Ireland vs England LIVE rugby: Result and reaction from World Cup warm-up after Billy Vunipola red card

Mack Hansen has recognised Earls’s achievement in his own idiosyncratic way, the Connacht wing never afraid to stand out. Even by his unorthodox standards, though, this trim is quite something...

It is a proud day for Keith Earls, one of Irish rugby’s great servants over the last 15 years set to become the ninth Irishman to win 100 test caps. His days as a regular international starter may be behind him, but Earls is a hugely liked member of Andy Farrell’s squad, with his humility and professionalism underlined by his teammates this week.

"He’s very, very humble, everything he does is about the team," Josh van der Flier said of Earls.

"If I could score the incredible tries and do the other stuff, the unbelievable stuff he does, I don’t know if I would be as humble as him.

"But he’s a great, great bloke to have around and I think someone like that, to win their 100th cap, I think everyone is absolutely thrilled because he’s such a good guy and the leadership he brings, that experience, is pretty incredible as well."

The midfield is the one area that seems entirely unclear for England with Owen Farrell’s second hearing to come. The thought was that Steve Borthwick would look to revert to the Ford/Farrell 10-12 axis for this game, with one of Manu Tuilagi and Ollie Lawrence outside the dual playmakers. If there is to a be a ban, then Ford starting on his lonesome may be no bad thing – the fly half showed his calm qualities in the final quarter against Wales but is relatively short on recent international experience.

Joe Marchant has emerged as a surprisingly crucial cog in England’s backline shuffling, with his ability to push out to the wing allowing Borthwick better balance in his options. The England head coach is understood to be intrigued by the prospect of a Tuilagi/Lawrence centre partnership – and, really, why wouldn’t you be - and there’s a chance we see that at some point a little bit later.

Week by week, Steve Borthwick’s potential World Cup side does appear to be slotting in, though. Of the England side today, I reckon there are a number of combinations that might well start the tournament together: Will Stuart has been with Jamie George and Ellis Genge as a front row unit a lot in camp over the summer, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if those three are the starters on 9 September against Argentina; the back three, which has a nice blend of skills, could equally be the chosen trio.

Tom Curry’s injury has disrupted England’s back row plans but Ben Earl was one of those to come out of last weekend’s Twickenham slopfest in credit and is the man in possession on the openside. A fully fit Ollie Chessum would be confident of partnering Maro Itoje, and the Leicester second row looks to have packed on a bit of extra muscle during his injury lay-off to better fulfil tighthead locking duties.

England have, of course, already named their World Cup 33 but Ireland’s players will have to wait until Monday week to find out if they’ve made the tournament cut. Given how well Andy Farrell and the rest of his staff have managed the last four years, there appears considerably less uncertainty over the make-up of his final selection – and the head coach even felt able to jettison five players from camp this week.

A couple of fitness niggles appear to be the primary concern for Ireland, though they are confident that all of Dave Kilcoyne, Jack Conan and Ronan Kelleher will be fit for the tournament. Loosehead Kilcoyne is probably the only vulnerable player of the trio, and it is intriguing that his provincial colleague Jeremy Loughman gets an immediate look having been called in as cover this week. A particularly excellent showing off the bench today could yet change the prop pecking order after an impressive season with URC winners Munster.

Of those sent home this week, Gavin Coombes might feel the harshest done by. The Munsterman is an outstanding number eight but doesn’t quite fit what Ireland want from their back row, leaving him on the outside looking in. Cian Prendergast thus gets a major opportunity to showcase his developing game and try and secure a World Cup spot – with Tadhg Beirne and Ryan Baird offering lock/six cover, Farrell could look to go a back row light for the tournament, but if Conan’s injury is a concern it might be that Prendergast’s skillset is deemed useful as back-up for Caelan Doris.

Captain James Ryan admits there is nervousness among Ireland’s returning stars as they bid to generate World Cup momentum by producing a statement display against England.

The bulk of Andy Farrell’s first-choice players are poised for their first Test appearances since clinching a Six Nations Grand Slam against Steve Borthwick’s side in March.

