England saved their best until last in this seesawing Six Nations season with a record 10-try demolition of a chastened Wales. Cardiff’s cauldron has never witnessed a heavier Welsh championship defeat as a white-hot English side secured a comprehensive victory, sealed by two eye-catching debut tries by the 20-year-old Northampton flanker Henry Pollock.
Any pre-match notion of a potentially tight, nervy affair was summarily blown away by Steve Borthwick’s side, who have now won their last four Test matches. They were 33-7 up by half-time, with the glimpses of attacking promise evident over the past month coalescing into the most impressive and authoritative English display of the season.
The hosts were opened up with almost embarrassing ease at times, guaranteeing a 17th consecutive international defeat and a second consecutive Six Nations wooden spoon. Equally, though, there was no disguising the snap and crackle of England’s interplay, the brutal close-quarters effectiveness of the visiting back row or Fin Smith’s hugely impressive generalship at fly-half.
The progression since England’s frustrating autumn is not all down to the latter’s elevation to the starting No 10 jersey but it has visibly helped the balance of the team and the composure of their decision-making. They look a different team when they are encouraged to play more rugby and their only regret is that it will be November before they can field their first-choice side again.
Tellingly the Welsh sections of the stadium had fallen almost cathedral quiet by the end, in total contrast to the pre-game mood. With the flamethrowers blowing hot and the anthems soaring beneath the roof, it was almost as if Wales were going for a grand slam rather than trying to avoid another wooden spoon. If Carlsberg did pre-match expectancy it would be bottled on a big match day in Cardiff.
Little did anyone guess how well England’s more youthful players would respond to the intensity of the occasion from the outset. Fin Smith kicked an early penalty to the corner, a lineout drive almost bore immediate fruit and then Maro Itoje, from barely a yard, stretched out his long frame to score.
Wales urgently needed a swift response and thought they had found one when a high kick pinballed off Elliot Daly’s hand and Blair Murray’s head and the Welsh full-back burst clear to touch down 40 metres upfield. Unfortunately for the home side, referee Nic Berry decided Tomos Williams had made contact with an opponent from an offside position and the score was ruled out.
The setback was compounded when England scored a second try inside the opening 10 minutes. Again it felt slightly too easy as the forwards made initial midfield yards but there was no disputing the class of the subsequent long, looping pass from Fin Smith out to Tom Roebuck on the right wing. The Sale winger has had to wait a long time for his first Test start and his hunger was obvious as he powered on to score.
England’s midweek selection had been interesting, bold in places, but also reliant on a lack of early injuries in the second row or midfield. It was not the most auspicious of sights, then, when a clearly sore Ollie Chessum was led away after 18 minutes and replaced at lock by the back-row specialist Chandler Cunningham-South. The Harlequin does not lack dynamism but, in theory, it should have given Wales a sniff.
Coincidence or not, the crimson tide did temporarily begin to turn. Murray was again unlucky, surging clean through only to be tap-tackled by a desperate Luke Cowan-Dickie. And then, finally, Wales opened their account, crashing their way up towards the English line before the ball was slipped back to Ben Thomas to score the first of his two tries.
Briefly there was a game on and it was England who needed to locate another gear. Not so long ago it would have involved box kicks and safety-first conservatism but times are changing. Having already stretched the Welsh defence once towards Roebuck’s wing, they swung back into midfield and that man Fin Smith, once again, delivered a perfectly judged ball to Tommy Freeman, who became only the second player in Six Nations history to score a try in all five rounds of a single championship.
It was in the closing four minutes of the half, though, that England really put the hammer down. Cunningham-South, making the most of his unexpected opportunity, blasted over from short range before more ruthless approach play ended with Will Stuart, on his 50th cap, scoring the visitors’ fifth try.
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Only once have Wales ever conceded more first-half points against England and things were about to get even worse. On another day the visitors might have been more exposed with Ben Earl at centre for the last half hour and Pollock on for his first cap but not this time as Alex Mitchell won a kick-chase to score his side’s sixth try and reopen the floodgates. Pollock scored his first before reserve prop Joe Heyes forced his way over, and then a second before Cunningham-South made it 10 to deepen the local gloom.
Pollock will certainly remember the double whammy he delivered to Wales for the rest of his days and never in the long history of this annual fixture have England enjoyed a better away day in Wales. This has already been a significant week for the Six Nations, with terrestrial coverage on ITV and BBC preserved until at least 2029, and this fast-improving England side, bang on cue, are increasingly good to watch.
