Sport

England wary of fighting Irish

Although Ireland have not won at Twickenham since 1994, and England boast a 22-Test unbeaten record on home soil stretching back…

Wed Mar 03 2004 - 00:00

Although Ireland have not won at Twickenham since 1994, and England boast a 22-Test unbeaten record on home soil stretching back to the 1999 World Cup, England coach Clive Woodward yesterday said he still expects a fierce battle.

"Ireland blew Wales away last time out, and we saw the proper Ireland play. They are an outstanding team, and it's only a few months ago that they should have beaten Australia in the World Cup," he said.

"They have got a very experienced pack, arguably one of the world's best players in the centre (Brian O'Driscoll), and half-backs who know what they are doing. They're going to be very dangerous, we've got no doubt about that.

"But we are really looking forward to it. We haven't been to Twickenham in terms of a really competitive game for a year, so to go back there having won the World Cup, makes it a big day. We are looking forward to this game, probably more so than any game since the World Cup final.

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"Twickenham is a place that we don't expect to get beaten.We have not been quite at our best, and we hope that we can step up another gear at the weekend, which I think we will need to do to beat Ireland. They are a very good side."

England continued preparations yesterday, with five new additions to the match-day 22 following last month's victory over Scotland - lock Steve Borthwick, flanker Joe Worsley, plus substitutes Matt Stevens, Neil Back and James Simpson-Daniel.

Veteran prop Jason Leonard also lent his support during training, despite losing a place on the bench that has increased speculation that he could call time on a remarkable 114-cap international career after this season's Six Nations.

Ireland's women's team to play England at Twickenham on Saturday shows one change from that which lost to Wales. Connacht's Nuala Ní Chaidháin comes in on the wing for Nicki Milne, who reverts to the bench.

IRELAND: S J Belton (UL-Bohs); L Cantwell (UL Bohs), S Fleming (Cooke), P Kelly (ULBohs), N Ní Chaidháin (Galwegians); J O'Sullivan (Nottingham), Louise Beamish (UL Bohs); J Neville (Shannon), F Steed (Shannon), R Boyd (Cooke), A M McAllister (Shannon), R Foley (Shannon), G McAllister (Cooke), J Lonergan (Shannon), F Coghlan (UL-Bohs). Replacements: M Dolo (Old Belvedere) M McCarthy (Blackrock), J Leacy (Blackrock) E O'Sullivan (Shannon), T Rosser (Blackrock), N Milne , A Greensmith (Shannon).