Sports Digest - Ireland impress with win over Scotland in RBS Six Nations

Ireland: Kearney, Bowe, Earls, D’Arcy, Trimble, Sexton, Reddan, Healy, Best, Ross, O’Callaghan, Ryan, Ferris, O’Mahony, Heaslip. Replacements: Cronin for Best 54 mins, O’Leary for Reddan, 54 mins, O’Gara for D’Arcy, 54 mins, Jennings for O’Mahony 62 mins, McFadden for Kearney 74 mins, Court  for Ross 78 mins, McCarthy for O’Callaghan 78 mins.

Ferris’s Thoughts

ULSTER flanker Stephen Ferris knows Ireland will have to step up a gear or two when they meet England in London on Saturday.

Ferris was one of the stars of the show when Ireland beat Scotland last weekend, but England also impressed as they won away to France on Sunday.

“I’ve been fortunate to win with Ireland at Twickenham and I know that you have to be on top of your game to get a result,” said Ferris.

“We are improving week on week and are happy with our set-piece, but we know England are strong there. They won’t concede any soft tries, like Scotland did, either.

“We have to chase the box-kicks down hard and get behind them. Rob Kearney is going to be busy in the air again.”

Ireland did up the ante from the Welsh and French games as they defeated the Scots and Ferris is looking for more of the same this weekend.

He added, “In the last couple of weeks I’ve done a bit more defending than I would have liked but that’s the way it goes.

“I’ve put my body on the line and got into the defensive line, reading it well. Overall we defended well and apart from that soft try Scotland didn’t look like breaking us down.

“Since the criticism we took after the Wales game we’ve defended pretty well. We’ve worked hard on it. Personally and as a team I felt we have improved defensively.”

Kidney’s Change

COACH Declan Kidney has made just one change to the Ireland team for Saturday’s big clash with England at Twickenham as fit-again Sean O’Brien returns to the pack.

Peter O’Mahony reverts back to the bench with Donnacha Ryan maintaining his presence in the second row in place of the injured Paul O’Connell.

“Sean trained well this morning and we wouldn’t have selected him if he wasn’t ready," said Kidney at the team announcement on Tuesday.

“It’s tough on Peter because he played really well against Scotland.”

Ireland vs. England: Kearney, Bowe, Earls, D’Arcy, Trimble, Sexton, Reddan, Healy, Best, Ross, O’Callaghan, Ryan, Ferris, O’Brien, Heaslip.

Rugby Shorts

DAVID Wallace did made his comeback after months out injured but Munster went down to Aironi in the Celtic League in Italy on Sunday . . .

IRELAND remain in seventh position in the world rankings after their win over Scotland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday . . .

LEINSTER have confirmed the arrival of New Zealand World Cup winning second row Brad Thorn on a three-month contract . . .

​
Nster.com