The Welsh sang wonderfully and played brilliantly. And on the way unveiled a match-winner in James Hook who is surely walking in the hallowed stud marks of Welsh rugby legends of yesteryear.

The statistics told half the story after an RBS 6 Nations match which showed rugby in its brightest hue.

They recorded the fact that Wales beat England 27-18. That Wales scored two tries through Hook and Chris Horsman. That Hook scored 22 points.

That England replied with tries via Harry Ellis and Jason Robinson.

But no scoreboard could get close to portraying the fight and the fire which Wales dredged up somewhere from a season of catastrophe.

Wales had lost their last five matches. They had wavered between being clueless and ordinary.

Yet on an evening of high drama they discovered the pride of old. Maybe it was the unveiling of a portrait of the great Gareth Edwards on the Millennium stadium pitch before the match.

Whatever, Wales took their inspiration and one day it might be a portrait of Hook forming part of the pre-match entertainment.

Perhaps not since Phil Bennett was in his pomp has a Welsh fly-half delivered such an accomplished performance as 21-year-old Hook.

Twinkling feet. Fast hands. An unerring boot. Hook has it all and if the talk this past fortnight has been about England's young guns then no youngster in this tournament could eclipse the talent of the man from the Ospreys, who only came in at fly-half following injury to Stephen Jones.

England, of course, knew what they had to do. After a compelling afternoon of RBS 6 Nations rugby, in which Ireland dispatched Italy and France routed Scotland, Brian Ashton's men were left with the task of winning by 57 points to clinch the championship.

Even accepting the fact that Wales have been dire of late, having won just two of their last 10 matches under coach Gareth Jenkins - and those against Canada and the Pacific Islands - that was always a huge task.

It was made virtually impossible when Hook charged down Toby Flood's clearance in the second minute and sped in for the first Welsh touchdown.

When Horsman burrowed over for a second and a Hook penalty gave Wales a 15-0 lead it looked as if the Ashton rejuvenation was built on decidedly shaky foundations.

But sport is all about challenges. All about standing firm in the face of a storm, working a way through it and seizing the light when it appears.

That is what England did in this thrilling match. They refused to panic even when they were staggering around, dazed and confused, literally in the case of number eight Joe Worsley who was replaced after taking an early blow.

True, it took another piece of brilliance from captain Mike Catt to engineer the switch in momentum.

The brilliant break, chip kick and race for the line, which ended with Ellis touching down, was vintage Catt.

It was a brave decision by Ashton to bring back the London Irish threequarter for the French match last week. It also proved to be a wise one because you can pack your team with as many youngsters as you like but there is no substitute for experience.

Catt is Ashton's comfort blanket. And, on the form he has shown in the past two matches, one who could take England all the way through to the World Cup later this year if he can throw off the tendency to injury which saw him limp off with a hamstring injury shortly after the interval.

Unfortunately, England's composure disappeared with Catt's departure.

They struggled to penetrate and all the while the Welsh were threatening to scythe holes in their defence.

The pressure told. Hook kicked his penalties, dropped his goal and Wales at last were home without the wooden spoon.

Quite wonderful.