Head coach Farrell has changed his full starting XV for Saturday’s clash after an experimental side stuttered past Italy a fortnight ago to give his main men much-needed action ahead of the upcoming tournament in France.

Leinster lock Ryan, who will skipper his country in the absence of the suspended Johnny Sexton, insists the contest is far from a warm-up match and feels the world’s top-ranked nation must “bring our A-game”.

“I think there’s a bit of nerves heading into this game,” said the 27-year-old. “It’s the first game for a lot of us of this summer and playing England at home, there’s always a little bit of pressure.”

Courtney Lawes insists England must avoid “peaking too early” ahead of the Rugby World Cup and drawing too heavily on their fury at the treatment of Owen Farrell when they face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.

Steve Borthwick railed against the “personal attacks” on Farrell following a disciplinary panel’s decision to downgrade his red card against Wales to a yellow, thereby sparing him a suspension.

England have nonetheless withdrawn their captain from the spotlightahead of his appeal hearing early next week by revising their plans to pick him in midfield for the Aviva Stadium showdown.

Instead, Lawes leads the underdogs into their penultimate match before the World Cup begins mindful that, while the squad are angry at the attacks on Farrell, the main event has yet to begin.

“This is an interesting adversity because it’s an individual player and we’re not in the World Cup yet, so we can’t peak too early,” Lawes said.

“You’ve got to be careful of that – checks and balances and all that kind of stuff. But we can certainly tap into it a bit because it’s a big game and is important to us.

“We’re looking to win but the main thing for us is that we actually put our talent, effort and hard work on to the pitch.

While we wait for action in Dublin, why don’t you flick open an extra tab and check in on events in Cardiff, where a frighteningly powerful South Africa side are starting to assert themselves. Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jesse Kriel have just gone from coast-to-coast for a score after Wales had been bashing on the door - that could get ugly in the final half hour for Warren Gatland’s side...

England also name a side that appears close to first-choice. The plan was for Owen Farrell to play in Dublin but the impact of the ongoing disciplinary process means Steve Borthwick has been forced to leave his regular captain out, with Courtney Lawes stepping up to skipper the side. George Ford might have started at fly half regardless of Farrell’s availability, and will look to get what looks a well-balanced backline, which includes Anthony Watson and Manu Tuilagi for the first time this summer, clicking.

Up front, David Ribbans returns having come through return to play protocols after his head injury while there is a welcome comeback for Ollie Chessum, too, the Leicester lock having been absent since suffering a serious ankle injury in the week of England’s Six Nations trip to Dublin.

England XV: Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart; Maro Itoje, David Ribbans; Courtney Lawes (capt.), Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola; Ben Youngs, George Ford; Elliot Daly, Manu Tuilagi, Joe Marchant, Anthony Watson; Freddie Steward.

Replacements: Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, Ollie Chessum, Jack Willis; Danny Care, Marcus Smith, Ollie Lawrence.

Ireland are pretty much at full strength, Johnny Sexton’s ban notwithstanding, as Andy Farrell gives most of his grand slammers the chance to reacquaint themselves with one another in Irish green. The standout inclusion in an otherwise familiar starting fifteen is Cian Prendergast, a first-time back row starter whose rangy strides are required at number eight with Jack Conan carrying a knock and Caelan Doris’s workload being managed.

Bundee Aki partners Garry Ringrose in midfield while Ross Byrne gets a starting opportunity with Sexton absent, with Jack Crowley on the bench. Jeremy Loughman was called up this week and provides loosehead cover, while it should be a special evening for Keith Earls, set to win cap number 100.

Ireland XV: Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong; Tadhg Beirne, James Ryan (capt.); Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Cian Prendergast; Jamison Gibson-Park, Ross Byrne; James Lowe, Bundee Aki, Garry Ringrose, Mack Hansen; Hugo Keenan.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Jeremy Loughman, Finlay Bealham, Joe McCarthy, Caelan Doris; Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Keith Earls.