This was a defeat far more damaging than any of the last-gasp anguishes of last year for England. There were no ifs or buts or maybes about this one. Don’t be fooled by the five-point margin of victory, it was merely a consequence of Ireland starting their celebrations early, allowing late tries by Tom Curry and Tommy Freeman. The game was long gone before that. It feels a long time since that victory over Ireland at Twickenham last year, one that breathed life into Steve Borthwick’s post-World Cup reset. Ireland’s response was ruthless and put to bed any notion that England had their number as they opened the defence of their Six Nations title in ultimately ruthless fashion, even without the guidance of Andy Farrell, who was sitting in the stands now in his role as head coach of the British and Irish Lions.

The new professional game partnership between the Rugby Football Union and the Premiership clubs was supposed to improve the conditioning of the players but they could not match Ireland’s power in the final quarter, with the sight of conditioning guru Aled Walters, this time last year in England colours, adding to the frustration. His replacement, Phil Morrow, does not start until the summer tour of Argentina. His appointment cannot come soon enough.

It was Ireland’s bench, with Jack Conan and Dan Sheehan outstanding, who also outmuscled their opponents, with England curiously staggering the introduction of their six forwards into the contest instead unleashing them at once in the South African fashion. Game, set and match 🍀. Once again, Ireland rip through England's defence as Dan Sheehan rounds off a lovely team try to seal the win 😤#GuinnessM6N | #IRevENG pic.twitter.com/chrtY9NPcS.

When the pressure came on, England lacked direction at fly-half, and the side’s senior players did not stand up. The cloud of gloom that hangs over the display was darkened by the contrast of what had been a promising first half, when Ireland were forced into the kind of mistakes that had littered their autumn campaign, with Six Nations debutant Sam Prendergast enduring several nervy moments. England had been worthy of their five-point lead, thanks to a converted eighth-minute try by Cadan Murley and a penalty by Marcus Smith. The tone had been set in the first quarter, as England edged the breakdown, with the Curry brothers and Maro Itoje in destructive form while the visitors were able to generate speed of ball to enable Alex Mitchell and Smith to attack space and keep Ireland pinned in their own half. The midfield partnership of Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade also looked as effective as it has been.

🌹 ENGLAND LEAD IN DUBLIN!. Cadan Murley latches onto Henry Salde grubber to score on debut 🔥#GuinnessM6N | #IREvENG pic.twitter.com/hz586AA4UV. There were moments of fortune too. Ronan Kelleher saw his try disallowed because of an infringement by Tadhg Beirne, but England defended stoutly again while Smith was in the sin-bin and on his return he immediately tested Ireland with his kicking and then put Ben Earl through a hole that culminated in him kicking his penalty.

What we didn’t know was that the energy expended in holding Ireland at an arm’s length would prove fatal in the second half. There were signs during the first half when England looked like they were hanging on. The concession of the first-half try by Jamison Gibson-Park looked the result of heavy legs, as Ireland moved the ball wide, Mitchell was bundled over by James Lowe and Freddie Steward was exposed by the Ireland scrum-half’s step.

James Lowe 🤝 Jamison Gibson-Park. Lowe skips past Alex Mitchell before some SUPERB footwork from Gibson-Park to score ⚡. Game on.#GuinnessM6N | #IREvENG pic.twitter.com/IOvvTZmxJ6. What was not predictable was the alarming manner in which England’s high-tempo game plan fell away after the break. Murley was increasingly exposed by Ireland’s kicking game, and it was a fumble from a high ball by Gibson-Park that invited Ireland to pound England’s defence in the opening minutes of the second half, sapping more energy from their opponents.

With a dominant line-out, Ireland were happy to kick penalties to the corner, and their scrum held firm despite the absence of Tadhg Furlong. A tactical switch which saw Prendergast move into the midfield off some phase ball eased the pressure on him and allowed him to find his wide targets with greater aplomb. England’s philosophy to overcome their final-quarter blues of last year was to start the first 60 minutes with more gusto. Yet as they entered in the final 20 minutes, they trailed 13-10, after Bundee Aki had powered over from a long-range pass by Prendergast, who then landed a long-range penalty. Once again England faced questions of their mental resolve to deliver with the game on the line, and once again there were no answers.