For the Irish all the past happened just yesterday. It's all rolled into one - Boyne, Cromwell, Black & Tan, 1916, Bloody Sunday... it's all there, and Croke Park has been a part of the struggle against that oppression.

That is one part of history that may make matters unpleasant for the English visitors at Croker where the manners, so it seemed from the French match, are not as courteous and welcoming as they were, uniquely, at Lansdowne Road.

There is another part of history - the rugby part. The game came to Ireland from England - Ah, foreign game the GAA say. The first Test Ireland ever played was against England.

But there was that visit within living memory when England ran out onto at Lansdowne Road in Dublin to the longest applause, probably, any international team has ever received and that in an away match. England, you see, had honoured their fixture after Scotland and Wales had stayed away the previous year because of the Troubles. Now that was a day to remember - a generous day.

On that memorable day England repaid the warmth of the welcome by graciously losing to Ireland. Will that happen again on the last Saturday in February, a day of miserable weather if we believe the forecast?

But imagine the victory it would be to beat England at Croke Park. Just playing rugby there is a victory in itself, but to play rugby there and beat England there would be the stuff of memories stretching to the crack of doom.

Ireland have to pick themselves up. After all France came to Croke Park and shattered the Irish dreams of a first Grand Slam for 60 years. But if they cannot pick themselves up against England at Croke Park, then they are as flat as Shrove Tuesday pancake. And there is the chance to keep the Triple Crown won last year and with it a brand new trophy.

England, too, have to pick themselves up. There was a sudden burst of euphoria in the big Calcutta Cup victory but then the balloon fizzled itself flat against Italy - victory it is true but flat beer rather than champagne. But then Italy may just be better than people thought.

The Italian pack did really well against England at Twickenham, which suggests that the Irish pack will not be shoved around. The Irish will do at least as well as England in the line-outs though the Irish battled a bit in the scrums against France and that is an area where England could well get an upper hand. That is not as important as it was for many decades in rugby but still an important one, especially if it carries iover to the tight loose.

When it comes to scrapping for the tackle ball the Irish loose forwards look better capable of winning it as they have three players who can fetch with courage. But then they need tight forwards who will give them a fair chance. One thing is certain Paul O'Connell and Donncha O'Callaghan will scrap for all they are worth.

Ireland would prefer competitive Peter Stringer to play but even with him England seem to shade the Irish at halfback but that is where England's superiority may well end. After all Brian O'Driscoll is back in town.

Not only is BOD the most threatening centre in the world but with him in the centre and English eyes upon him Gordon D'Arcy, who has been brilliant this season, may just have a field day, enjoying the opportunities less attention will give him.

The Irish centres surely will have greater skill and awareness than the two big men plonked in the England middle. The Irish wings may well get more opportunities and both wings are men who can run - Shane Horgan with power, Denis Hickie with a swerve and a dance. At the back, Girvan Dempsey had one of his best games against France while England have rookie Olly Morgan behind them.

Both sides have excellent kickers - for goal, for position and in clearing the lines - with Wilkinson (if he shakes off his hamstring troubles) shading O'Gara.

Players to watch: You will see and you will want to see Brian O'Driscoll of Ireland and Jonny Wilkinson of England, rugby idols to the world. Your eyes will lock onto them more than onto any other players on the field. In the pack you will always be aware of Paul O'Connell and you may want to see if Danny Grewcock will control himself.

Head to Head: The battle at inside centre could be an interesting one as in-form Gordon D'Arcy with his great rugby intuition comes up against big Andy Farrell - good Irish name that - who has not yet shown great intuition since his migration from league. There could be a great bantam-weight contest between Peter Stringer and Harry Ellis who is combative where Stringer is only competitive.

Prediction: It's not easy. England could pitch up full of power and cohesion and take over the game. England scored four tries to two against Scotland, but of the four one was a matter of great fortune, the other of serious doubt. This was followed by one-all against Italy. Ireland scored 3-0 against Wales and got a sweet try in defeat against the tough French. Weighing it all up and knowing the vagaries of ball shape and weather, our prediction is an Irish victory by more than five points. Whatever the outcome, this match will have a special place in the history of the game.

Recent Results:

2006: Ireland won 28-24 at Twickenham, London
2005: Ireland won 19-13 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2004: Ireland won 19-13 at Twickenham, London
2003: England won 42-6 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2002: England won 45-11 at Twickenham, London
2001: Ireland won 20-14 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2000: England won 50-18 at Twickenham, London

Teams:

Ireland: Girvan Dempsey, 14 Shane Horgan, 13 Brian O'Driscoll (captain), 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Denis Hickie, 10 Ronan O'Gara, 9 Peter Stringer/ Isaac Boss, 8 Denis Leamy, 7 David Wallace, 6 Simon Easterby, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Donncha O'Callaghan, 3 John Hayes, 2 Rory Best, 1 Marcus Horan.
Replacements: 16 Jerry Flannery, 17 Simon Best, 18 Neil Best, 19 Mick O'Driscoll, 20 Isaac Boss/ Eoin Reddan, 21 Paddy Wallace, 22 Andrew Trimble.

