Wales 14-68 England: 'Visitors turn Cardiff fortress into funhouse'

About 15 minutes into the match at the Principality Stadium, there was a sense that the situation was under control. A scrum disintegrated, Tom Curry shoved Nicky Smith, Aaron Wainwright shoved Curry, and Ollie Chessum shoved Wainwright. Eventually, Dafydd Jenkins grabbed Chessum's jersey with a smile and pulled it towards the England lock's mouth, like a parent wiping a toddler's grubby face.

Tit for tat, nip and tuck, close-quarters combat, fine margins. Wales were 14 points down, but their spirits remained high, buoyed by a disallowed try for Blair Murray. They believed they could turn things around, having previously fought back from similar deficits against Ireland and Scotland. Against England – their historically most bitter rivals – the game is always fiercely contested.

In the previous 11 Six Nations encounters at the Principality Stadium, only twice – Wales’s victories in 2013 and 2021 – had the margin between the two sides been greater than 10 points. This felt like an evenly matched contest, as always. However, soon, the situation changed. Three tries in the final six minutes of the first half completely turned the tide.

Successive scores from Tommy Freeman, Chandler Cunningham-South, and Will Stuart sent England into the changing rooms with a 33-7 lead. The game was up, but the real drubbing was only just beginning. In the second half, England completely dismantled Wales, and the vibrancy drained out of Cardiff’s sporting cathedral. The daffodils wilted, the dragon drooped, and the cheers subsided to the level of a cricket match.

England didn’t care. After a string of narrow defeats at Twickenham in the autumn, they had felt too much pain on their home patch. They banished those shadows, surging forward with dominance in the forwards and backs, and all-around attacking ambition. The statistics told the story. The 68-14 victory was England’s highest score against Wales, surpassing the 62 points they racked up in a 2007 Rugby World Cup warm-up match. The 54-point winning margin was the largest any team has ever achieved against Wales in the Six Nations, or indeed in the history of the Five Nations and Home Nations before it – a history stretching back to 1883.

Several newcomers set new records. Tom Roebuck excelled on his first Test start, with strong physicality, aerial threat, and contact skills. His Sale teammate Ben Curry won his 11th cap, scavenging turnovers and collisions like a whirling dervish. Fin Smith is turning the No 10 jersey into his own personal brand. Henry Pollock lived up to the hype, twice slicing through the demoralized Welsh defenders for scores late in the game.

Some established stars also enhanced their Lions credentials. Tommy Freeman had a huge impact after moving to the center. Ellis Genge showcased his powerful ball-carrying, allaying fears among some that he had lost that skill. Maro Itoje’s captaincy was evident as he desperately tried to persuade the referee that Murray’s try should have been allowed. George Ford’s passing found more gaps in the porous Welsh defense later in the game.

England’s head coach was delighted. “I wanted the players to be bolder, faster, and more aggressive, and that’s what they were,” said head coach Steve Borthwick. “It shows this young team is embracing the challenge and is growing and developing quickly. We’ve just been short of getting actual wins, but the team has stuck to the process.”

This Wales team – a pale imitation of past glories – made England look good. But a season containing four wins from five games, reportedly the target set for Borthwick by the Rugby Football Union, would not have provided much room for criticism. England were undoubtedly fortunate at times. They lack depth in other areas and kick the ball away too often. But this summer’s tour to Argentina and the USA, absent the Lions players, will provide more opportunities for more young players, which is a great chance to build momentum and develop tactics and players.

Having ransacked the Principality Stadium, England were at one point preparing to return to the field for a presentation. With Scotland only three points behind at half-time in Paris, and having a try disallowed with the last play of the half, it seemed France might relinquish the Six Nations trophy. A replica lay waiting in the bowels of the Welsh stadium, ready to be handed over to England in a closed-doors ceremony, but in front of the TV cameras. But ultimately, France won the match at the Stade de France, and England’s buses into town diverted for more private celebrations in the city center.

It will be six months before England can regroup with a full complement of players. But the memory of turning Cardiff’s fortress into a playground will last much longer – and inspire them to even greater heights.