Intense England pressure in the final minutes failed to wrest victory from Ireland, the 2009 Grand Slam RBS 6 Nations champions, who took all their three try-scoring opportunities and snatched a tense win six minutes from the end with Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe scoring his second try.

Jonny Wilkinson had dropped a goal right-footed from 35 metres that earned a 16-13 lead with nine minutes left.

Even after Bowe’s match winner from Tómas O’Leary’s pass from a line out and a slicing run from the blind side wing through the middle, Ireland still needed all their defensive acumen to resist a final England onslaught of rampaging mauls.

Steve Borthwick’s men had earlier craved quicker, cleaner ball to unlock the Ireland midfield.

Bowe’s tries were 70 minutes apart, his first coming after only four minutes but England had their moments in slippery conditions and a first half downpour. Dan Cole, 22, of Leicester Tigers, scored a maiden try in only his third Test and second start from short range after Ireland creaked at a scrum.

England trailed 8-6 at half time in a match marking a hundredth Ireland cap for prop John Hayes and Joe Worsley’s seventy fifth when he played off the bench for Lewis Moody.

The match was won and lost on little things that included a penalty reversal against England scrum half Danny Care, who wrestled O’Leary to the ground on half way in search of the ball for a quick tap kick after Ireland had already been penalised.

Keith Earls scored his side’s second try soon after the subsequent line out near the corner and Ireland, who could have been under pressure, suddenly led 13-6.

After already conceding the early try to Bowe, England lost lock Simon Shaw through injury after five minutes and Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll, winning his ninety ninth cap, was carried off with 16 minutes left after being struck accidentally on the side of his head by the right knee of onrushing teammate Paul O’Connell.

Wilkinson landed three of his six place kicks, together with his dropped goal, while Jonny Sexton, who slid through the kick for Bowe’s first try from turnover ball, put over one of his five attempts before O’Gara replaced him and converted Bowe’s decisive try.

Jamie Heaslip, the Ireland No.8, was man of the match as his side kept alive their Triple Crown hopes but England’s performance bodes well for the next match against Scotland at Murrayfield on March 13 and the meeting with France in Paris a week later.

RFU