Irish wins on English soil are becoming a bit like Dublin buses. Having waited years for the first European Cup wins on English turf, along came Ireland's first ever away win against the auld enemy at A level at Northampton last night. There was only a point in it and the outcome hinged on an injury-time conversion which hit the upright.
Two English tries ate into Ireland's 31-18 lead entering the 80th minute. Then Tim Stimpson, in keeping with his night, hit the outside of the near upright from a favourable angle about 15 yards to the left of the posts - moments before he had been successful with his second touchline conversion.
Declan Kidney, in his first game at the helm of the A team, may strive to play down the role of the coach, but the studious Corkman clearly has the Midas touch. Indeed, that Ireland finished off their excellent start with a win was largely down to some clever tactical substitutions.
It would have been cruel to have seen this minor bit of history (the only other A win over England having come in 1991) snatched from them. By far the greener outfit, in every sense, this performance, collectively and individually, hinted at a significant broadening of Ireland's Test base.
The Easterbys, flanker Simon and scrum-half Guy, lent a serious physical presence and control to the Irish efforts, David Wallace had a big all-round game and you couldn't fault the work-rate of the young bucks in the second row, Mick O'Driscoll and the excellent Leo Cullen, nor for that matter the bulwark John Hayes.
Their tackling, and most of all their impact at the rucks, was immense from the outset and cleared out the ball speedily. By contrast, England's efforts were laboured, although they did have longer bouts of continuity.
Some of the line-out variations betrayed quality work on the training ground. However, the scrum buckled seriously until the introduction of the bulkier Mark Blair steadied it.
Given that, some of Guy Easterby's work was outstanding. Outside him, Emmet Farrell gave a typically enigmatic display, an occasional failure at the basics undermining his inventive running game.
The midfield defence was immense (John Kelly augmenting a fine A debut with a try), while Tyrone Howe had a good game and Dominic Crotty was solidity personified.
All in all, it was a perfect A night; good crowd (5,282) in a compact setting, a surprisingly mild and still evening, and the Franklins Gardens's billiard top surface. A couple of quick, off-the-top line-out balls and Farrell's probing contributed to an early breakthrough, Guy Easterby cutting through off Eric Miller's take from inside half-way, weaving and dummying quick-wittedly until his younger brother arrived in support to dance over.
Farrell converted and did the same when Easterby's take initiated a sequence of drives by Wallace, Marcus Horan and Shane Byrne before Farrell probed and offloaded in the tackle for the supporting John Kelly to neatly side-step over.
The English outside three outflanked the Irish defence for Steve Hanley to score in the corner, and with the Irish scrum rocking they needed a timely preinterval score; Howe's big tackle and Guy Easterby's long punt bouncing favourably for the chasing Dennis Hickie to find Cullen first in support. Farrell took the responsibility from the recycle to reach out for the line and he landed the conversion.
A torrent of penalties went England's way from Robin Davies after the restart, butStimpson landed only two and missed a kickable conversion after two huge English phases yielded a second try for Hanley.
The introduction of Paul Burke after a two-year absence immediately settled Ireland down, his penalty also making it 24-18. The back row, now including Andy Ward, linked well soon after, Hayes rumbling for the line before who should be at the front of the forward drive, legs pumping, for the touchdown other than Hickie. Burke's conversion added the vital insurance points in advance of the injury-time climax.
ENGLAND A: T Stimpson; S Hanley, F Waters, W Greenwood, S Brown; A Hepher N Walshe; G Rowntree, S Walter, J White, C Gillies, R Fidler, P Gustard, T Diprose (capt), A Gardiner. Replacements: C Yates for Waters (65 mins), S Benton for Walshe (65 mins).
IRELAND A: D Crotty (Garryowen); D Hickie (St Mary's College), J Kelly (Cork Constitution), S Horgan (Lansdowne), T Howe (Dungannon); E Farrell (Blackrock College), G Easterby (Ebbw Vale); M Horan (Shannon), S Byrne (Blackrock College, capt), J Hayes (Shannon), M O'Driscoll (Cork Constitution), L Cullen (Blackrock College), S Easterby (Llanelli), E Miller (Terenure College), D Wallace (Garryowen). Replacements: R Corrigan (Lansdowne) for Horan (33 mins), M Blair (Ballymena) for O'Driscoll (62 mins), P Burke (Cardiff) for Farrell (67 mins), A Ward (Ballynahinch) for S Easterby (72 mins).
Referee: R Davies (Wales).
