England have issued a powerful statement ahead of the Rugby World Cup by overwhelming Ireland 57-15 at Twickenham in a victory that set records for highest score and greatest winning margin against their Six Nations rivals.
England racked up tries through a Joe Cokanasiga double as well as Elliot Daly, Manu Tuilagi, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Tom Curry and Luke Cowan-Dickie as they overpowered the visitors up front and shredded their defence on Saturday.
Coach Eddie Jones’s selections were mainly vindicated, as the dual playmaker axis of George Ford and Owen Farrell, which powered the 18-match winning streak that began his tenure, returned to offer control and width.
A lineup that looks close to Jones’s likely starters dominated a similarly stacked Ireland side, with centre Tuilagi and the young flanking duo of Curry and Sam Underhill all impressing with less than a month until the World Cup begins.
A toothless and tired-looking Ireland were passengers for much of the match, despite scoring the game’s first try from a Jacob Stockdale chip collected by Jordan Larmour and a late consolation for Bundee Aki.