‘Roll on the World Cup’: Ireland bullish after Grand Slam win

“Roll on the World Cup”, was the message from Ireland captain Johnny Sexton on Saturday after his side completed a Six Nations Grand Slam in a campaign that showed just why they are the world's top-ranked team.

Ireland were far from their confident and controlled best in the 29-16 victory over England at Aviva Stadium in Dublin but found a way as they as they have been doing with increasing ease in a run of 10 straight wins and 22 in their last 24 games.

“I've just been saying to Johnny that there are bigger fish to fry than this. We're on to the World Cup. We're a good side that's nowhere near reached its potential,” Ireland coach Andy Farrell said.

“Everyone's going to get better in the summer and we get to spend a lot more time together so we expect our side when we get to the first game of the World Cup to be a lot better than what we are now and that's the reality of it.”

Ireland raised expectations ahead of the 2015 and 2019 World Cups with similar Six Nations success only for those bids to end in disappointment. Ireland are still the only top-tier side never to go beyond the quarterfinal stage.

Sexton has previously praised Farrell's approach of openly talking about building towards the 2023 tournament in France and said that like last July's first series victory in New Zealand, the Grand Slam is another “very special” part of that journey.

“I just said in the dressing room that this is not the end, there's plenty more left in this team,” Sexton said. “Roll on the World Cup, that's what we need to focus on now.”

While Farrell was particularly pleased with how Ireland used more than 30 players in an injury-hit campaign and rarely missed a beat, he saved his highest praise for Sexton, Ireland's 37-year-old talisman who plans to retire after the World Cup.

“It's unbelievably fulfilling that in my opinion the best player ever to play for Ireland is able to sign off with a Grand Slam on St. Patrick's Day in front of his own crowd,” Farrell said. 

Ireland's victory was tainted by controversy. England's spirited bid to derail their Grand Slam was effectively wrecked by a red card for fullback Freddie Steward after a collision with opposite number Hugo Keenan at the end of the first half, with many pundits unhappy with the decision.

Steward tried to pull out of a collision with Keenan, bracing for contact, but his elbow smashed into his head, earning a red card after a lengthy discussion between the referee and TMO.

England had produced a battling first half, showing a huge improvement from last week's thrashing by France, leaving the expectant Lansdowne Road crowd nervous as they sat on a 10-6 lead.

The red card changed everything and Ireland, eventually, took control to claim a 29-16 victory to complete a clean sweep.

England captain Owen Farrell said he thought it was a harsh decision, but added: “They made the rules for a reason.

“There's no point dwelling on it, we had to keep in it, keep fighting and some of our defensive sets were tremendous and we were able to attack and get some points on the board.”

Coach Steve Borthwick said: “I thought the players adapted to the situation incredibly well. Eventually the space and fatigue took its toll but it was a step forward.”

Borthwick was reluctant to discus the red card, but plenty of former players were quick to weigh in, with former England scrumhalf Matt Dawson saying the officials showed a lack of understanding of the game in a “farcical decision”.

“I can't disagree with how the contact is a red but it is the context of how it went to that contact,” Dawson said.

“He's stepping and slowing and turning to get out of the contact area, and has been punished by being sent off. It is a mockery. He was doing his utmost to avoid any kind of contact. It is an utter farce.”

Former England captain Will Carling said: “Steward had a split second to react — after a knock-on — to a man running at him. There was no intent — he was protecting himself — what a joke.”

Reuters