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England lock Charlie Ewels red carded just 82 seconds in at Twickenham

By PA
England's Charlie Ewels gets red carded in 2022 (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The pre-match headlines ahead of England and Ireland’s Six Nations Round 4 match revolved around the availability of Maro Itoje, yet his second row partner took just over a minute to steal the show in Twickenham.

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England suffered a major blow inside two minutes when Ewels was shown a red card having clattered into Ireland vice-captain Ryan.

Ryan was left bloodied and forced off the field for assessment after Ewels ploughed into him, causing head on head contact.

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Back in the Game – RFU

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Back in the Game – RFU

Iain Henderson replaced Ryan, with Sexton kicking the resultant penalty to put the visitors 3-0 ahead.

The Irish swiftly made the most of their numerical advantage as James Lowe scored the opening try of the afternoon.

Neat interplay from Dan Sheehan and Josh Van Der Flier released Lowe on the left flank and he capitalised on plenty of space to charge over unchallenged.

Sexton was off target with the conversion, leaving Ireland 8-0 in front.

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England were given a reprieve when a Caelan Doris try was chalked off due to a knock-on from Garry Ringrose in the build-up.

The hosts then suffered a further setback, with flanker Tom Curry limping off injured to be replaced by Dombrandt.

England fly-half Marcus Smith kicked a penalty to put the hosts on the scoreboard at 8-3 down just before the midway point of the first half.

Meanwhile, Ireland lock Ryan failed his head injury assessment, leaving Ulster captain Henderson to continue in his place.

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Itoje was passed fit to start England’s Guinness Six Nations showdown with Ireland.

The influential lock was doubtful after missing Friday’s captain’s run due to illness but has recovered to continue alongside Charlie Ewels for a crunch clash which will result in the losing team being eliminated from title contention.

England head coach Eddie Jones, who has declared Ireland “red-hot favourites” for the Twickenham contest, has made three alterations to his starting XV following the round-three win over Wales.

Hooker Jamie George has been recalled in place of the injured Luke Cowan-Dickie, while Alex Dombrandt has dropped to the bench following a bout of coronavirus to be replaced by Sam Simmonds at number eight, while Joe Marchant is preferred to Elliot Daly at outside centre.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has made six changes, including the return of captain Johnny Sexton.

Fly-half Sexton, who this week announced he will retire following next year’s World Cup, has been restored alongside James Ryan, Bundee Aki, Andrew Conway and Hugo Keenan, while Cian Healy has taken the place of injured prop Andrew Porter.

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AllyOz 15 minutes ago
How the Lions found their roar, and disproved a popular Australian theory

The games so far have been compelling and competitive until the 50th minute. The Lions have been tested to that point, but always, in my mind, looked to be dominant at the ruck and more dangerous out wide. Both the Reds and the Force have hung in there but there has always been a feeling of when not if the Lions will overpower them. I also think that Russell is a huge point of difference. Against him at the Force we had an inexperienced NZ import, and at the Reds, their second best 10 in Harry Mclaughlin-Phillips (paired with their second best 9 in Kalani Thomas). I think the Force would have been better starting Donaldson at 10 and it was a mistake for the Reds (and the Wallabies) not to play McDermott and Lynagh - play someone else against Fiji and give those two some exposure to the Lions (though I understand Lynagh may still be injured so maybe won’t be available for either game).


For me, we don’t have the depth, particularly in the halves and the front rows. You noticed it most against the Force and a little against the Reds.


When we are replacing our players at 50 we are replacing them with players that are not good enough to make the run on team on a team that finished 9th or 5th in Super Rugby. When the Lions make their replacements they are replacing them with run on players from the nations that are 3rd, 4th and 6th ranked in world rugby.


But, looking at your figures Nic, it doesn’t appear that it is a new problem. And I have a solution for future Australian tours. And that is, make future tours to Australia an Oceania tour. In the lead up the Lions wouldn’t play a team like Argentina before they leave but, on the way would play Japan, Fiji, Samoa or Tonga and/or a Pasifika selection - the best of their available test players - with this last game played in Australia (maybe Townsville). We would have less games here - perhaps not all the SR clubs or perhaps not the AUNZ and Pasifika selection (which is only really there because we lost the Melbourne Rebels).


Some of those tests against other Pacific Nations could be played in Australia - they will attract good crowds anyway - much of the crowd is the touring crowd anyway and Australia has large Polynesian communities. A Lions vs Tonga game at Western Sydney Stadium would fill that ground. A Fiji vs Lions game in Brisbane would fill Suncorp. We spread the game a bit wider, we get development opportunities for our lower tier Oceanic playing nations. It might mean that RA take a bit of a haircut on the total revenue but it might not be that big.


I would also suggest that the Lions could maybe tour the Americas in the same/similar way. So Argentina would get the 3 tests at the end but, on the way, the Lions could play Canada, USA, Chile and/or Uruguay (all have played at World Cups) and then three tests against Argentina. I imagine the Provincial sides in Argentina would struggle just as much (if not more) than the Australian ones, but this way, the Lions get international opposition all the way down. And I imagine a Lions Test in New York or Vancouver would draw a decent crowd.


With SA vs NZ touring series coming up - the Lions coming to Oceania and the Americas during those times might be a good way for the two TRC partners Australia and Argentina with a pretty good alternative.

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