Former Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll believes that the Six Nations needed a game like England vs. Ireland.
England beat Ireland 23-23 in Twickenham thanks to replacement outhalf Marcus Smith's last-gasp drop goal in the red.
The win for England means that Ireland cannot become the first team ever to win back-to-back Grand Slams in Six Nations history. It also means that England and Ireland are both in with a shout of winning the title, with games against France and Scotland to come next week.
Before the game, many tipped Ireland to overcome England because of their dominance in the sport and the fact that they were current Six Nations holders and Grand Slam champions.
Few would expect the scenes that unfolded in London, but for the neutral, it was just what the doctor ordered.
O'Driscoll, whose team colours are clearly green, congratulated England for their win and also claimed that the game was exactly what the tournament needed.
"That was such an enjoyable test match for 79 minutes," said O'Driscoll on ITV.
"Well done, England, well done. They showed the real bottle there. It could have gone away at 17-8 when Ireland hit their groove and scored early in the second half. You thought, 'okay, Ireland have done nothing; they've created one opportunity and maybe this is the first of many.'
FT: ENG 23-22 IRE
Marcus Smith wins it for England with the last kick of the game at Twickenham.
📺Watch live https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7
📱Live updates https://t.co/vZ4HnjxFMM pic.twitter.com/IMY4M4xPwU— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 9, 2024
"But England came back and scored immediately and got themselves right back in it. They just stayed in the game and gave themselves a shot with a couple of minutes to go, which they duly took.
"It's a great game for the neutral and the Six Nations. We needed that. We really did [need this weekend]."
Ireland's quest to become the first side ever to retain the Grand Slam has ended, and it is back to the drawing board for Ireland and Andy Farrell.
O'Driscoll has pointed out how hard it is to win a Grand Slam, and Saturday's contest was an example of that.
"From an Irish perspective, it's very disappointing, but it just shows the difficulty of trying to win back-to-back Grand Slams," he added.
"People say, 'one Grand Slam; sure, it's only five teams?' But the fact is that nearly everyone, except Italy and England, has beaten one another. The mental fortitude needed to turn it on five games in a row is significant.
"It just shows that you can have all the form in the world, but if you get your head right and you get the belief going, then you get a bit of momentum in the game. It's a powerful combination."
Ireland vs. Scotland will take place on Saturday, March 16, 2024. Kick-off is at 4:45 pm. The game will be live on ITV (UK) and Virgin Media (ROI).
See More: Brian O'Driscoll, ITV, Ireland, Rugby, Six Nations 2024
