Ireland will host World Cup conquerors New Zealand and Joe Schmidt’s Australia during a mouth-watering four-match autumn series against southern hemisphere opposition.

The All Blacks, who beat Andy Farrell’s side 28-24 in the quarter-finals of last year’s global tournament in France, will visit Dublin on Friday, November 8.

Former Ireland boss Schmidt will bring the Wallabies to the Aviva Stadium for the series finale on Saturday, November 30.

In between those stellar fixtures, the reigning Guinness Six Nations champions will take on Argentina, on Friday, November 15, and Fiji, on Saturday, November 23.

With a two-match summer tour against world champions South Africa already scheduled for July, Ireland will end the year having faced each of Test rugby’s other 10 leading nations.

The game against Australia has been arranged as part of the Irish Rugby Football Union’s 150th year celebrations.

Head coach Farrell, who is preparing for Saturday’s Six Nations title decider against Scotland, said: “This November’s line-up is a hugely exciting one for the Irish rugby public and we are looking forward to competing against four hugely talented sides.

“There is an added dimension to this year’s autumn series, with a fourth match against Australia set to mark the IRFU’s 150th celebrations.

“We look forward to testing ourselves against some of the most exciting teams in the world, with whom Ireland has such strong traditions and rivalries. It promises to be a series to remember.”

The matches will be the final fixtures before Farrell takes a break from his role to focus on leading the British and Irish Lions on their 2025 tour of Australia.

Series fixtures

Ireland v New Zealand, Friday, November 8, 8.10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Ireland v Argentina, Friday, November 15, 8.10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Ireland v Fiji, Saturday, November 23, 3.10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Ireland v Australia, Saturday, November 30, 3.10pm – Aviva Stadium, Dublin

Andy Farrell says Ireland have “battened down the hatches” in their quest to retain the Guinness Six Nations title after some players received online abuse in the wake of their last-gasp loss to England.

Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slams ended following Marcus Smith’s dramatic drop goal in last weekend’s 23-22 Guinness Six Nations defeat at Twickenham.

Members of Farrell’s squad, including veteran scrum-half Conor Murray, were subsequently targeted on social media for their performances in south-west London.

Farrell last year branded the “circus” surrounding his son Owen “absolutely disgusting” before the England captain decided to take a break from international rugby to prioritise his mental health.

The Ireland head coach, whose side host Scotland in a championship title decider on Saturday, seemed resigned to players having to deal with online hate but expressed hope the situation will change.

“Everyone would be lying if they said they hadn’t (been aware of it),” said Farrell.

“But that’s been the way of the world for some time now, hasn’t it, really, in regards to social media etc?

“We’ve battened down the hatches as far as our concentration on what we need to do to improve our performance and make sure that we’re the best of ourselves.

“And come Tuesday afternoon after the training session and a big session on Wednesday as well, it seems to be that the focus is right where it should be.”

Murray was vilified for kicking away possession in the closing minutes as Ireland attempted to protect a 22-20 lead, while captain Peter O’Mahony was criticised following a costly second-half yellow card.

Former Ireland international Andrew Conway described the negativity and disrespect aimed at players following his country’s second defeat in 22 games as “staggering”.

“It’s one loss and the bounce of a ball, an interpretation here and there,” said Farrell.

“But that’s the way of the world, you’ve got to roll with the punches as far as that’s concerned because we’ve all talked about it, we’ve all discussed it at length, certainly in this room (referring to Owen Farrell).

“It’s not for changing any time soon. Hopefully it will do though.”

Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV to face the Scots in Dublin, including retaining Calvin Nash on the right wing.

The 26-year-old Munster player was forced off by a head injury inside five minutes against England following a heavy collision with Tommy Freeman.

Farrell insisted he trusts the medical experts as he moved to allay fears about the selection of Nash.

“If you’re in the inner circle and you understand the process that these players have to go through now, you would thoroughly back that process,” he said.

“One, he has gone through it with flying colours and he never looked like failing for one second. And two, the process, I think is very sound.

“He passed the three stages that he had to go (through). He trained fully yesterday without doing contact within the session, but had to do contact after the session.

“(He) passed that with flying colours, no problem whatsoever. He had to see an independent doctor – if it’s a seven-day turnaround, you have to do that, and he passed that with flying colours as well.

“You trust the experts on this.”

Farrell has made two alterations on his bench.

