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It was probably England’s most inspiring performance to date in this Six Nations getting their first victory over the Irish in five games between the two.

Things couldn’t have been more different from that historic victory (for not just sporting reasons) at Croke Park last year, only Phil Vickery made it back into the squad for this game a year on. Ireland sought a repeat performance from last year getting off to an absolutely flying start.

Kearney shot over the line in the fourth minute and O’Gara converted, England did something they failed to do last week in Murrayfield and regrouped, with new starter Cipriani in the thick of it.

A Sackey try gave Cipriani his first international points in the conversion, before adding two more penalties on the route to half time.

HT: England 13 - 10 Ireland

In the absence of a first choice centre in O’Driscoll or D’Arcy Ireland were predictable and unable to move the ball around well, leading England to hold off most of their attacks.

England stretched their lead early in the second half with a Cipriani penalty, then introducing Wilkinson for Toby Flood after 50 minutes.

Wilkinson soon was in the thick of it as the England backs produced some spirit to send Tait (on as blood replacement for Sackey) over in a classic move. Cipriani kept the kicking duties, even with Wilkinson on the field and converted the hosts to a 23-10 lead.

Irish heads were down and nothing could keep Jamie Noon out when he get a deserving individal effort try.

Fittingly Cipriani rounded things off with a fourth penalty of the day.

FT: England 33 - 10 Ireland

Scorers: England: Tries: Paul Sackey, Mathew Tait, Jamie Noon; Cons: Danny Cipriani 3; Pens: Danny Cipriani 4

Ireland: Try: Rob Kearney; Con: Ronan O’Gara; Pen: Ronan O’Gara

Full report to follow…

TIME LINE: 4 minutes - Ireland try: Rob Kearney - 0-5; conversion: Ronan O’Gara - 0-7; 7 mins - Ireland penalty: Ronan O’Gara - 0-10; 12 mins - England penalty: Danny Cipriani - 3-10; 19 mins - England try: Paul Sackey - 8-10; conversion: Danny Cipriani - 10-10; 30 mins - England penalty: Danny Cipriani - 13-10; Half-time - England 13 Ireland 10; 45 mins - England penalty: Danny Cipriani - 16-10; 50 mins - Ireland penalty: missed by Ronan O’Gara - 16-10; 57 mins - England try: Mathew Tait - 21-10; conversion: Danny Cipriani - 23-10; 69 mins - England try: Jamie Noon - 28-10; conversion: Danny Cipriani - 30-10; 74 mins - England penalty: Danny Cipriani - 33-10; Full-time - England 33 Ireland 10

ENGLAND: Iain Balshaw; Paul Sackey, Jamie Noon, Toby Flood, Lesley Vainikolo; Danny Cipriani, Richard Wigglesworth; Andrew Sheridan, Lee Mears, Phil Vickery (capt), Simon Shaw, Steve Borthwick, Tom Croft, Michael Lipman, Nick Easter.

Replacements used: Mathew Tait for Sackey (48-58 mins, blood sub), Jonny Wilkinson for Flood (53), Matt Stevens for Vickery, Ben Kay for Shaw (both 61), James Haskell for Lipman, Mathew Tait for Sackey (both 65), Paul Hodgson for Wigglesworth (75), George Chuter for Mears (76).

IRELAND: Geordan Murphy; Tommy Bowe, Andrew Trimble, Shane Horgan, Rob Kearney; Ronan O’Gara (capt), Eoin Reddan; Marcus Horan, Rory Best, John Hayes, Donncha O’Callaghan, Paul O’Connell, Denis Leamy, David Wallace, Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements used: Simon Easterby for Leamy (12 mins), Luke Fitzgerald for Murphy (35), Tony Buckley for Horan, Mick O’Driscoll for Wallace (both 67), Bernard Jackman for Best, Peter Stringer for Reddan (both 71), Paddy Wallace for Horgan (77).

Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)