England have clinched their second win of the Six Nations championship with a narrow 13-10 victory over Ireland at Twickenham this afternoon.
Owen Farrell scored the only points of the first half, but Rob Kearney gave the visitors the lead with a try at the start of the second half.
Danny Care put the home side back in front with a try of his own shortly after, ending Ireland's chances of the Grand Slam.
Read how all the action unfolded below:
Good afternoon! It's around half an hour until England will bid to stop Ireland clinching the Triple Crown at Twickenham. Both sides have a chance of finishing the weekend at the top of the Six Nations table. Let's start with a look at the teams...
ENGLAND STARTING XV: Brown, Nowell, Burrell, Twelvetrees, May, Farrell, Care, Marler, Hartley, Wilson, Launchbury, Lawes, Wood, Robshaw, Vunipola
IRELAND STARTING XV Kearney, Trimble, O'Driscoll, D'Arcy, Kearney, Sexton, Murray, Healy, Best, Ross, Toner, O'Connell, O'Mahoney, Henry, Heaslip
ENGLAND REPLACEMENTS: Youngs, Vunipola, Thomas, Attwood, Morgan, Dickson, Ford, Goode
IRELAND REPLACEMENTS: Cronin, McGrath, Moore, Henderson, Murphy, Boss, Jackson, McFadden
The only change to England's starting lineup from the side that won the Calcutta cup earlier this month is the inclusion of David Wilson, who fills in for injured tighthead prop Dan Cole, while Ireland's first team in unchanged.
Both teams have a set a brothers in their squad. England have Billy Vunipola starting at number eight, while Mako Vunipola is among the replacements, while Rob and Dave Kearney both start for the visitors.
It's a record-equalling match for Brian O'Driscoll this afternoon. O'Driscoll equals George Gregan's record of 139 international caps, a landmark he will surely pass before this championship is finished. This is the 13th time that he has faced England.
England have had the measure of Ireland in their last three meeting in all competitions, stopping the Irish side scoring a single try in their last three games to claim a hat-trick of victories, two of which have been in the Six Nations. However, Ireland have won three of their last five matches at Twickenham.
In case you've missed the two matches that have already taken place this weekend, it's been a good couple of days for the Celtic nations, with Wales thrashing France 27-6 last night, before Scotland scored a late drop goal to beat Italy 21-20 in Rome earlier this afternoon.
Having already beaten Scotland and Wales in this years's championship, Ireland can seal the Triple Crown this afternoon. Should they lose, England would have a chance to clinch the silverware if they beat Wales later in the tournament.
Here come the players! The visitors are met with polite applause before the crowd erupts to welcome the home side.
The anthems are done, so we should just be a few minutes away from kickoff. South African referee Craig Joubert is in charge of the game this afternoon.
KICKOFF! England get the match underway.
Ireland make an aggressive start in the scrum and win a penalty. Sexton kicks it downfield for the lineout.
The visitors win the lineout, and O'Driscoll gets the better of Twelvetrees while looking to press on into England territory, but the home side manage to kick clear. This has been a bright start by Ireland.
Mike Brown looks to ease the early pressure on England with a powerful run at the Ireland defence, before Twelvetrees moves the hosts further into their opponents' territory. Care and Vunipola keep things moving in a promising effort for England.
Jonny May forces his way over, but Joubert wants confirmation from the video referee before awarding the try.
NO TRY! A fantastic effort from Connor Murray forced the ball from May's hands before he manage to ground it. That's a big let off for Ireland following a dangerous move by the home side.
England quickly win the ball back from the Ireland scrum, with Launchbury trying to find a want back into the Irish 22, but a pass intended for Twelvetrees ends up in the hands of the visitors. It looks like Ireland's defence is going to be tough to beat this afternoon.
England are penalised for coming in around the side, allowing Sexton to boot the ball back into English territory, easing the pressure on the visitors. They'll be relieved to have survived an impressive spell by England without conceding points.
