England players targeted the visiting captain, who endured a difficult day with hands and feet as his grand slam dream died
Eddie Jones kept his counsel when asked about Johnny Sexton in the buildup to this match. He was offered the chance to repeat the sort of barb that got him in hot water four years ago but he declined to target Ireland’s captain and fly-half. Evidently he left that to his players and it worked a treat because it is hard to recall such a lacklustre performance from Ireland’s most influential player.
Manu Tuilagi, involved so often in the opening exchanges, ran straight down Sexton’s channel time and again and when he had the ball, Courtney Lawes and Tom Curry were never far away.