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England suffered a 27-22 defeat to Ireland in their Six Nations opener, raising concerns over team performance and management.

England`s Six Nations campaign for 2025 kicked off with a narrow 27-22 defeat to reigning champions Ireland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The match saw England take an early lead, with Cadan Murley scoring a try that put them ahead 10-5 at halftime. However, Ireland responded strongly in the second half, crossing the try line four times through Jamison Gibson-Park, Bundee Aki, Tadhg Beirne, and Dan Sheehan.

Despite some promising moments from England, including line breaks by Marcus Smith and Ollie Lawrence, their attack struggled to develop effectively. Defensive efforts from the Curry twins and Ben Earl were commendable, but the team failed to maintain momentum, a concern that has frustrated fans and increased pressure on head coach Steve Borthwick. Borthwick acknowledged the need for defensive improvements but faced criticism for his halftime talk and the team`s overall game management.

Fans took to social media to express their disappointment, questioning Borthwick`s effectiveness and the team`s ambition. This loss marks England`s seventh defeat in their last nine matches, underscoring ongoing struggles since the 2023 World Cup. Looking ahead, England will face a formidable challenge against France at Twickenham on February 8, following France`s impressive 43-0 victory over Wales in their opening match.

To bolster the squad`s experience, Borthwick has fast-tracked former captain Jamie George back into the training squad despite his recent hamstring injury. As the Six Nations progresses, England will need to regroup and find their form to compete effectively in the tournament, which will culminate in `Super Saturday` on March 15.

Six Nations
Steve Borthwick

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