The Englishman has scrapped the six-two split of forwards and backs by selecting centre Garry Ringrose ahead of lock Iain Henderson, while Ciaran Frawley, who is unavailable due to a head knock sustained after coming on for Nash last time out, is replaced by fly-half Harry Byrne.

Gregor Townsend admits Scotland will have to “do something special” in Dublin as he challenged them to score at least 20 points against Ireland and give themselves a fighting chance of a first Triple Crown since 1990.

The Scots are heading to the Irish capital looking to save face after a shock defeat in Italy last weekend all-but ended their hopes of winning the championship and left them staring at the possibility of finishing fifth if results go against them on Saturday.

Townsend is braced for a formidable test against a side the Scots have lost to in each of their last nine meetings – including a chastening 36-14 defeat at the World Cup just five months ago.

“We know how tough it’s going to be,” he said. “They’re one of the top two teams in the world and at home they’ve been virtually unbeatable the last few years so it’s going to require something special from our players.

“We’ve got to accept that they’ll score points on Saturday. I think before (losing 23-22 to) England they were averaging 30 points a game, so it will be a test for our defence, and we have to score points.

“We have to get to 20 or more, which will be tough but we believe we can do that against any team.”

Townsend conceded there is a sense of regret that Scotland – who have two wins out of four so far – are not heading to Ireland with a genuine chance of winning the title.

“The frustration is that we’re not going to Dublin on the back of four wins,” he said.

“We feel we had a win taken away from us against France, and obviously Italy deserved their win but we feel we could have been better that day.

“But we have this game ahead of us to show our best performance of the season.

“We’re still playing for something, not just a place in the table, it’s for a trophy (the Triple Crown), and also we’re playing one of the best teams in the world so that’s got to inspire us to deliver our best rugby.

“It’s weird to think we’re the only team that can win the Triple Crown but the focus is on the performance.

“We know we have to play our best rugby this week. We’re away to Ireland and it’s the ultimate challenge in the game right now. The huge motivator for us is to try and deliver our best rugby of the season.”

Despite last weekend’s disappointment, Townsend has opted to make just two changes, with Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall replacing Cam Redpath and first-choice scrum-half Ben White returning at the expense of George Horne.

The head coach is adamant there is no need for a wholesale overhaul of the team.

“If you suddenly change what you’re doing because of one defeat or one performance that had some negative elements then you’re forgetting what went on beforehand,” he said.

“Before that 20-minute period (in the second half in Italy) when we lost our focus, we played a lot of good rugby and we played a lot of good rugby leading up to the Italy game.

“We know we have to deliver our best performance of the season on Saturday to come away with a positive result and we believe in the players we’ve selected.”

Townsend was heavily criticised after the Italy defeat, but he dismissed any notion that he had felt the weight of the world on his shoulders since returning from Rome.

“No, I feel massive responsibility and privilege being in this job,” he said on Thursday. “It’s a huge purpose in my life.

“I’ve got a fantastic coaching staff and a great group of players around me and I love being in this role. It’s disappointing when you don’t get your best performance but there’s another game to work towards this weekend.”

Ireland have stuck with the starting XV narrowly beaten by England for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations title decider against Scotland in Dublin.

Andy Farrell’s men will retain the championship crown by avoiding defeat or securing two losing bonus points against the Scots at the Aviva Stadium.

Calvin Nash has overcome the head knock which forced him off inside five minutes of the last-gasp 23-22 loss at Twickenham to retain his place on the right wing.

Garry Ringrose, who is yet to feature in this year’s championship following a shoulder issue, is named among the replacements.

Farrell’s bench shows a five-three split of forwards and backs after the six-two selection in south-west London backfired because of head injuries suffered by Nash and his replacement Ciaran Frawley.

Versatile back Frawley drops out of the 23, replaced by fly-half Harry Byrne, while lock Iain Henderson makes way to accommodate the returning Ringrose.

Although Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slams was ruined last weekend, they remain in a strong position at the top of the championship table, having racked up four bonus points and a vastly-superior points difference on each of their rivals.

A defeat without any bonus points could also be sufficient for the title, but would be dependent on the result of England’s trip to France in the final match of ‘Super Saturday’.

Gregor Townsend’s Scots are also mathematically still in the mix. However, following a shock loss to Italy, securing the Triple Crown looks to be the extent of their realistic ambitions.

Leinster trio Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong once again pack down in Ireland’s front row, ahead of locks Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne.