Ireland have a lineout, from which Trimble picks up a brilliantly-timed chip forward just a few yards of the try line, but England are prepared and force Ireland to move across the pitch as they look for a way through.
O'Driscoll tries to set up Trimble, who initially seems to squeeze through, but Hartley holds him up jut a metre short. England appears to be handing on, but Ireland give away a penalty, allowing Farrell to kick it away for a lineout.
Twelvetrees and Burrell test the Ireland defence, but are both met with resistance. England keep the ball alive though and move inside the Irish 22.
Owen Farrell earns himself a talking to from the referee for a late challenge on Murray. Ireland had already had a scrum, but the penalty allows them to boot it downfield for a lineout. That's a costly error by the England fly-half.
The match remains finely balanced, as they win a penalty of their own for a lineout quickly at the other end. Ireland make a mistake while marking the lineout to give England another penalty, so Farrell will have a long shot at the posts.
PENALTY! England 3-0 Ireland (Farrell)
Despite the ball being placed 50 metres from the posts, Farrell strikes it sweetly to easily split the uprights and give England the lead. While he does make the odd tackling error that can be expensive for England, his kicking is superb.
Ireland win a scrum at the half-way line, which England try to turn, but the visitors just do enough to hold on. This game has the feeling of a really gritty contest that will probably be settled by the kicking game.
Brown makes a superb diving catch to win the ball for England and evades two tackles before going on the run, but knocks on as he's brought down to give Ireland the scrum.
England chip the ball forward, with Farrell chasing it, but Rob Kearney shows his strength in the air to muscle the ball away from the fly-half. Kearney has had a busy opening half hour for the visitors.
MISSED PENALTY! Owen Farrell has another chance to add three points for England, but it's another lengthy effort, this time from a wide angle near the left touchline, and he can't quite squeeze it inside the post to double the hosts' lead.
May's elusive footwork catches Ireland out, but they're able to stop Burrell once May hands the ball off, and Ireland manage to halt the move. Meanwhile, England may have to make a change as Billy Vunipola appears to have turned his ankle.
England do have to make the change, with Ben Morgan taking over from the number eight. It doesn't look for Vunipola as the cart comes onto the pitch, but he eventually manages to get to his feet and gingerly walks off.
Jonny May waits to claim the ball for England, but Trimble charges in to stop him gaining possession. Ireland are pushing hard to try and get some points on the board before half time.
A loose kick from Trimble allows Farrel to kick for a lineout in the final minute of the first half inside the Irish 22.
Farrell passes to Burrell, but he drops the ball and Sexton gathers it for the visitors, before Rob Kearney kicks into touch. That should be it for the first half.
HALF TIME: England 3-0 Ireland
It might not be a high-scoring contest at the moment, but there's been plenty of determination and grit so far in this Six Nations encounter. Just a single Owen Farrell penalty separates the two sides at the break.
The only real try-scoring chance of the game so far fell to England early on, when Jonny May found his way over in the corner.
Owen Farrell might have been a bit lucky not to have had a spell in the sin bin following a late tackle on Connor Murray. He did get a stern talking to from the referee, and will have to be alert for the rest of the match.
The players are making their way back on for the second half.
KICKOFF! Ireland get the game back underway.
TRY! England 3-5 Ireland (Rob Kearney)
What a start from Ireland! Heaslip spots Rob Kearney time his run at the England defence and passes to his teammate who charges over underneath the posts for the opening try of the match.
CONVERSION! England 3-7 Ireland (Sexton)
England almost catch Ireland napping on the kickoff, and Jonny May makes a speedy run down the wing, but he's pushed out of bounds short. It looks like the second half could be a bit more open than the first 40 minutes.
Ireland are on the attack again as they look to maintain their strong start to the second half. Sexton tries a long pass out wide for Rob Kearney, but his pass is judged to be forward.
