Photograph: Ben Brady/InphoSo then, was that a step forward for Ireland and might it give them a better chance of winning at Twickenham? That’s because, for the first time, there’s no down week after the opening two rounds of the Six Nations. A fortnight later in Twickenham, England ended Ireland’s Grand Slam hopes with a dramatic 23-22 win. Nor will the Irish scrum serve them or the rest of the team if recent trends are continued. They look like they are enjoying their rugby and it would be wonderful to see Ireland adopt some of that license to counterattack.

Source: The Irish Times February 17, 2026 15:01 UTC