Captain Peter O’Mahony retains the blindside flanker role, despite his costly second-half yellow card against England and strong competition from Ryan Baird, with Josh van der Flier at openside and Caelan Doris lining up at number eight.

Jamison Gibson-Park and Jack Crowley continue as the half-back pairing, while Bundee Aki partners Robbie Henshaw in midfield.

Left wing James Lowe, who claimed Ireland’s two tries at Twickenham, and full-back Hugo Keenan complete the starting line-up.

Ireland have won 13 of the last 14 meetings with Scotland, including nine in a row following a decisive 36-14 pool-stage success at last year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Baird, Jack Conan and Conor Murray join Byrne and Ringrose on the bench.

Ireland team: H Keenan (Leinster); C Nash (Munster), R Henshaw (Leinster), B Aki (Connacht), J Lowe (Leinster); J Crowley (Munster), J Gibson-Park (Leinster); A Porter (Leinster), D Sheehan (Leinster), T Furlong (Leinster), J McCarthy (Leinster), T Beirne (Munster), P O’Mahony (Munster, capt), J van der Flier (Leinster), C Doris (Leinster).

Replacements: R Kelleher (Leinster), C Healy (Leinster), F Bealham (Connacht), R Baird (Leinster), J Conan (Leinster), C Murray (Munster), H Byrne (Leinster), G Ringrose (Leinster).

Glasgow centre Stafford McDowall is set for his second Scotland appearance after being selected to start Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations match away to title-chasing Ireland.

The 26-year-old made his debut against Italy in a World Cup warm-up match last summer before being cut from Gregor Townsend’s squad for the tournament in France.

The recent injury sustained by regular starter Sione Tuipulotu paved the way for Cam Redpath to make a rare start in last weekend’s damaging 31-29 defeat away to the Azzurri.

However, McDowall, who has been in good form for Warriors this term, has been preferred to Redpath, who drops to the bench in one of two changes to the team that started in Rome.

The other alteration sees first-choice scrum-half Ben White return in place of George Horne after the Toulon number nine was rested for the match at the Stadio Olimpico.

Backs Horne and Redpath both drop to the bench, with head coach Gregor Townsend reverting to a 5/3 split after going with a 6/2 last weekend.

Veteran prop Rory Sutherland, a late call-up to the squad ahead of the Italy game, is in line for his first outing of the championship after being named among the subs.

Fellow loosehead Alec Hepburn drops out of the 23 along with former captain Jamie Ritchie.

Glasgow back-rower Ally Miller has been given his first Scotland call-up ahead of Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations showdown with Ireland.

The 27-year-old, who initially struggled to establish himself with the Warriors after arriving at Scotstoun from Edinburgh in 2021, has been rewarded by Gregor Townsend for his excellent form under Franco Smith this term.

Miller joins up with the squad as fellow back-rower Hamish Watson drops out along with prop Jamie Bhatti and second-rower Glen Young. None of the forward trio were involved on Saturday as the Scots crashed to a damaging 31-29 defeat away to Italy.

An update released by Scottish Rugby on Monday afternoon also revealed that 21-year-old Glasgow second-rowers Alex Samuel and Max Williamson are training with the squad.

Their more experienced Warriors second-row colleague Scott Cummings, meanwhile, is adamant that Scotland will have no Rome hangover as they prepare for their championship-concluding match away to Ireland.

Had the Scots won in Italy at the weekend, they would be heading to Dublin this weekend for a title shootout with their hosts.

Instead, the visit to the Irish capital has become an exercise in saving face for Townsend’s under-pressure team.

If Scotland – currently third in the table – lose on Saturday, they will end the tournament with just two wins from five and could feasibly finish fifth if Italy defeat Wales this weekend.

“It’s going to be a tough game,” said Cummings. “To get a win out there we’re going to have to have a 10 out of 10 performance.

“Ireland are one of the best teams in the world and we’ve got to go to Dublin, and try and put a performance in.

“We need to change one or two things (from Italy) and make sure we finish this campaign the way we want to and represent the country how we want to with the final performance.”

Scotland have not won in Dublin since 2010 and have lost each of their last nine meetings with Ireland, including a chastening 36-14 World Cup pool-stage defeat in Paris just five months ago.

Asked how easily it would be for the Scots to rouse themselves for such a formidable match just a week after one of their worst results of Townsend’s near-seven-year reign, Cummings said: “Quite easily, to be honest. In the big games the mentality takes care of itself.

