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England vs Ireland, 2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up: Score prediction, lineups, odds, live stream, TV, h2h

Getty Images
Getty Images

England vs Ireland
2019 Rugby World Cup warm-up
Venue: Twickenham Stadium, London
Kick-off time: 3:00pm BST, today

England welcome Ireland to Twickenham today in their penultimate warm-up fixture ahead of the World Cup.

Eddie Jones' side - who also face Italy next month before travelling to Japan - recently contested successive fixtures against Wales, winning 33-19 at home before losing 13-6 in Cardiff.

Ireland will pose another significant test for England and will be eager to avenge their heavy Six Nations defeat to the same opponents on home soil back in February.

Joe Schmidt and co have been on a warm-weather training camp in the Algarve, though an experimental side did beat Italy 29-10 in Dublin on August 10.

That game was most significant for an ankle injury suffered by Munster fly-half Joey Carbery that has left him in a race against time to be fit for the World Cup.


Team news and line-ups

Jones has shuffled his pack further, starting George Ford (fly-half) and Owen Farrell (inside centre) together for the first time since June 2018.

Manu Tuilagi (outside centre) and Jonny May (left wing) also come into the backline, while Ben Youngs starts his first warm-up match at scrum-half.

In the pack, Joe Marler makes his first start since reversing his international retirement as Jamie George and Kyle Sinckler also return to the first XV.

George Kruis replaces Joe Launchbury at lock and a new back-row combination sees Tom Curry and Sam Underhill line up either side of No8 Billy Vunipola.

Loosehead prop Mako Vunipola's return to the bench following a hamstring injury is a significant boost.

Harlequins centre Joe Marchant is a late replacement for Jonathan Joseph on the bench.

England XV: Daly; Cokanasiga, Tuilagi, Farrell, May; Ford, Youngs; Marler, George, Sinckler; Itoje, Kruis; Curry, Underhill, B Vunipola​

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, M Vunipola, Cole, Lawes, Wilson, Heinz, Francis, Marchant

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Ireland are without star fly-half Johnny Sexton, who sat out training in Portugal earlier this week due to a thumb sprain but had hoped to be fit to feature at Twickenham.

The absence of Sexton and Carbery offers a major chance to impress to Leinster fly-half Ross Byrne, who is set to make his full international debut.

Wing Jordan Larmour, centre Garry Ringrose and South Africa-born lock Jean Kleyn are the only players to retain their starting berths following the win over Italy as Schmidt brings back most of his biggest names.

Rob Kearney, Jacob Stockdale, Bundee Aki, Conor Murray, Cian Healy, captain Rory Best, Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, Peter O'Mahony, Josh van der Flier and CJ Stander all start.

Other first-choice players, such as James Ryan, Robbie Henshaw and Keith Earls, will sit out along with Sexton.

Ireland XV: Kearney; Larmour, Ringrose, Aki, Stockdale; Byrne, Murray; Healy, Best, Furlong; Henderson, Kleyn; O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Stander

Replacements: Cronin, J McGrath, Porter, Toner, Beirne, L McGrath, Carty, Conway


Score prediction: England 24-21 Ireland

Ireland will be out for revenge after that stunning defeat to England on the opening weekend of the Six Nations, though Schmidt has acknowledged that the timing of their Portugal trip could produce some fatigue.

The visitors have picked a very strong side and should pose plenty of problems, though Jones will want a response after an uninspiring loss to Wales that saw Warren Gatland's men replace the All Blacks atop of the world rankings.

England to edge a close and typically bruising contest at home.


Betting tips via Betfair | UK users only | Subject to change

Match odds

  • England to win: 1/3

  • Draw: 25/1

  • Ireland to win: 11/4

Click here to find the latest match odds and place a bet.


TV channel and live stream, and online coverage

The match will be televised live on Sky Sports Action (from 2:00pm) and Sky Sports Main Event (from 3:00pm).

Sky Sports subscribers can stream the match online via SkyGo and the SkyGo app.

You can also follow all the action with Standard Sport's LIVE blog.


Head to Head record and history (h2h)

These two rivals have met on 134 previous occasions, with England boasting 77 wins to Ireland's 49. There have been eight draws.

Seven of the last 10 matches have been won by the Red Rose, with February's victory snapping a two-game losing streak against Ireland.