ENGLAND 15-32 IRELAND
Ireland produced their record win over 14-man England at Twickenham but were also counting their lucky stars after a crazy and enthralling contest between the old rivals.
The Red Rose lost a man in the second minute when second row Charlie Ewels was sent off for a dangerous challenge on James Ryan that saw the locks clash heads.
Ryan was forced out of the fray with a concussion and was replaced by Iain Henderson.
With the numerical advantage, the onus was on Ireland to go and secure the big away win they had talked about all week but they shot themselves in the foot to the extent that there was relief mixed with elation at the final whistle.
Andy Farrell's men seized the initiative by scoring a try through James Lowe but, despite having to use winger Jack Nowell in the scrum, England's set-piece dominance coupled with Ireland's carelessness saw Marcus Smith draw the sides level in the 61st minute.
Ireland looked to be in real trouble at that point as their scrum had collapsed - without first choice loosehead Andrew Porter, the visitors found themselves in serious bother.
Although Cian Healy and Tadhg Furlong both complained to ref Mathieu Raynal that England were not scrummaging legally and were instead wheeling it around to their great advantage, the Red Rose pack still won six scrum penalties
Twickenham was rocking to the efforts of Ellis Genge in particular, who Ireland claimed was hinging to get the better of Furlong.
Still, Ireland gathered themselves in the closing stages and produced a powerful two-try finish to not just secure the victory, but also a winning bonus point.
While France remain in pole position heading into the last round of the Six Nations championship, Les Bleus have to face England in Paris next weekend. Before they do, Ireland will look to pile on the pressure by beating Scotland at home and secure the Triple Crown - their first since 2018 - in the process.
Farrell's charges made a promising start, getting Lowe on the ball early.
But as they attacked from left to right across the pitch, Ryan was concussed as Ewels smashed into him and the players clashed heads.
The Bath forward was duly sent off as boos rang around the ground from the home fans, but ref Raynal had no choice but to dismiss him.
Johnny Sexton nailed the resulting penalty and was soon calling for the kicking tee again after his side's first try in the sixth minute.
Ireland attacked off turnover ball and Dan Sheehan's inside pass found Josh van der Flier, whose feint bought time before he released Lowe.
The winger took off to score in the corner but Sexton couldn't add the extras.
The visitors' celebrations of a second try, this time from Caelan Doris after he bumped Harry Randall out of the way, was short lived.
Again a chorus of boos rang around Twickenham but Raynal ruled the 12th minute score out as replays showed that Maro Itoje had done superbly at the ruck to force Garry Ringrose into a knock-on as he went to play the ball.
And things went downhill for Ireland from that moment.
The visitors' pack had won a penalty off the first scrum but England, with Nowell added to their scrum in the absence of Ewels, won three scrum penalties before the break - as well as a free kick.
But the French ref clearly believed that the home scrum was dominant and was happy to ping the Ireland pack.
Furthermore Ireland were profligate in the loose and the line-out and England's set-piece thrived.
Marcus Smith made it 8-3 in the 17th minute off a scrum penalty for the hosts, who were gaining in confidence.
When the Red Rose out-half finally got his hands on the ball he released Joe Marchant, who cruised past Healy and whose forward pass to Max Malins was forward wasn't picked up by the officials.
England earned a penalty near the touchline just outside Ireland's 22 and Smith kicked to the corner. Itoje gathered the line-out but the threat of a try was extinguished by Healy's timely steal.
Ireland counter-attacked effectively but Itoje, who had been unwell and a doubt before kick-off, produced a superb turnover off Ireland line-out maul.
Healy took the opportunity to complain about England's tactics before the ensuing scrum but it made no difference as Ireland conceded another penalty at the set-piece.
When Iain Henderson strayed offside at the line-out, Smith took on another shot at the posts but kicked wide - only for Ringrose to then kick ahead with Sexton ahead of him and from the resultant penalty, Smith made it 8-6 in the 33rd minute.
Ireland needed to finish the half strongly and they came up with the second try. A high tackle by Itoje on Ringrose allowed Sexton to kick into the opposition 22, and Raynal awarded a free-kick to the visitors in the line-out.
Henderson took a quick tap, Healy was tackled hard twice but Hugo Keenan got over for the try despite Randall's efforts.
However there was still time for Smith to make it 15-9 at half-time with Henderson again pinged.
England replaced Kyle Sinckler with Will Stuart at the break but it made no difference to their scrum dominance.
Ireland were still making errors, too, with England winning the restart, but a Lowe break in midfield put them back on the front foot.
Risky off-loads - by Lowe and Tadhg Beirne - in an attempt to find the third try failed to come off and even when Conway produced a brilliant 50:22 kick, the visitors couldn't take advantage with Furlong the latest to fail with an off-load.
Raynal spoke to Genge and Furlong about their scrummaging but Healy was penalised for collapsing the next one and, when Keenan was swallowed up by Marchant under the high ball, Smith fired over to make it a three point game in the 53rd minute.
That was the signal for Healy to be replaced by Dave Kilcoyne, and Sheehan by Rob Herring, but Henderson was yet again pinged at the lineout as Ireland wasted another set-piece in the Red Rose 22.
And when Keenan knocked on under pressure, inevitably another scrum penalty followed and Smith converted to level it up, raising the decibel levels still further.
Ireland had to find something to get them back into the game and they managed it.
Herring came close to scoring a try - the Ulsterman was held up just short of the line - before a ruck infringement gave Sexton the chance to restore a three-point lead, which he took.
A Conway kick straight to touch from just outside Ireland's 22 gifted England a line-out in a dangerous position but for once Itoje couldn't hold on.
And with that went England's brave challenge. Ireland almost had their third try when Doris broke upfield but just failed to find Conor Murray, who had come on in the 68th minute.
But five minutes later another replacement, Jack Conan, killed the contest. Lowe rampaged down the left flank and the play was swiftly moved to the right flank, to Conway.
Murray got to the ruck when his Munster team-mate was brought down and the scrum-half found Conan, who crashed over. Sexton pumped his fist as he nailed the conversion for a 10-point lead.
To rub salt in the hosts' wounds, Ireland nabbed the winning bonus point three minutes from time when Finlay Bealham grounded the ball under an army of white shirts.
Sexton's conversion finished the scoring for the men in green and the visiting supporters could toast a hard-earned but nevertheless sweet victory.
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