“We remember that last game at the World Cup when we didn’t show up how we wanted to show up and that still lives in our memories.

“There’s going to be no shortage of motivation after Saturday’s game and the last time we played Ireland so we’re excited for it.

“It’s obviously going to be a tough challenge but one we’re ready to take on.”

Ben Earl was at the forefront of England’s seismic victory over Ireland after predicting to Steve Borthwick the impact he intended to have at Twickenham.

Earl has followed up his outstanding World Cup with an equally impressive Guinness Six Nations that has been rewarded with man-of-the-match awards against Wales and Andy Farrell’s champions.

The Saracens number eight was magnificent in Saturday’s 23-22 upset to continue his surge towards world-class status, bossing Ireland’s back row and barging over for a vital 60th-minute try as one of numerous powerful carries.

In a sign of his growing confidence, Earl told his head coach hours before the game how he expected his 29th cap to unfold.

“I sat with Ben on Saturday morning. He talked and showed me what he wanted to do against Ireland. And he pretty much did exactly what he said to me. That is down to him delivering that,” Borthwick said.

“It is phenomenal the thought process he is going through and how ambitious he is as a player to get better.

“Ben played his first 15 games off the bench. Even in last year’s Six Nations he played a run of games and then he was out.

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“I think he feels backed. I get the impression he feels he is growing as a player and he wants to keep getting better.”

By defying expectations to topple the defending champions, England revived their title ambitions heading into the final weekend even if Ireland remain firmly in the driving seat.

A courageous gameplan that placed an emphasis on attack was well executed with the try count won 3-2, providing redemption after an error-strewn defeat by Scotland a fortnight ago.

Had England not imploded at Murrayfield, they could have been challenging for the Grand Slam themselves but Borthwick has been careful not to rebuke his young team.

“Post the Scotland game, there was evidence that the weight of the shirt was on the players,” he said.

“I believe we need to create a supportive environment. Everybody involved with English rugby is under incredible scrutiny. That’s just the way it is.

“There’s incredible expectation and I’d rather be involved in a team where there is expectation upon it than not.

“But with that I want to make sure that young players are coming into a supportive environment. I want to see their point of difference on the grass.

“Mistakes are going to happen and we are understanding of that, but we don’t want to repeat mistakes. We have got to learn fast.

“The team went through a difficult experience at Murrayfield, reviewed it properly and then addressed it on the training field.

“The players weren’t perfect against Ireland, they made mistakes, but at Murrayfield I thought we made a mistake and then went into ourselves, played a little bit small.

“Against Ireland they made errors and got into the next battle. If there is anything I can encourage the players to do, it is go into the next battle.”

Jamison Gibson-Park feels the prospect of igniting another St Patrick’s weekend party in Dublin is a “massive” incentive to help Ireland swiftly move on from an agonising 23-22 defeat to England.

Andy Farrell’s men were on the verge of retaining the Guinness Six Nations title with a game to spare before being punished by Marcus Smith’s last-gasp drop goal at Twickenham.

The “gutting” late drama halted Ireland’s pursuit of consecutive Grand Slams but they will still win the championship if they beat Scotland next Saturday at the Aviva Stadium.

Leinster scrum-half Gibson-Park is eager to lift more silverware on home soil following the jubilation of last year’s flawless tournament triumph, which was sealed with a win over England amid patron saint celebrations in the Irish capital.

“We’ve thrown a lot into this championship and we were pretty keen to go after the Grand Slam,” he said.

“That’s gone now but there’s still plenty to play for, thankfully.

“It’s massive, man. I mean we were able to get it done last year in front of our friends and family and home supporters, which means a huge amount.

“There will be that same drive next weekend for sure.

“Faz (Farrell) has already said to us that we’ve got to dust ourselves down, congratulate England and just get ready for Scotland.”

Jack Crowley’s four penalties ensured Ireland led 12-8 at the break in south-west London before James Lowe’s two tries put them on the cusp of glory.

But Steve Borthwick’s impressive hosts were the better side for large parts and deservedly snatched victory at the death as replacement fly-half Smith decisively added to scores from Ollie Lawrence, George Furbank and Ben Earl to spark wild scenes on the pitch and in the stands.

