Champions Travel

Ireland's final hurdle in their 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam Bid.

Ireland stand on the brink of a historic Six Nations Grand Slam title, having blown away all before them in 2023.
However, it is old foes England who stand in the way of Andy Farrell’s sides bid for their first Grand Slam Six Nations title since 2018.
The string of narratives surrounding what should be an epic encounter at the Aviva Stadium are endless, ranging from Farrell’s son Owen playing at fly-half for England, through to the vastly contrasting form between the two sides, it looks to be a Test Match that will be one for the ages.

2023 Ireland Six Nations - Campaign so far

Wales 10 – 34 IRELAND – The boys in green got their 2023 Six Nations campaign off to the best possible start, racing out of the blocks to overcome a new-look Wales in Cardiff.
Much had been made in the pre-match build-up of how Warren Gatland was going to change Wales but Ireland were dominant in the first half and then held on for the dream start to their campaign.

IRELAND 32 – 19 France – In what was billed as the game of the tournament, Ireland’s win over France certainly didn’t disappoint on match day two.
Defending Six Nations champions France went hard at it, but they ultimately had no answer to an Irish side that showed resilience and guile, to clinch a precious home win.

Italy 20 – 34 IRELAND – Next up for Andy Farrell’s side were Italy, who’s attacking brand of rugby had impressed throughout the campaign until this point.
The Azzurri pushed Ireland all the way in Rome, but Ireland were just too long in the tooth, and they managed to keep their winning streak going, with Italy still seeking a first home Six Nations win since 2013.

Scotland 7 – 22 IRELAND – Gregor Townsend’s Scotland were always going to give Ireland one of their sternest tests and so it proved when the two sides met at Murrayfield.
Ireland were just a little too streetwise for Scotland though and their impressive defensive line kept Scotland at bay and set up a Grand Slam shot against England.

2023 England Six Nations - Campaign so far

ENGLAND 23 – 29 Scotland – Under new management, England ensured a less than desirable start to the 2023 Six Nations, losing the Calcutta Cup to Scotland.
There were plenty of positives from the English performance, but Scotland held their nerve when it mattered and Steve Borthwick’s side were chasing an uphill battle from there.

ENGLAND 31 – 14 Italy – England picked up their first win of the campaign with a dominant victory over Italy at HQ.
Many had expected Italy to cause a few problems, but England’s defence was superb, and they put a bonus point win on the board.

Wales 10 – 20 ENGLAND – Old foes Wales were next up for England and Steve Borthwick’s side managed to pick up a much-needed win in Cardiff.
Both sides really struggled going into the contest and the game lacked quality, but England held their nerve to pick up two wins on the spin.

ENGLAND 10 – 53 France – Undoubtedly the most concerning result of the 2023 Six Nations for England was their pain staking 53-10 loss to France, at Twickenham.
Les blues kept tallying up the tries, with England unable to answer them, and it was a real chastening day for all English rugby fans.

Ireland vs England – Match Preview

Ireland
The conundrum could not be simpler for Ireland, should they come out on top here against England, then they will be crowned the 2023 Six Nations champions, clinching both the Grand Slam and the Triple Crown in the process.
With the Rugby World Cup on the horizon later in the year, Ireland have undoubtedly become one of the best sides in world rugby and their status as world number 1 is looking secure for the time being.
Andy Farrell has cultivated a side and a team culture that is built upon defensive stability but it also has plenty of attacking prowess and flair too.
Many experts predicted that Ireland would be the team to beat in 2023, with plenty of their biggest players coming of age on the international stage in recent years, but few could have anticipated how dominant they have been in the 2023 Six Nations.

England
By sharp contrast, England are enduring one of their most forgettable Six Nations campaigns of recent years and they are already looking towards the World Cup later in the year, for a modicum of hope.
Steve Borthwick has come into a fractured working environment and England’s wins over Wales and Italy were hopeful signs of progress in the campaign so far.

Defeat to Scotland at Twickenham was particularly painful but irrelevant in relation to the damage caused by France in a record-breaking home defeat to les Blues.
Seldom have England come into any Six Nations game as such underdogs, but many have already written them off for the clash this weekend, with Ireland expected to get the job done easily.
Playing in Dublin has always been a task for England but if they dig in and make life difficult for Andy Farrell’s side, they will be hoping that they could spring an almighty surprise in Dublin.

Bottom Line
Should Ireland get over the line to defeat England on Saturday, the Aviva Stadium will be rocking. Dublin will be bracing for an almighty St Patrick’s Day celebratory bonanza.

View packages for Ireland 2024 Six Nations Fixtures HERE.

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