England 16 Ireland 20: Wilkinson fails to shine under the spotlight

Martin Johnson's side were six minutes away from a hard-earned win against the champions that would have kept them on course for a first grand slam for seven years.

But this ever-improving team were undone again by indiscipline, indecision and, in truth, by a ruthless Ireland still smarting from their defeat in Paris two weeks earlier who soaked up immense home pressure to win by three tries to one.

England have still to play in France at the Six Nations' denoument, when their own hopes of winning the title may still be alive.

But the sense of deflation following Tommy Bowe's second try, when he exploited the space left by Jonny Wilkinson and brushed off James Haskell, was palpable.

Launch the Yorkshire Post's Rugby Union video player

"The players did a lot of good things and it's a very tough loss," lamented Johnson in a statement that was echoed by a squad of players who remain defiant in their belief that they are on the cusp of something special, even if they are yet to prove consistently what they believe they are capable of.

"It's a really tough defeat and the boys are devastated," said Leeds-born scrum-half Danny Care. "It was probably one of the biggest games of my career, which makes it so frustrating."

More seasoned half-back partner Wilkinson added: "It hurts more because it's the last thing we expected, we went onto the field expecting to win. This is the worst I have felt for a long time."

Aside from the marvellous defensive effort from Ireland – of 100 tackles attempted they missed only one – Care and Wilkinson were pivotal figures.

Care went into the game as the man on whom the new Johnson attack was based, with his quick taps and quick-thinking.

World Cup winner Wilkinson was under fire for his lack of play-calling, and emerged after another 80 minutes with a fat lip and more questions asked about his diminished deadliness in front of the posts and his inability to steer England.

The spotlight shone brightly on Wilkinson throughout and he could not have envisaged a poorer start as he barely stubbed his kick-off 10 metres and then had possession ripped from his grasp as early England pressure floundered.

He was at the centre of everything good or bad about England – from the drop goal nine minutes from time that almost kept the grand slam dream alive, to his absence at the foot of the lineout that was exploited ruthlessly by Bowe at the end.

Care, who stole the limelight with his enterprise against Wales, took some of the heat off Wilkinson for his part in Ireland's second try.

His battle with opposing No 9 Tomas O'Leary had been bubbling and came to a head on 55 minutes when he wrestled the Ireland scrum-half to the ground after play had been awarded to England following a midfield scrum.

A brawl ensued after which South African referee Mark Lawrence reversed the decision and awarded Ireland a penalty which they kicked deep into English territory. Paul O'Connell won the lineout and Keith Earls dived over in the corner.

"I thought the penalty was a bit harsh," said Care, who was sin-binned in Dublin last year for a reckless challenge on Marcus Horan.

"I was just trying to get the ball. But you have to go with what the referee says. It's frustrating and I have to learn from that.

"It's down to each referee what decision they give but you never really know what they're going to give. Looking back, I should have tried to flip him but if it happens again I'd probably do the same thing."

Care atoned for his impulsiveness with customary gusto and was instrumental in England's try six minutes later when Dan Cole burrowed over for his first international score.

Care also set up Wilkinson's drop goal with a break from midfield. Support came in the shape of Ben Foden, who stepped off the bench to provide a lot more urgency than Delon Armitage, and when the ball was recycled, Care fed Wilkinson, who drove the ball between the posts.

For all their dominance of possession, England could not create many more opportunities.

Wilkinson was accurate with three of his six kicks at goal, but on the flip side, Dylan Hartley's lineout was errant.

Jonathan Sexton, in at fly-half for an out-of-form Ronan O'Gara, was Ireland's playmaker and he favoured deep kicks to the right wing in an attempt to exploit Ugo Monye. It worked only once, five minutes in when Bowe gathered and raced in from 20 metres.

Bowe also had the last laugh, exploiting the space left by Wilkinson and brushing off Haskell after O'Connell knocked an Irish lineout down and O'Leary set him in motion.

"I had him in my grasp and I thought I'd stopped him," said a frustrated Haskell.

England pushed one last time, captain Steve Borthwick winning a lineout and leading a 20-metre drive that just came up short against the wall of green shirts.

England: Armitage (Foden 49), Cueto, Tait, Flutey, Monye, Wilkinson, Care (Hodgson 73); Payne, Hartley (Mears 64), Cole (Wilson 73), Shaw (Deacon 5), Borthwick, Haskell, Moody (Worsley 55), Easter: Unused replacement: Flood.

Ireland: Murphy, Bowe, O'Driscoll (Trimble 64), D'Arcy, Earls, Sexton (O'Gara 70), O'Leary; Healy, Best, Hayes (Buckley 61), O'Callaghan (Cullen 70), O'Connell, Ferris, Wallace (Jennings 70), Heaslip. Unused replacements: Cronin, Reddan.

Referee: M Lawrence (South Africa).

Scorers:

England – try Cole; con Wilkinson; pens Wilkinson 2; drop goal Wilkinson.

Ireland – tries Bowe 2, Earls; con O'Gara; pen Sexton.