Gibson-Park was forced to play the final 30 minutes out of position on the right wing after the departures of Calvin Nash and Ciaran Frawley to failed head injury assessments exposed head coach Farrell’s decision to name a six-two split of forwards and backs on the bench.

The 32-year-old expects a thorough inquest into only Ireland’s second defeat in 22 games dating back to the summer of 2022.

“We are thankful over the last number of years, we have been on the right side of the ledge a lot of the time,” he said.

“But every now and again, it’s the way it goes.

“Plenty of things to review and obviously we have to dust ourselves down because there’s still a championship on the line.

“It will be tough but England showed up and sometimes that’s how the cookie crumbles and you don’t end up on the right side of the result.

“It’s gutting but plenty to learn and we’ll have to show up for next week.”

Captain Peter O’Mahony credited England for derailing Ireland’s Grand Slam dream.

The Munster flanker, who was sin binned for hands in ruck just before the hour mark, said: “It was a massive pressure match, pressure environment.

“They’re a quality side and I thought they showed that in spades with the way they defended, clinical in their attack, and disrupted a lot of the stuff that we wanted to do.

“It was a savage battle out there.”

Ben Earl hit back at England’s critics after they produced their best display since the 2019 World Cup by dispatching Ireland 23-22 at Twickenham.

Marcus Smith’s match-winning drop goal in the last act of a spellbinding match denied Ireland the chance to complete back-to-back Grand Slams and ensured the Guinness Six Nations title will be decided on the final weekend.

England will be contesting the crown when they face France and they will head to Lyon lifted by an inspired afternoon against the current champions, a fortnight after they blundered their way to defeat by Scotland.

Steve Borthwick’s men were given little chance of beating Ireland – bookmakers rated them 4-1 underdogs – yet they delivered their most complete performance since the 2019 World Cup victory over New Zealand.

“Unbelievable really. I’m a bit emotional,” player of the match Earl said.

“Some of the crap that has been thrown at the team over this last week, apparently we are the worst England team ever. We have done pretty well for that accolade.

“We knew from the beginning of the game if we played our best stuff we would have a chance. Amazing stadium, amazing fans, amazing team-mates. Credit to the fans. What a great day.

“We train like that every day. We all know sometimes that doesn’t translate onto the pitch but people don’t see half the stuff we do. I’m just so pleased.”

England were headed for defeat when James Lowe crossed in the 72nd minute to nudge Ireland in front until a late do-or-die surge ended with Smith landing his decisive drop-goal.

Jamie George, the team’s captain who watched the nerve-jangling final moments from the sidelines, joked that the result was “never in doubt”.

“I don’t like watching but I was in awe of the boys on the field – the composure they showed but also going out there to attack the game and win the game,” George said.

“We didn’t panic at any stage and I have to admit it was a bit emotional at the end because of everything that’s gone on.

“I was just so proud of the players on the field. They applied themselves. It was never in doubt!”

Borthwick revealed that there are injury concerns over Chandler Cunningham-South and Henry Slade ahead of the final match against France and played down an exchange of words with Ireland boss Andy Farrell shortly before half-time.

“It’s between Andy and (me). I know people want to read things into that but Andy and I have a good relationship,” Borthwick said.

Andy Farrell is confident Ireland will quickly dust themselves down for another shot at Guinness Six Nations glory after their dream of successive Grand Slams was extinguished in heartbreaking fashion by England.

Farrell’s men were on the brink of retaining the championship title with a round to spare when Marcus Smith kicked a last-gasp drop goal to settle a captivating Twickenham encounter 23-22 in the hosts’ favour.

While back-to-back clean sweeps are now off the table, Ireland will still win the tournament if they defeat Scotland next weekend in Dublin.

“We said from the beginning that we’d like to be in with a chance of winning the competition on the last day and here we are,” said head coach Farrell.

“Look, the lads are realists, they’ll learn the lessons quickly.

“There’s not a problem at all about getting the lads back on track for next week.

“Six Nations (titles) are unbelievably difficult to come by. To win them you tend to have a lot of ups and downs.

“We were on the wrong side of that result but there will be absolutely no problem whatsoever getting back to work next week for what is a super important week for Irish rugby.

“You dust yourselves down. We’ve been very good at winning and moving on to the next one. We’ve got to be really good at losing as well.

“We’ve got to dust ourselves down tomorrow and make sure that we turn up with a smile on our face because we’ve got a championship to win next weekend.”

