Welsh warriors blow England’s Grand Slam hopes to pieces
The greatest Wales team ever? There was no point in debating the point in the frenzy that was Cardiff last night, trying to reference legends from another age. The multitudes only had time and love and adoration for the heroes of the moment, those red-shirted warriors who had bucked the form book and shunted England’s sweet chariot into the gutter, their Grand Slam aspirations blown.
It is record-breaking Wales, with their 12th successive victory, that march onwards towards a possible clean sweep and in pole position for the 2019 Guinness Six Nations title, even denying England a bonus point by dint of Josh Adams’ 78th-minute try. Lock Cory Hill had touched down only 11 minutes earlier to trigger a blitzkrieg passage of Wales play that turned the match on its head and launched thousands of potential hangovers.
No wonder the players took the acclaim of the hordes who stayed behind to salute a famous victory, continuing a seven-decade sequence that has seen Wales triumph in this fixture in every year ending with a “9” since 1949.
This is a considerable setback for England, even if the title could still end up in their hands given that their final two matches are against Italy and Scotland at Twickenham while Wales must go to Murrayfield before a final day encounter in Cardiff with Ireland.
England, though, have aspirations beyond this championship and this loss will dent their self-esteem, put doubt in minds and give opponents cause for optimistic thought. England were not assured or precise enough, unable to really hurt the defence or set up the chances that they had in earlier games.
They lacked accuracy, with Owen Farrell unusually flustered at times. There is little doubt that they missed the clout and cleverness of the injured Mako Vunipola and Maro Itoje.
The win was against the grain of the early action, with England establishing position, looking solid and threatening. However, if there is one thing that can be said of any Warren Gatland side, or one containing flint-eyed fighters, such as captain Alun Wyn Jones, it is that they are tough, durable and unyielding. They do not believe in lost causes.
Gareth Davies was energetic at scrum-half for Wales, charging down Farrell, and the indefatigable Wyn Jones in his 18th encounter against England was his usual horrible self, all arms and shoulders, spoiling at every turn, a true warrior spirit. Liam Williams at the rear was dependable under the high ball and a constant menace on the run-back.
The action was fierce if occasionally loose, but if contests of heart and soul as well as of muscle and bone are your thing, fury with finesse, then this was a hot-ticket West End production, boxoffice fare.
Wales wanted to draw on the emotion of the backdrop while England were set on replicating their rat-a-tat starts which had seen them score a try within four minutes of their last five matches. There was no such explosive opening, only a long-range missed penalty from Elliot Daly followed by a regulation nudge between the posts from Farrell in the 16th minute after Wales dropped a scrum near their line, Gareth Anscombe, replying with one seven minutes later.
Wales, though, were intent on being bold, kicking for the corners from penalties. The policy is fine if the line-out is secure and Wales’ was not.
It was a weakness. George Kruis stole one before Wales made a mess of organising their maul from one on their own 22. The ball popped clear and
England pounced, probing wide before Tom Curry spotted an opening, picked and went and touched down for his maiden try, leaving the Welsh close-in defence looking like statues.
Jonny May has maximised opportunities but had little chance to stretch his legs until late in the first half, seizing a loose ball and kicking deep.
England could not take advantage and went into the interval with a deserved 10-3 lead.
Wales had to find something to quell the English surge. In big matches, it is invariably little moments that matter, and Wales did the most important thing of maintaining a presence on the scoreboard, Anscombe knocking over a penalty in the 51st minute after May had failed to release in the tackle. There was a sense that the tide was shifting as England ceded penalties and were beaten in the air on a few occasions by Liam Williams.
In the words of Gatland, the “emotional time bomb” that is Kyle Sinckler fizzed and sparked, three times infringing, enabling Anscombe to kick his third penalty, and was pre-emptively substituted in the 56th minute.
The match had tilted on its axis, the mood music cascading round the stadium was all of a Welsh lilt. The crowd felt that possibilities were there in the fevered ether.
And so it proved in the 67th minute, even if it did take an English error to prompt the about-turn. The normally reliable Wilson fumbled in attack and away came Wales, pounding through the phases, stretching and testing.
Finally, after 35 phases, England cracked, George North ploughing forward, denting the defence once again, allowing lock Hill to pick up and crash over. Wales were in the lead for the first time in the match. Dan Biggar duly converted to extend the home team’s advantage.
It was then all one-way traffic, with Adams capping a fine night for Wales when outjumping Daly to touch down with only two minutes remaining. Cue bedlam. Cue delirium.
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