From the sublime to the submerged. England, imperious in the Six Nations’ first two rounds, drowned under a tidal wave of emotion as Wales launched a second-half comeback to achieve their 12th successive victory and break a record that had stood for more than a century. It was a breathless, tactical, titanic battle that turned when Dan Biggar left the home bench on the hour.
When the Northampton fly-half replaced Gareth Anscombe, Wales were 10-9 behind and had trailed for most of the match. Within six minutes they were ahead for the first time. Two years ago here it was England’s replacements who helped swing the match, but a feature of Wales’s unbeaten run since they lost in Dublin at this stage of the tournament a year ago has been the promotion of young players who have given them strength in depth.
Wales 21-13 England: Six Nations 2019 – as it happened
The experienced Biggar is not in that category but he was what Wales needed at a point in the match when lung-bursting desire and energy gave way to mental and physical fatigue. The England coach, Eddie Jones, had said in the buildup, presumably because of the landmark his opponents were looking to establish, that it was the best Wales team ever.
If he was hoping his words would ruffle the home side and prompt them to play with hearts rather than heads, the arrival of Biggar ensured otherwise. Until then Wales had played with typical endeavour and spirit, neutralising England’s kicking game and putting pressure on their half-backs, but their best hope of victory looked to be their opponents’ indiscipline, which improved when Kyle Sinckler was replaced just before the hour.
The prop, who had been singled out before the game by the Wales coach, Warren Gatland, as an emotional timebomb, had been explosive in the first half, making 16 tackles and winning the penalty at a scrum that gave England the lead after 16 minutes. Wales had had the greater possession and territory but were at times in too much of a hurry. England held them at arm’s length, running from their own half only after a turnover and kicking if nothing materialised after three or four phases, waiting for mistakes.
France turn screw with late fourth try as Scotland’s losing Paris run continues
England sabotaged Wales’s lineout and were a threat at the breakdown through Tom Curry, who scored their try after 25 minutes when, after Ken Owens had lost possession in his own half as Wales tried to drive a maul, he spotted his opposite number, Justin Tipuric, looking the wrong way at a ruck near Wales’s line and picked up for a soft score given the thunderous challenges that had preceded it.
England had used their big ball-carriers, Billy Vunipola, Manu Tuilagi and Courtney Lawes, to storm the gainline and make dents in defenders, but Wales held firm, forcing Ben Youngs and Owen Farrell to kick. Wales picked Gareth Davies at scrum-half for the first time this tournament and part of his brief was to put pressure on Farrell as a way of neutralising the threat of Jonny May on the wing and it largely worked.
Eddie Jones’s words about Wales prove to be a warning, not a wind-up | Andy Bull