England were overwhelming underdogs ahead of Saturday evening’s showdown but emphatically answered their critics by producing the finest display of the Steve Borthwick era.

Yet James Lowe’s second try of the afternoon, which arrived in the 72nd minute and added to four Jack Crowley penalties, looked to have snatched victory for the visitors until Smith’s decisive intervention.

Farrell had no complaints about the result and was full of praise for the opposition, who crossed three times through Ollie Lawrence, George Furbank and Ben Earl to bounce back from a disappointing Calcutta Cup loss to Scotland in round three.

“Look at the quality of the players that they’ve got,” said Farrell.

“Certainly when you’re coming off the back of a defeat it tends to concentrate the mind a little bit – hopefully it does for us next week.

“We always prepare for every game for everyone to be at their best.

“I thought they were super tonight, I thought they were physical, they were challenging on the gain line and played a nice brand of rugby as well.

“To cut a long story short, I actually thought that England deserved to win.”

Marcus Smith’s stoppage-time drop goal rewarded England’s standout performance of the Steve Borthwick era as the Guinness Six Nations title race was taken to the final weekend with a 23-22 victory over Ireland.

Smith, making his first appearance of the tournament after recovering from a calf injury, struck in the final act of the game to deny Ireland back-to-back Grand Slams on an afternoon of high drama at Twickenham.

Watched from the stands by former captain Owen Farrell, England’s attack finally ignited as Ollie Lawrence, George Furbank and Ben Earl plundered tries to topple opponents who had been installed by bookmakers as staggering 1/5 favourites to win.

The Achilles heel of failing to capitalise on visits to the 22 appeared to be harming them once again and their 8-6 lead was a poor return for half an hour of dominance that produced just a single try for Lawrence.

But they were inspired in the closing stages, soaking up James Lowe’s 72nd-minute try that appeared to have snatched the win for Ireland and then striking through Smith amid a late do-or-die assault.

England dazzled from the start and their first try had Furbank’s influence stamped all over it as he launched the counter-attack and then helped flash the ball to Lawrence, who finished in the left corner.

The early score developed into a full-scale onslaught as inspired England poured forward, directed by George Ford and with Earl, Ollie Chessum and full debutant Immanuel Feyi-Waboso making telling contributions.

Bundee Aki made ground with every carry as Ireland’s main weapon but he was swimming against the tide as the white shirts pressed again and a second Lawrence try was ruled out because of a knock-on.

The crippling handling errors and turnovers that led to Scotland retaining the Calcutta Cup in round three had vanished, replaced by players running hard on to flat passes and punching holes in the visiting defence.

Yet for all the hosts’ dominance, successive Jack Crowley penalties meant they trailed 9-8 and as Ireland produced their first sustained attack the fly-half landed a fourth shot from the tee.

England were guilty of inviting pressure when Ford missed a routine penalty and Furbank took the ball into touch, but when their line were breached for the first time in the 44th minute it was because of their opponents’ killer instinct by exploiting Henry Slade’s positioning in the blitz defence to conjure a try for Lowe.

Furbank hit back quickly by racing over in the left corner after slick approach work from his team-mates and suddenly the pendulum swung again.

Ireland captain Peter O’Mahony was sent to the sin-bin for hands in the ruck and England seized their chance, battering away at the green wall through route one until Earl forced his way over.

Marcus Smith replaced George Ford and Danny Care came on for his 100th cap but the Harlequins fly-half was unable to stop Lowe with his despairing late tackle attempt as Ireland crept back in front.

Elliot Daly missed with a long-range penalty attempt but there was still time for England to conjure the win, Smith splitting the posts after his team had battered away at the whitewash.

Jamie George has warned history-chasing Ireland that his England team are ready to “defend our home” when the rivals clash in the Guinness Six Nations on Saturday.

Andy Farrell’s men are hunting a fifth successive victory in the fixture that would place them on the brink of completing back-to-back Grand Slams – an achievement last managed by France in 1997 and 1998.

England, meanwhile, have been licking their wounds after a comprehensive defeat by Scotland at Murrayfield that leaves them facing another championship of underachievement.

Victory over Ireland would be the highlight of Steve Borthwick’s 20 matches in charge and while the visitors are overwhelming favourites to triumph, George believes the Twickenham factor will level the playing field.

“We believe that we’re going to win. We don’t want anyone, any opposition, to come to Twickenham and have an easy ride,” England’s captain said.

