Ireland XV 14 England A 52
Painful, physically and emotionally and a night that will chase away sleep. After the disappointment of Paris last night, this match represented an audition for those that aspire to higher honours, a chance to lay down a marker. Instead, it was a shellacking, and few escaped with reputations intact never mind enhanced.
The Irish senior coaching cohort Andy Farrell, Paul O’Connell, John Fogarty, Andrew Goodman and Johnny Sexton honoured a promise to attend, their presence underlining that there was more at stake than the result.
Ireland were overwhelmed, individually and collectively, by a side that were bigger, faster, smarter and that played a modern brand of rugby. The home side in comparison were…