Wales claim history-making 12th consecutive Test win in Six Nations Round 3 clash vs England in Cardiff; Warren Gatland's side struck late as lock Cory Hill, wing Josh Adams scored tries in final 12 minutes; Tom Curry scored first half try for England, whose Grand Slam dreams were dashed
Sunday 24 February 2019 07:41, UK
Tries from Cory Hill and Josh Adams inside the final 12 minutes ensured Wales kept their Six Nations Grand Slam hopes on course and ended those of England with a 21-13 victory at a crackling Principality Stadium.
Eddie Jones' men headed to the Welsh capital as firm favourites on Saturday after comprehensive successes over Ireland in Dublin and France at Twickenham in the opening two rounds, but were undone by a Wales side inspired by their phenomenal support.
A converted Tom Curry try, plus two Owen Farrell penalties, looked like it might be enough for England to get over the line, but that was before Hill's intervention.
The second row's try came after three successful Gareth Anscombe penalties earlier in the game, before Adams' score in the final minute after a cross-field kick clinched a sensational success for Warren Gatland and his players.
The victory created history as Wales racked up 12 successive Test wins for the first time ever - they now face Scotland in Edinburgh in two weeks time, before welcoming Ireland to Cardiff in the tournament's final week.
England welcome Italy to Twickenham in a fortnight before hosting Scotland, but must now hope Wales slip up somewhere to have any chance of the title.
Both sides were guilty of passing up early openings as Elliot Daly's penalty from distance after a Justin Tipuric no-arms tackle dropped wide and short, while Wales saw a lineout deep in the England 22 crucially stolen by George Kruis.
England did hit the front via a Farrell penalty from close range when referee Jaco Peyper deduced Wales loosehead prop Rob Evans had hinged and collapsed the scrum, with Kyle Sinckler and England winning the decision against the head.
Wales - who had made a good start to the Test - responded almost immediately when after Curry failed to roll away in midfield, Anscombe kicked to the corner before a Sinckler no-arms tackle with England under immense pressure in their own 22, saw a penalty awarded.
Anscombe's cross-field kick on advantage to Hadleigh Parkes was too long, but Wales came back for the straightforward penalty in front of the sticks to level the game on 21 minutes.
A Courtney Lawes maul turnover proved the origins of the next points in the Test, as England took full advantage of catching Wales unawares with the turnover: Curry picked and went through the middle of a ruck before diving over to ground the ball - the score was the 20-year-old flanker's first try for his country.
It was Gatland's side who registered the opening points of the second half though, again via the boot of Anscombe, when Liam Williams jackaled to win a penalty just outside the England 22 on the 15-metre mark.
A late Sinckler hit on Anscombe then allowed Wales to kick to within the England 22, and the England prop soon backed up his discretion when he held Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones up, but did so around the neck. When Anscombe slotted the simple penalty over, the deficit was a single point.
Sinckler was subbed immediately after that penalty, but Farrell kicked out on the full in the next phase of play as Wales continued to keep up momentum and stoke the fires of their fervent supporters.
England briefly stemmed that momentum inside the final 20 minutes when Curry kept up his superb individual display by winning a vital turnover 30 metres from the Wales posts. Captain Farrell stepped up to split the uprights and restore their four-point advantage.
But on 68 minutes, Wales' momentum finally produced results when after 34 breathless phases, Hill powered over in the right corner as Wales finally released the ball wide via the rampaging George North. When Biggar slotted over a quite wonderful conversion, the Wales lead was three.
From there, Wales saw out the game with little fuss and added to their score when Adams spectacularly claimed Biggar's cross-field kick, getting above Daly, juggling, regathering and reaching out to find the try-line and send the stadium into rapture once again.
The score meant England left Cardiff without even a losing bonus-point to show for their efforts.
It's been said before and undoubtedly will be said again, but Wales as a team are a completely different animal in Cardiff. Outplayed for large parts in Paris despite their victory and far from fluid in victory over Italy in Rome, Wales were like a different group against England - utterly brilliant.
They matched England physically all game and never stopped coming themselves - the crowd responded in kind to create a ferocious atmosphere, and when that happens Wales are an enormously difficult side to beat. A record-breaking 12 Test wins in a row - hats off.
A note too for England openside flanker Curry. Still just 20-years-old, the Sale Shark put in almost the complete display but ended on the losing side.
Two facets to England's performances over Ireland and France which really stood out was sheer physical dominance and a supremely dangerous kicking game - neither were in evidence on Saturday.
For whatever reason, England could not impose themselves and dominate the collisions as they have done previously, and with that their time on the ball and territory was sharply reduced.
Wales did a super job of combating England's kicking - indeed it is difficult to recall more than one Ben Youngs kick which really hurt Wales defensively as the home side kept England to a scant three points in the entire second half - only the fourth time this has happened in a Six Nations Test since 2012.
Eddie Jones will be livid, but if there is one individual he may be particularly livid with then it is tighthead Sinckler. The prop's lack of discipline and propensity to give away cheap and daft penalties cost his team here, and allowed Wales easy territory gains and continued momentum.