“We have respect for them. I can’t emphasise enough how much respect we have for Andy Farrell and Peter O’Mahony’s team. They’ve got brilliant players across the board.

“But this is England. This is Twickenham. This is home. And we’re going to defend our home, like every Englishman would.

“Ireland have got to come and get the result here. And we’re a team that’s hurting off the back of the Scotland result, hugely motivated and hugely excited about the potential of where we can go. It’s about time we put that out in the field.”

Ireland have compiled an impressive record over the last two years, winning 23 out of 25 Tests and losing only to New Zealand and France.

Borthwick described them as the best team in the world on current form, surpassing even South Africa who retained the Webb Ellis Trophy last autumn.

England appear to have only a puncher’s chance of causing an upset, but George insists his side thrive as underdogs even if it is a tag they want to shed.

“I think historically it has worked well for us,” the Saracens hooker said.

“If you look at the World Cup just gone, no one gave us a chance against Argentina, no one gave us a chance against South Africa.

“I know the South Africa result did not go the way we wanted it to but the sort of performance showed the sort of team that we wanted to be.

“Fundamentally we don’t want to go in with an underdog title ever when we’re playing at Twickenham.

“But at the same time we’re playing against a very, very good team, the best team in the world who we have the utmost respect for.

“I am not too worried about spoiling their party too much. I want to make sure we get our things right.

“If we get our things right then we are going to come out on the positive end of the result.

“That is genuinely what I believe and I have seen some positive signs this week that we are going to be going in the right direction.”

Peter O’Mahony believes Ireland’s current team is the best he has ever played in ahead of a pivotal Guinness Six Nations showdown with England.

Andy Farrell’s men will run out at Twickenham as overwhelming favourites and have the chance to retain the championship title with a round to spare.

Captain O’Mahony has lined up alongside the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell and Johnny Sexton during his Test career, but feels the class of 2024 is arguably the greatest Irish side of that period.

“Look, I’ve been lucky to play with lots of good players and teams,” said the Munster flanker, who will win his 104th cap in south-west London.

“If I had to nail the colours to the mast I’d have to say yes.

“It’s hard to compare because rugby has moved on and the game is different, but in a short answer, I think it is.

“I think the quality of player, it’s a really, really healthy, good, thought-provoking, enjoyable environment, but obviously the quality of performance and results speaks for itself.

“Hard to compare but yeah, it’s certainly up there anyway.”

Ireland have triumphed in each of the past four meetings with England and will set a new championship record of 12 consecutive wins by extending that run on Saturday evening.

Doing so with a bonus-point will be sufficient to clinch the title, while the extra point would not be required if Scotland fail to beat Italy and score at least four tries earlier in the day.

World Cup semi-finalists England, who are priced at 4-1 to win by bookmakers, are still striving for consistency under head coach Steve Borthwick.

Yet O’Mahony warned Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slams could easily be derailed as he dismissed the significance of the pre-match predictions.

“It’s not something that we really buy in to,” the 34-year-old said of the favourites tag.

“I know you’re probably sick of hearing it from me, but it’s a Test match tomorrow, Ireland versus England. It’s about who plays better tomorrow. It’s not about anything else.

“It’s not about previous form or where you stand, it’s about who plays better tomorrow and that’s something that we’ve always been focused on, our performance.

“We know if we play well tomorrow we’ll be in with a shout. But if we don’t fire this English team has incredible quality and can beat anyone on their day.

“It’s not long ago they were competing in the last two games of the World Cup. We know we’re in for a huge test tomorrow here at Twickenham as always.”

Peter O’Mahony believes Ireland’s current team is the best he has ever played in ahead of a pivotal Guinness Six Nations showdown with England.

Andy Farrell’s men will run out at Twickenham as overwhelming favourites and have the chance to retain the championship title with a round to spare.

Captain O’Mahony has lined up alongside the likes of Brian O’Driscoll, Paul O’Connell and Johnny Sexton during his Test career, but feels the class of 2024 is arguably the greatest Irish side of that period.

“Look, I’ve been lucky to play with lots of good players and teams,” said the Munster flanker, who will win his 104th cap in south-west London.

“If I had to nail the colours to the mast I’d have to say yes.

“It’s hard to compare because rugby has moved on and the game is different, but in a short answer, I think it is.

“I think the quality of player, it’s a really, really healthy, good, thought-provoking, enjoyable environment, but obviously the quality of performance and results speaks for itself.

