England travelled to the Millennium stadium earlier today to face Wales in the first game of the 2015 RBS Six Nations tournament.
Half time: Wales- 16 England- 08
Full time: Wales-16 England- 21
Wales accumulated their points with 1 try, 1 conversion, 2 penalties and 1 dropped goal. England scored their points with 2 tries, 1 conversion and 3 penalties.
Wales took most of the honors in the first half scoring a try through Rhys Webb which was converted by Leigh Halfpenny. Halfpenny also knocked over 2 of 3 penalties whilst England managed a solitary try by Anthony Watson and a penalty off the boot of George Ford.
Halfpenny opened the scoring in the 2nd minute of the game when Jonny May was penalised for not rolling away. In the 7th minute of the game Toby Falatau scooped the ball from deep inside the scrum, fended off James Haskel, pivoted around Ben Youngs and off loaded to send Rhys Webb over the line. Halfpenny made no mistake with the conversion giving Wales a 10-00 lead just ten minutes into the game.
In the 15th minute a cheeky grubber by Mike Brown just 5m away from the Welsh goal line saw Watson slide over the line cutting the Welsh lead in half. Halfpenny extended the lead with another penalty in the 23rd minute. Ford then knocked over a penalty in the 31st minute making it 13-08.
The last 15 minutes or so of the half was see-saw kicking game with Wales coming out on top more often than not. Dan Biggar slotted a dropped goal on the stroke of half time giving Wales a 16-08 lead at the break.
Though England were on the back foot through most of the half, they were solid in the set pieces and seemed stronger than the hosts at scrum time. Wales countered this with some solid defense and excellent kicking from both Halfpenny and Biggar.
England came out all guns blazing in the second half applying loads of pressure on the Welsh defense and after 20 phases Jonathon Joseph wriggled his way over the line. Ford conversion made it a 1 point game.
Welsh Winger Alex Cuthbert was sent off in the 60th minute for intentionally not rolling away at the break-down under the post. Ford knocked over the penalty giving England the lead for the first time in the game. The Welsh did well to run down the clock whilst they were a man down not conceding any points.
In the 73rd minute a controversial call by the TMO saw an English try disallowed. England had turned over a lineout 5m away from the Welsh line and scored a number of phases later. The TMO then made the referee aware of a possible instance of obstruction a few phases prior to the try. The referee awarded the penalty to Wales but the question remained as to if the penalty was in fact less than two phases prior to the try. As the law states a referee can review no more than 2 phases.
England however held on desperately not allowing Wales out of their half until finally Billy Twelvetrees won a penalty in the 78th minute giving Ford an opportunity to take the game to 21-16 and the young play maker obliged. England then ground out the next two minutes sealing the first game of 2015.
