Wales see off England to collect the Triple Crown
Wales won the Triple Crown and moved two victories away from a Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam after dismissing England 40-24 at the Principality Stadium.
While Wales secured the first major silverware of head coach Wayne Pivac’s reign in bonuspoint fashion, his opposite number Eddie Jones saw England’s title hopes reduced to ruins.
But Jones would have been left fuming by circumstances surrounding Wales’ two first-half tries, before scrum-half Kieran Hardy’s 49th-minute score kept the hosts on course and three late Callum Sheedy penalties and a Cory Hill touchdown thwarted England.
Wales’ opening try came after referee Pascal Gauzere had told England captain Owen Farrell to talk to his team and warn them after conceding the latest among a rash of early penalties.
Farrell, though, had barely started to do that before Gauzere called time back on, Dan Biggar kicked to the corner and wing Josh Adams finished impressively.
And there was no less debate over Wales’ second try as Louis Rees-zammit appeared to knock the ball on before Liam Williams gathered over the line, but the television match official Alex Ruiz was happy to approve Gauzere’s on-field decision of a try.
It was England’s second defeat of a miserable Six Nations campaign that began with Scotland claiming a first win at Twickenham for 38 years, despite tries by Anthony Watson and Ben Youngs, four Farrell penalties and a conversion.
But Wales proved unstoppable and backed up victories over Ireland and Scotland by dismissing their fiercest rivals behind closed doors in Cardiff, with Biggar kicking a penalty and two conversions, while Sheedy booted 13 points.
How 70,000 Welsh supporters would have revelled in the triumph as their team edged closer to another Six Nations title ahead of away games against Italy and France next month.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac said: “I am just so proud of the big effort that the players put in.
“Some people are going to say that (luck) has been on our side for the last three matches, but you have to be in games to win them. England put a lot of pressure on us and came back. It was a hell of a game and a lot of resilience shown by our boys.
“Hopefully we can continue and press on further.”
England head coach Eddie Jones did not want to throw any more fuel on the referee row. “It is what it is,” he said. “We can’t argue with the referee, the result is there in stone, and we have to accept it.
“Maybe they were tough calls, but we have to be good enough togetoutofit.”
Centre George North led Wales out as he became the youngest player to win 100 caps for their country.