“Hard to compare but yeah, it’s certainly up there anyway.”

Ireland have triumphed in each of the past four meetings with England and will set a new championship record of 12 consecutive wins by extending that run on Saturday evening.

Doing so with a bonus-point will be sufficient to clinch the title, while the extra point would not be required if Scotland fail to beat Italy and score at least four tries earlier in the day.

World Cup semi-finalists England, who are priced at 4-1 to win by bookmakers, are still striving for consistency under head coach Steve Borthwick.

Yet O’Mahony warned Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slams could easily be derailed as he dismissed the significance of the pre-match predictions.

“It’s not something that we really buy in to,” the 34-year-old said of the favourites tag.

“I know you’re probably sick of hearing it from me, but it’s a Test match tomorrow, Ireland versus England. It’s about who plays better tomorrow. It’s not about anything else.

“It’s not about previous form or where you stand, it’s about who plays better tomorrow and that’s something that we’ve always been focused on, our performance.

“We know if we play well tomorrow we’ll be in with a shout. But if we don’t fire this English team has incredible quality and can beat anyone on their day.

“It’s not long ago they were competing in the last two games of the World Cup. We know we’re in for a huge test tomorrow here at Twickenham as always.”

England and Ireland clash in round four of the Guinness Six Nations at Twickenham on Saturday, with the 142nd meeting between the rivals packed with significance and sub-plots.

Here, the PA news agency examines five talking points ahead of the match.

The real world champions?

“Let’s be clear on Ireland – right now we can all agree they are the best team in the world,” were the words Steve Borthwick used when assessing England’s round four opponents, adding his voice to a theme that has developed throughout the tournament. Former Wales captain Sam Warburton holds a similar view that has been greeted with indignation in South Africa given the Springboks retained the World Cup last autumn. It will take the rivals’ two-Test series in July to settle the debate, but for now Andy Farrell’s green machine appear invulnerable as they aim
to become the first side to win back to back Grand Slams in the Six Nations era.

Against all odds

The odds are startling – England are rated 4-1 to win with Ireland 1/5 to continue their Grand Slam march. It is hard to recall a more lopsided evaluation for a match at Twickenham and Borthwick’s men undoubtedly face a gargantuan task to rebound from their 30-21 mauling by Scotland, a game in which they made 25 handling errors and gifted 22 turnovers, and deny Ireland a fifth successive victory in the fixture. Murrayfield was the pivotal encounter for England, who must now topple the favourites and France in Lyon to avoid finishing the Six Nations with just two wins for a fourth successive year, a run that would evoke memories of the dark days of the early 1970s and mid 1980s.

Manny mania

Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s inclusion on the right wing at the expense of Elliot Daly should thrill England fans even if the 21-year-old Exeter finisher has played only a handful of professional matches. Injecting genuine X-factor into the team, Feyi-Waboso has been told to go hunting for the ball in the hope his pace, strength and running lines can make a difference against the champions. But a cautionary tale can be seen in the similar trajectory of Henry Arundell, who exploded on to the scene amid a flurry of stunning tries but now plays in France and is unavailable as a result. It is a failure of England’s that they were unable to find him an ingoing role and they must ensure Feyi-Waboso’s vast talent is fully realised.

Clash of the Titans

It will be a duel to savour when young second row enforcers George Martin and Joe McCarthy go toe to toe. There is a thuggish-ness to both forwards as they look to inflict maximum damage on each side of the ball. And as they share similar stats across the board – both are 22-years-old, same height, comparable weights and experience – there is a real sense that this could be the first of many battles between the type of menacing tight five forward every team needs. Martin’s coming of age performance came against South Africa in the World Cup semi-finals, McCarthy’s against France in round one of this Six Nations. Neither will want to give an inch, the type of menacing tight five forward every team needs.

100 not out

If and when Danny Care steps off the bench at Twickenham, he will become the sixth England men’s player to reach the 100 cap milestone. The enduringly brilliant Harlequins scrum-half made his professional debut in 2003 and even at 37-years-old he is still playing the electrifying rugby that thrills audiences. One of the game’s most popular characters has done it the hard way too, long playing second fiddle to Ben Youngs and then having to resurrect his career, having been cast into Test exile after the 2018 ‘Black Hole Game’ against Japan. Not bad for a self-confessed nutritionist’s nightmare who credits a regimen of cookies and saunas for his longevity.