Two-try hero: Alex Cuthbert
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Wales claimed the Six Nations title on Saturday as they emphatically shut out rivals England 30-3 at the Millennium Stadium in a humdinger of a match.
Two tries from Alex Cuthbert, who ends with four scores to his name, proved to be the turning point in the game after a first-half that ended try-less.
It was a performance that brought back memories of their 2011 World Cup form and showed the potential this Welsh team has going into 2015.
Put simply, England were outplayed and could not cross the whitewash - now having done so just once in their last four games - as the Six Nations and Grand Slam both disappeared into the night.
As it was the defending Grand Slam champions that bettered a 108-year-old record to clinch their biggest ever win over England, surpassing the 25-point margin recorded in a 25-0 win in 1905.
The first-half was a rip-roaring affair in Cardiff as both teams went at each other hammer and tongs in an entertaining spectacle that had both fans in the stadium and viewers watching at home on the edge of their seats.
After building a 12-3 lead early in the second-half, through four penalties by full-back Leigh Halfpenny to one from England ten Owen Farrell, Wales surged ahead through Cuthbert.
That Welsh try - like in 2012 for Scott Williams - was one that came from the English losing possession in contact and when the ball found its way to Cuthbert on the right wing, the finisher fended off England back Mike Brown en route to a 35-metre run in.
That put them 17-3 in front and minutes later Farrell missed his second shot out of three.
Dan Biggar added a drop before Cuthbert stormed in for another try after good work from Sam Warburton and then Justin Tipuric, with Biggar completing the rout with a penalty.
This was Wales's second victory in a row over England, with the Welsh the only side to defeat the English in Six Nations action since Stuart Lancaster became coach in 2012.
Man of the match: So many Welsh players put their hands up as the pack as a whole, Dan Biggar, Jamie Roberts et al all stood tall in Cardiff. But we go for Justin Tipuric, whose fine showing on the openside flank was capped off by a superb assist for Alex Cuthbert.
Moment of the match: At 12-3 with over 50 minutes gone, the ball squirting out of a ruck and eventually finding Alex Cuthbert was the last thing England needed. The Cardiff Blues wing showed great pace to go around Mike Brown for a massive score in the context of the game.
Villain of the match: Nothing nasty to report.
The scorers:
For Wales:
Tries: Cuthbert 2
Con: Biggar
Pen: Halfpenny 5, Biggar
For England:
Pen: Farrell
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 George North, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Sam Warburton, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Alun-Wyn Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Scott Andrews, 19 Andrew Coombs, 20 Aaron Shingler, 21 Lloyd Williams, 22 James Hook, 23 Scott Williams.
England: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Mike Brown, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Tom Wood, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 6 Tom Croft, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 David Wilson, 18 Mako Vunipola, 19 Courtney Lawes, 20 James Haskell, 21 Danny Care, 22 Toby Flood, 23 Billy Twelvetrees.
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Craig Joubert (South Africa), John Lacey (Ireland)
Television match official: Marshall Kilgore (Ireland)
Comments
rugbylover says...
Tuilagi needs divine guidance in how to catch the ball!
Posted 08:27 17th March 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
Well, if you can guarantee anything in this life its that, whatever happens through the rest of the year, Wales will turn up for this fixture.
Thought that the game was lost as soon as Farrel went to the corner on our third kickable penalty (It all opened wrong as soon as England had to go looking for the game).
I'm going to make a controversial comment now, there is a lot of (generally jealous) remarks about the lack of creativity of Barritt. But I would start asking the question about whether Tuilagi is being used efficiently at the moment.
I genuinely believe he is being too heavily marshalled now to be as effective as a line-breaker and he seems to eager now to look for contact rather than look outside. I felt that he squandered several overlaps last night.
It is not a co-incidence that our best attacking performance this term was without him, nor I believe, Ashton's try scoring slump being since Tuliagi became a permanent fixture at 13.
Would like to see an England midfield with Twelvetrees and Barritt with Tuilagi used as an impact man.
Posted 08:12 17th March 2013
makemehappy says...
A massacre. Wales played like they did in the RWC and to be honest only the AB's could have beaten them yesterday.
Moving onto the Lions 15 - who on earth would you leave out from the Welsh starting 15? At least those campaigning for Cole and Healy to start as props, finally will be acknowledging that they will be the back up props!
Posted 08:11 17th March 2013
jontheref says...
Great game, electric atmosphere.
As I said to a disconsolate English lady, Wales have been there, being thumped, England have not become a bad team after one game.
Like the Italy game, it will show Lancaster where he needs to strenghten and make changes.
Ian Evans has been the lock of the 6N, as he was last 6N.
The bulk of the Lions will come from yesterdays game, cannot see Scotland and Ireland having many there.
Ref seemed pretty consistent, but was there, so difficult to see close up action, as you do on TV.
Great that so many English stayed on for the 6N presentation at the end.
Also congrats for such loud singing, though we did manage to drown you out on rebuttal!
Posted 08:02 17th March 2013
rico says...
Easy in the end! and not unexpected to be honest, 1 team on way up, other on way down formwise and it showed. Class from Tipuric for 2nd try, and fair play to Cuthbert he can finish. Mega chuffed and proud of turnaround in this tournanment from the autumn internationals debacle, had to grind out a few away wins out but a W is a W and finished on a high in Cardiff. But for 45 dire mins in the first game we could have been talking about back-to-back GrandSlams! Have to say it but CLASS is permanent, form is temporary and that was a classy performance from 15+ men in red. Well done Wales, back-to-back championship winners! Commiserations England - missread the script somewhere with such a poor performance - maybe affected by the occasion or just outplayed by better side on the day?