England: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 Josh Lewsey, 13 Mike Tindall, 12 Andy Farrell, 11 Jason Robinson, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 Harry Ellis, 8 Martin Corry, 7 Magnus Lund, 6 Joe Worsley, 5 Danny Grewcock, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Phil Vickery (captain), 2 George Chuter, 1 Perry Freshwater.
Replacements: 16 Lee Mears, 17 Julian White, 18 Tom Palmer, 19 Tom Rees, 20 Shaun Perry, 21 Toby Flood, 22 Mat Tait

Date: Saturday, 24 February
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin
Kick-off: 17.30 GMT
Expected weather conditions: Not a perfect day: Rain with a high of 8°C, dropping to 5°C and a southwester of 28 km/h.
Referee: Joël Jutge (France)
Touch judges: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales), Christophe Berdos (France)
Television match official: Romain Poite (France)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)

Results since 1875

Some of the early results are not as they were at the time but are a hindsight attempt to give point values when there were none.

2006: Ireland won 28-24 at Twickenham, London
2005: Ireland won 19-13 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2004: Ireland won 19-13 at Twickenham, London
2003: England won 42-6 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2002: England won 45-11 at Twickenham, London
2001: Ireland won 20-14 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
2000: England won 50-18 at Twickenham, London
1999: England won 27-15 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin1998: England won 35-17 at Twickenham, London
1997: England won 46-6 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1996: England won 28-15 at Twickenham, London
1995: England won 20-8 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1994: Ireland won 13-12 at Twickenham, London
1993: Ireland won 17-3 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1992: England won 38-9 at Twickenham, London
1991: England won 16-7 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1990: England won 23-0 at Twickenham, London
1989: England won 16-3 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1988: England won 21-10 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1988: England won 35-3 at Twickenham, London
1987: Ireland won 17-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1986: England won 25-20 at Twickenham, London
1985: Ireland won 13-10 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1984: England won 12-9 at Twickenham, London
1983: Ireland won 25-15 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1982: Ireland won 16-15 at Twickenham, London
1981: England won 10-6 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1980: England won 24-9 at Twickenham, London
1979: Ireland won 12-7 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1978: England won 15-9 at Twickenham, London
1977: England won 4-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1976: Ireland won 13-12 at Twickenham, London
1975: Ireland won 12-9 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1974: Ireland won 26-21 at Twickenham, London
1973: Ireland won 18-9 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1972: Ireland won 16-12 at Twickenham, London
1971: England won 9-6 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1970: England won 9-3 at Twickenham, London
1969: Ireland won 17-15 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1968: Match drawn 9-9 at Twickenham, London
1967: England won 8-3 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1966: Match drawn 6-6 at Twickenham, London
1965: Ireland won 5-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1964: Ireland won 18-5 at Twickenham, London
1963: Match drawn 0-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1962: England won 16-0 at Twickenham, London
1961: Ireland won 11-8 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1960: England won 8-5 at Twickenham, London
1959: England won 3-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1958: England won 6-0 at Twickenham, London
1957: England won 6-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1956: England won 20-0 at Twickenham, London
1955: Match drawn 6-6 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1954: England won 14-3 at Twickenham, London
1953: Match drawn 9-9 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1952: England won 3-0 at Twickenham, London
1951: Ireland won 3-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1950: England won 3-0 at Twickenham, London
1949: Ireland won 14-5 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1948: Ireland won 11-10 at Twickenham, London
1947: Ireland won 22-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1939: Ireland won 5-0 at Twickenham, London
1938: England won 36-14 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1937: England won 9-8 at Twickenham, London
1936: Ireland won 6-3 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1935: England won 14-3 at Twickenham, London
1934: England won 13-3 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1933: England won 17-6 at Twickenham, London
1932: England won 11-8 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1931: Ireland won 6-5 at Twickenham, London
1930: Ireland won 4-3 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1929: Ireland won 6-5 at Twickenham, London
1928: England won 7-6 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1927: England won 8-6 at Twickenham, London
1926: Ireland won 19-15 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1925: Match drawn 6-6 at Twickenham, London
1924: England won 14-3 at Ravenhill, Belfast
1923: England won 23-5 at Welford Road, Leicester
1922: England won 12-3 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1921: England won 15-0 at Twickenham, London
1920: England won 14-11 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1914: England won 17-12 at Twickenham, London
1913: England won 15-4 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1912: England won 15-0 at Twickenham, London
1911: England won 3-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1910: Match drawn 0-0 at Twickenham, London
1909: England won 11-5 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1908: England won 13-3 at Richmond
1907: Ireland won 17-9 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1906: Ireland won 16-6 at Welford Road, Leicester
1905: Ireland won 17-3 at Mardyke, Cork
1904: England won 19-0 at the Rectory Ground, Blackheath
1903: Ireland won 6-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1902: England won 6-3 at Welford Road, Leicester
1901: Ireland won 10-6 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1900: England won 15-4 at Richmond
1899: Ireland won 6-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1898: Ireland won 9-6 at Richmond
1897: Ireland won 13-9 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1896: Ireland won 10-4 in Leeds
1895: England won 6-3 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1894: Ireland won 7-5 at Rectory Ground, Blackheath
1893: England won 4-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1892: England won 7-0 at Whalley Range, Manchester
1891: England won 9-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1890: England won 3-0 at Rectory Ground, Blackheath
1887: Ireland won 6-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1886: England won 1-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1885: England won 2-1 at Whalley Range, Manchester
1884: England won 3-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1883: England won 6-1 at Whalley Range, Manchester
1882: Match drawn 2-2 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1881: England won 8-0 at Whalley Range, Manchester
1880: England won 4-1 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1879: England won 11-0 at The Oval, London
1878: England won 7-0 at Lansdowne Road, Dublin
1877: England won 8-0 at The Oval, London
1875: England won 4-0 at Rathmines, Dublin
1875: England won 7-0 at The Oval, London