Six Nations: England whip up whirlwind despite defeat to Ireland

Pity the late-comers.

If any of the 81,500-odd strong crowd missed the train or picked up a puncture en route to Twickenham, they would have wondered what they stumbled into early in the second half.

A chasing Maro Itoje scragged Hugo Keenan and pints were spilled in delight. A scrum wheeled and bellows of celebration swept down from the top tier. Ireland wing Andrew Conway was shunted over the touchline and you would have thought Marcus Smith had dived over the tryline.

Everything was amplified. Every inch of territory magnified, every phase loaded with meaning. Twickenham, usually slow to stir, was a frothing, frenzied cauldron. Reserve and perspective was kicked to the curb. Blood was up, and players and fans alike sniffed the extraordinary.

Amid the sound and fury, there would be no reason to count off the players. England were level on the scoreboard and matching Ireland on the pitch. The gap left by their missing man was absent itself.

But it was Charlie Ewels' second-minute red card that conjured that fever-dream atmosphere.

Plenty were yet to make their seats for his dismissal. With the clock stopped at 82 seconds and trays of plastic pints still being ferried up the aisles, French referee Mathieu Raynal turned his eyes screenwards.

The midfield collision looked bad on first viewing and, whatever angle the TMO offered, it didn't get any better. Ewels, upright into the tackle, put himself and James Ryan at risk of injury and his team at risk of a red. The two second rows' heads bashed together and the red card duly, correctly popped out of Raynal's pocket.

Twickenham howled its disapproval. The contest was ruined inside two minutes. A yardstick to measure England's progress hopelessly skewed.

Those fears appeared founded