Posted 07:19 17th March 2013
stugur says...
@RDavison, im not sure how good an idea it would be to fill the lions with Welsh, they have shown time and again (7 times in a row?) that they cannot beat the Aussies. Im not saying they don't have the skill, but that maybe its a mental thing?
Having said that, I think Biggar could be the difference.
Anyway, well done Wales on an excellent game, well done.
Posted 07:16 17th March 2013
Hakuren says...
Waited a night to cool off.
Well done Wales. Real, quality rugby won the day in the end. I should feel smug because after Wales lost to Ireland I said that Wales will win 6 Nations easily and never changed my mind (I'm not Welsh or any other 6N participant for that matter). Everybody said that I'm stupid, lunatic, etc. And think what, they indeed won 6N easily, with easiest game on final day.
And what a game it was. England was typical England. Scrum-kill-a-ball-kick it high-win with penalties-and scrum-kill-a-ball afterwards. That kind of rugby belong in 19th century. Out of all teams England by far played worst rugby, was winning...just. It would be a travesty if they succeeded in Grand Slam/6N triumph.
Wales on the other hand stick to theirs principles. Played beautifully, controlled the game, dominated England in every department. As a result they demolished England utterly. For any England fan out there remember - should have been be much worse as you were just USELESS...
Posted 07:11 17th March 2013
Dafydd29 says...
Clearly very happy with the result, but England only have themselves to blame. Farrell was useless and with his Nancy haircut you have to wonder when he will "come out". Tuiliagi, well, with 14 Samoans alongside him it would be a different story. Sadly he took the money and we will never see what might have been.
Posted 06:12 17th March 2013
Trader2 says...
Dear oh dear, well its easy for Gatland now just pick the Welsh team with a couple of bit players and heh presto the 2013 British Lions. England build their game around their forwards, well they got smashed and even a Wannabie scrum would have given them a tickle up on that display. The signs were there last game against Italy but the message did not get through obviously. Well played Wales though, great passion, you had a feeling there was something special in the air as the crowd sang the anthem. As for the English well, over hyped, over egoed, and for most of them they won't be over here in 2013.
Posted 03:57 17th March 2013
passtheball says...
Well done wales. So Wales didn't need Warren Gatland being hands on after all. On this result he can ignore many English borderline players, including the much vaunted Chris Robshaw for captain, for the Lions tour.
Posted 01:45 17th March 2013
MacTavish says...
Once again England show how their inflated opinion of themselves and all the hype is nothing more than hot air. Wow, so they gave the All Blacks a dust up in November, egos and hype come to the surface. Reality check England. Seems you have gone backwards since November, what is it 1 try and the past 4 games... Oh dear.
Posted 01:26 17th March 2013
FaceofMatt says...
Wales deserved the win, congratulations to them. It was a great game, and once Cuthbert had scored there was no going back. Before then though, this was no mauling, Wales had the edge in intensity, structure and execution, but if England's attack hadn't misfired AGAIN, it might have been a lot closer.
As an England fan I've been concerned with England's attack for a while. They can't break open defences as they are too pedestrian (tbf not just a problem under Lancaster). Too slow, ignore overlaps (I'm looking at you Tuilagi) combined tbf with a little bit of bad luck (Brown's pass inside well dealt with by Welsh defence).
I think these problems could be solved with Twelvetrees, and relentlessly drilling it into Tuilagi's head that he can't ignore overlaps. That getting a No. 8 who plays there, and playing wingers on the wing. Possibly dropping Ashton to the bench for a few games until he gets his mojo back.
Posted 01:07 17th March 2013
firepower says...
WELL DONE WALES!! WE ARE THE CHAMPION!! 2013
Posted 00:44 17th March 2013
LondonWasp says...
@Fish
aren't u french?
Posted 00:42 17th March 2013
bluechief says...
best thing wales did today was realize there was joy to be had carrying through the middle of the ruck. England commit very few players there and the boys realized this. excellent example of playing what's in front of you. ferocious front five performance, class back row, phillips dictating and the backs dominating. diolch bechgyn
Posted 00:37 17th March 2013
Trinats2 says...
Bummer, was hoping there was going to be heaps of English in the Lions, but now they will be lucky to have one.
Well done Wales, top NH team again.
Posted 23:22 16th March 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
AND... Pride in the shirt for England players means a WHITE SHIRT. Stop selling out!!!!!!
Posted 23:08 16th March 2013
jonesrp says...
`Fantastic rugby from both sides...?` And here`s me thinking England only got 3 points..
Posted 23:06 16th March 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
My last comment was just sour grapes. Not a single England player deserves a Lions slot. They will just fill where depth is not good, if that. Beaten completely. Will be another Wales 3 games in Oz with better chances if injuries stay away. The only thing I object to was Edwards celebrations. Even in football Ronaldo subdues his celebrations vs ManU. That hurt but I guess he's free to enjoy the fruits.
Posted 22:58 16th March 2013
pontysurrey says...
It was a very good contest until Wales put their foot on the accelerator in the final 30 minutes and totally outclassed a woeful England. Wales have suffered with an incredible injury list but as players came back we have showed our grit and class. And we still have two of our best forwards to come back, Dan Lydiate and Bradley Davies, oh and Ryan Jones. So much for the "pundits" in previous comments (3 out of 4 Armchair Generals are always wrong!) who forecast a wooden spoon and that Wales were sinking to their right level. Our right level is 3 grand slams since 2005 and a championship this year despite the injury list. We now have to focus on the real challenges - the southern hemisphere teams.
Posted 22:57 16th March 2013