Ireland took a major step towards retaining their Six Nations title with a pulsating 19-9 victory over England in Dublin yesterday to become the only side to win their opening three games.

With both sides unbeaten going into a game billed as a potential title decider, Johnny Sexton kicked the hosts into a first-half lead before an acrobatic Robbie Henshaw try sent Ireland travelling to Cardiff dreaming of a grand slam.

Ireland, who equalled their longest ever winning stretch with a 10th successive victory, play Wales in Cardiff on March 14 before facing Scotland at Murrayfield a week later.

“After seeing them against Wales, we knew they were going to come back at us in the second half, but we dug deep and managed to keep them off our line,” Ireland coach Joe Schmidt told the BBC.

“We do rely on our half backs a lot. They move us around in the right manner and find space.”

Ireland had scored only two tries to England’s eight in the opening two games and appeared to be missing the accuracy in the final third Schmidt had called for.

The opening five minutes of the second period were more open than the entire first 40 as Sexton edged the home side further ahead with another penalty.

As England’s penalty count ticked up, Ireland attacked and with another penalty in the offing, Conor Murray kicked into the corner for man of the match Henshaw to field magnificently and touch down.

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