BIG MAK’S LOVIN’ IT
Prop star Vunipola ends try drought
MAKO VUNIPOLA’S first try for England since 2014 set up the Six Nations champions for a tilt at a second trophy in the space of four weeks.
It was far from the Autumn Nations Cup stroll in the Parc y Scarlets that many had been predicting. But a spirited performance from a down-onconfidence Wales side kept England honest.
Led by the thunderous Johnny Williams, Wales tore into England in defence with their tackles temporarily knocking Eddie Jones’s side out of their stride.
But in the end the visitors regained their composure and did what they needed to extend their unbeaten run in the competition, which could culminate in glory next Sunday at Twickenham.
Jones compared the win to a slasher movie after his side came through a stiff test in one piece to reach the final.
He said: “At half- time it could have been a Psycho horror movie. The woman goes to the shower and you know what’s coming from behind the shower curtain.
“Wales did a few things to put us off our game and then we had a choice at half-time of how would we react.
“The boys showed really good tactical discipline to stick to our game.
“We don’t feel like we’ve played our best rugby yet so the final is our last game of 2020 and we want to make sure we put on a performance that lights up people’s eyes.”
Predictably, it was England’s forward power, exemplified by Vunipola’s 51st-minute score, that proved the difference.
The prop said: “It was nice to get over. Joe Launchbur y helped me over the line. It was a good team try.
“Before the Six Nations we spoke about how we wanted to improve from the World Cup and to do that we wanted to win things.
“Now we have given ourselves the chance to win another trophy.”
While Wales matched England physically in open play for the most part, the set-piece was another matter. England’s complete scrum dominance was their fallback.
Vunipola’s stranglehold over Samson Lee was such that the tight- head was withdrawn three minutes into the second half after Wales had conceded their fifth scrum penalty.
England were given an early shock with a smash-and-grab try through Williams – his first for his country – in the 11th minute.
Dan Bi g g a r charged down
Henry Slade’s kick, hacked on, and Williams kicked over
It was a good team try. We have a chance to win another trophy
Owen Farrell sees to it that Wales pay penalty
the line to score. England hit back four minutes later when Slade finished off a sweeping move down the line after man- of- thematch Sam Underhill had split the Wales defence from an inside ball by Maro Itoje.
Then Owen Farrell knocked over two penalties es to give the visitors tors an 11- 7 halfalftime lead. d. Vunipola a extended it after the break when he muscled his way over from short t range after a series of forward drives, but Wales hit back through two penalties from Biggar as Jones’s side were twice caught sloppily offside.
England managed to regather and after Wales replacement hooker Elliot Dee was then penalised for a deliberate knock-on.
Farrell kicked them eight points clear in the 67th minute, an and his fifth succes successful kick cam came five minut utes later a after Jack W Willis had come off the bench to win a trademark tu rnov e r penalty that
MAK OR BREAK Mako Vunipola tangles with James Botham
Mako Vunipola goes over for the second try pushed his side further clear. England were home and dry.
But Welsh honour remained intact, though coach Wayne Pivac took issue with Slade’s try, claiming Biggar had been taken out in the air in the build-up.
He also pointed to referee Romain Poite’s persecution of his front row at the scrum.
He said: “We talk to World Rugby about refs every week and we’ll do it on this occasion because we’re not happy.
“They are the second best team in the world and came fully loaded. It was tough going but our boys dug in.”
Tries: Williams. Con: Halfpenny. Pens: Biggar 2
Tries: Slade, M Vunipola. Con: Farrell. Pens:
Farrell 4