Courtney Lawes is penalised for a shove during the maul, giving Sexton a chance to extend Ireland's lead with a penalty.
PENALTY! England 3-10 Ireland (Sexton)
It's a tight angle for Sexton, but he manages to make it, leaving Ireland a converted try ahead.
Brown makes a good catch to claim a Sexton kick forward for England. He passes to May who brings it out from the back, before Lawes carries it into Irish territory. England seem to have a bit more urgency about them now.
England are bearing down on Ireland's try line, and Marler fails to spot that Ireland are short to his right, passing left to Farrell instead. However, England have a penalty.
PENALTY! England 6-10 Ireland (Farrell)
Farrell has a simple chip shot to cut Ireland's lead to four. Meanwhile, Billy Vunipola has just come back out of the England dressing room to watch the second half. He's on crutches and has a walking boot on his right foot. England will be hoping that it's all a precaution, as he's had a big impact in this tournament so far.
TRY! England 11-10 Ireland (Care)
Brown breaks superbly from an England lineout, but realises he's not got the pace to out-run Kearney, so he passes to his right where Danny Care picks it up and sprints under the posts for England's first try of the afternoon.
CONVERSION! England 13-10 Ireland (Farrell)
The opening 20 minutes of this second half really have been action-packed, and the match is still wide open. Ireland are on the attack again, trying to regain the lead that they took within a couple of minutes of the restart, but Danny Care manages to kick it away for the hosts.
England are inside the Ireland 22 again, but can't add their second try of the match, as a chip forward intended for Care is claimed by Kearney and booted away. Meanwhile, England are making a change, replacing Joe Marler with Mako Vunipola.
England quickly get the ball back, but a knock on gives Ireland the scrum. The hosts have dominated the possession since regaining the lead, and some of the openness that led to such an entertaining start to this second half has evaporated.
Peter O'Mahony scrambles from an Ireland lineout as the visitors move into England territory, but Burrell and Robshaw defend well for England to halt his progress.
O'Driscoll finds a gap for Ireland and manages to move them a couple of metres closer to the try line. England have numbers back, and force an error from Sexton to turn the ball over.
Ireland win a scrum after England wheel their own. Best and O'Connell help drive Ireland forward as they try to use their physical presence to head towards the try line.
Ireland are penalised for their maul, giving England a scrum close to their own try line. They quickly get the ball out to Brown, who kicks clear of danger.
Just look at Danny Care's face as he went over for his try earlier. #Happy #ENGvIRL pic.twitter.com/gB31ZnD7qO
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 22, 2014
Jonny May steals the ball from an Ireland scrum, but his chip forward is picked up by D'Arcy. Ireland are on the charge as they try to force a score in the last five minutes to keep their Grand Slam hopes alive.
England are alert to the danger and appear to be putting everything into defending in these final few minutes while Ireland desperately press for a second try. O'Driscoll charges into England territory, but he loses the ball.
The fans clearly think they've done enough to win as 'Swing Low' starts to fill Twickenham, it may be a little early though, as O'Driscoll and O'Connell move into the England 10-metre line, but Burrell forces the turnover.
Ireland have a lineout with less than a minute to play. Henderson claims it, but is buried by several England players to stop him making any kind of progress.
England win a penalty in the maul, and that will give the home side the win.
FULL TIME: England 13-10 Ireland
England survive a blistering last five minutes from Ireland to take their second win of the campaign. The defeat ends Ireland's chances of the Grand Slam and Triple Crown, a prize that England can claim when they face Wales in their next match.
That result blows the championship wide open, with Ireland, England, Wales and France all on four points. Ireland remain top due to their points difference, but there's not a lot in it.
Well that's all from Twickenham this afternoon, but stick around to read our match reports from all three of this weekend's Six Nations matches and reaction to the games. Thanks for joining me this afternoon, goodbye.
Written by
Sian Cowper
Sian Cowper
