missed the conversion but stretched England's lead with a 22nd minute penalty and opened the second half with another to move England two scores clear.

The Northampton fly half knocked over another in the 48th minute before Ireland enjoyed their best spell of the match without ever really threatening the England line.

And it was Wasps scrum half Andy Gomarsall who sparked England's try- spree in the 65th minute.

England turned over an Irish ball 30 yards out before swiftly moving it through the backs to full back Stimpson, coming through at full burst.

Field hammered down the Newcastle man. But from the scrum, Gomarsall dummied his way over as Ireland stood watching the outstanding Tim Rodber.

That was just for starters, though, as Sleightholme got his second try after good work from Gomarsall and Richard Hill.

Coach Rowell made two crucial tactical substitutions and saw both pay handsome dividends.

He threw on Austin Healey at scrum half for his first cap and Jeremy Guscott for Will Carling.

Almost immediately, Healey danced through to set Hill up for his first international try. And Tony Underwood finished it off with two tries in two amazing minutes.

Guscott delivered the first with a beautifully timed pass after making a half break.

The second was a beauty from halfway, with forwards and backs combining superbly to put him away near the posts.

Rowell said afterwards: "When you've got wingers of the class of Sleightholme and Underwood, you're always in with a chance.

"Some of our finishing was clinical. But it all started with the controlled performance of our pack.

"For an hour or so it was a stop-start type of game. But once we developed a little fluency, there was only ever going to be one winner."

Skipper de Glanville admitted: "We were too eager early on and missed good chances.

"But once we got the rhythm going we were out of danger - those late scores proved it."

TEAMS

IRELAND

Staples; Hickie, Bell, Field, Topping; Elwood, Hogan; Popplewell, Nesdale, Wallace, Johns, Davidson, Corkery, McBride, Miller.

Pens: Elwood 2.

ENGLAND

Stimpson; Sleightholme, Carling, de Glanville, Underwood; Grayson, Gomarsall; Rowntree, Regan, Leonard, Johnson, Shaw, Dallaglio, Rodber, Hill.

Tries: Sleightholme 2, T Underwood 2, Gomarsall, Hill. Cons: Grayson 2. Pens: Grayson 4.

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