Dan Biggar the difference as Wales beat England in World Cup Pool A
Last Updated: 27/09/15 10:34am
Dan Biggar stepped up to calmly slot a 75th-minute penalty to give Wales a 28-25 World Cup win over England at Twickenham.
Biggar and Owen Farrell traded penalties all night in Saturday's Pool A clash to complement tries from Jonny May and Gareth Davies, before Biggar was given the chance to separate the sides at the death.
He called for the kicking tee on the edge of his range and sent the ball over the crossbar as Wales held out for a famous victory at Twickenham.
England fly-half Farrell scored 20 points from the boot, and thanks to him England were seven points up with 10 minutes remaining, before a Gareth Davies try levelled the scores following the conversion.
Biggar then punched his seventh penalty over to give him a personal tally of 23 points, which was enough to be handed the Man of the Match accolade.
The win sends Wales to the top of Pool A, while England now cannot afford to lose to Australia or they will likely be out of the World Cup.
Wales got off to the perfect start when they won a penalty in the opening exchanges and Biggar kicked for touch. When his forwards set up the driving maul and England infringed again, Biggar was awarded his first shot at goal. The Welshman obliged and took the early lead.
Farrell levelled things up in the 12th minute but Biggar was on hand to reclaim the lead when Dan Cole was spotted with his hands at the ruck.
When England were on the attack moments later, Farrell opted for a drop goal and made it 6-6 as the first quarter drew to a close.
Farrell then nudged his side ahead from the kicking tee, the first time England were in the lead, before quick thinking from Ben Youngs handed England a try up the left touchline.
Farrell set the lineout up and a traning ground move ended with Mike Brown taking the ball into contact. Youngs spotted a gap on the blindside and tore around the ruck before passing to May, who crossed the whitewash to send Twickenham into bedlam.
It was all England but Biggar added another penalty on the stroke of half-time to make it 16-9 to the host nation at half-time.
The two fly-halves traded penalties early in the second period to keep the gap at seven points among various passages of threatening attack from both sides.
It was Wales who looked the most threatening as the game wore on, but it was Farrell who was given the chance to extend his side's lead and duly did so in the 53rd minute.
Wales fought back, and a period of dominance from the visiting side allowed Biggar to eradicate the Farrell kick not long after.
Wales lost both Scott Williams and Liam Williams to injury during sustained attacks from England as the Welsh were forced to tackle endlessly to stay in the game.
Biggar and Farrell once again traded penalties which ensured that May's try was still the difference, before Wales were finally able to break the drought and cross the opposition try-line.
Jamie Roberts got the ball in space and ran around the tackler before drawing and passing to release Lloyd Williams. Williams ran ahead and put in a perfect kick in-field for Gareth Davies to latch onto, and the scrum-half slid over the line under the posts to give Biggar the easiest of kicks to level the scores with just eight minutes remaining.
When England conceded a penalty moments later, Biggar stepped up and calmly slotted it from the edge of his range to set up an impossibly tense finish.
England came back hard and were awarded a penalty with three minutes remaining, and were able to go for goal in what was a tough opportunity, but Chris Robshaw opted for the lineout.
England set up the driving maul but Wales shunted them out as soon as the ball was brought down. The Welsh were then able to hold out for the win that sent them to the top of Pool A after two games and set up a thrilling showdown with Australia in the final game.
