Hooker Koree Britton, wing Charlie Walker, flanker Chris Walker, centre Elliot Daly, fly half George Ford and full back Ben Ransom all touched down with Ford adding four conversions and a penalty as they wrapped up an 18th successive international win since July 2007.

Patrick Jackson's three penalties and a drop goal from Cahal Marsh kept a competitive Ireland side in the game at half time but they were kept at bay after that until hooker Niall Scammell's late consolation try.

England's free-scoring backs have earned plenty of praise this season, but this win underlined the all-round excellence of their front five, with hooker Britton (Ivybridge Community College) and props Nick Auterac (Oaklands College & Saracens) and Anthony Brennan (Twyford CofE & London Wasps) prominent in the dark set piece corners as well as the wide open spaces.

That industry all over the pitch kept up the pressure and made sure England were in the position to turn their scoring opportunities into second half points.

Rishworth & Leicester Tigers fly half Ford and Jackson traded penalties in the opening minutes before England's first try, set up by Newcastle RGS and Newcastle Falcons scrum half Joel Hodgson's energetic quick tap and go and finished with Britton's drive over from close range.

A positive and patient Ireland attack enabled Marsh to pull three points back before a second try in the 15th minute, this time a sharp first phase backline move aimed at the left-hand corner with one wing, Whitgift and London Irish's Marland Yarde, putting the other, Oakham's Walker, over for the score.

Ireland used the wind at their backs well, though, with Jackson adding penalties in the 27th and 30th minutes to keep his side in the hunt until England's forwards bundled their way over from a lineout with Prince Henry's and Leeds Carnegie flanker Walker coming up with the ball.

Wing Sam Coghlan-Murray's burst into the line set nearly earned Ireland a first try immediately after the break but despite another good spell of pressure they couldn't cut the deficit and Ford pinned them back before creating one and scoring the other of the next two tries.

Both came from close range lineouts with Ford breaking then offloading out of the back of the hand for Daly (Whitgift and London Wasps) to go over under the posts 12 minutes into the second half. The fly half struck again four minutes later, this time stepping inside the final defender to score.

Hartpury and Gloucester centre Ryan Mills's burst through the middle and offload put Tonbridge and Saracens full back Ransom - a willing counter-attacker from deep all season - over on the right for try number six with Ford's conversion taking England past the 40-point mark.

The composure disappeared briefly with replacement prop Kyle Sinckler (Epsom College & Harlequins) sin-binned before Ireland scored from the final move of the match when Scammell claimed a cross-kick and grounded the ball before he could be bundled into touch.