Will Greenwood dives across Wales' whitewash for one of his three scores
© Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

Matches: Wales 15 - 44 England

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: England | Wales

England turned on a devastating display of power running to destroy Wales and strike fear into the hearts of all the other countries. They demolished the men in red who showed plenty of spirit themselves and set a new record points total at Cardiff.

England's old failing - an inability to turn points into pressure - was spectacularly laid to rest as they ran in six tries and the man who did most to set the record staright was the in form Will Greenwood. It was he who broke the try drought in the pre-Christmas internationals and he added another three to make England coach, Clive Woodward's dream of total rugby a reality.

With this sort of pace and power England looked truly world class and Wales can only take solace from the fact that they would have probably beaten anybody in the world on the day. They can take heart from the two tries they scored and must now pick themselves up for the easier tasks ahead.

There was almost a sensational start from Wales. Having recovered their own kick-off they mountedn a ferocious assault on the English line. The ball was recycled on ten occasions before Scott Gibbs chipped over thre try line. The bounce beat Iain Balshaw which left Dafydd James and Ben Cohen in the race for the touchdown. James appeared to get an elbow to the ball before Cohen gathered it in but the video referee was obviously not satisfied that he applied downward pressure and England escaped with a 22 drop-out.

England were equally positive when they gained possession but it was Wales who had the first penalty chance - Jenkins missing from long range as England fell offside after 10 minutes. Wales looked to be growing in confidence but that was suddenly destroyed by two tries in the space of three minutes from Will Greenwood. Scott Quinnell's weak clearance when he had time and support caused the first. England ran it back from just inside their own half, Mike Catt put Jonny Wilkinson away on the left and his inside pass gave Grenwood a clear run to the line. Wilkinson converted.

Straight from the kick-off Balshaw was sent racing away down the right and although he was tackled by Mark Taylor he was able tro pop-up the ball to the charging Greenwood and there was no stopping him from two metres.

Jenkins pulled three points back with a penalty but Wikinson replied in kind immediately before Rob Howley gave the Welsh hope with a wonderful solo try. He dummied away from the England back-row at a ruck before pinning back his ears and outpacing Cohen and Balshaw to score in the corner.

Wales were back in the hunt but not for long. England soon pinned Wales back into their own 22 and when they were awarded a penalty for off-side Matt Dawson performed his favourite party trick. A quick tap and he was through Mark Wyatt's tackle and over.

Six minutes later he too added a second. The English back-row cleared Wales out at a ruck and made a huge hole for the scrum-half who finished off in style by side-stepping Stephen Jones with consummate ease to go under the posts. At 29-8 the game appeared over and Wales went into the break knowing they needed a miracle.

A minute after the restart they knew it was not to be. Cohen latched on to a half charged down kick on the Wales 22, England swung the ball right and Greenwood looped around Austin Healey (who had replaced Dan Luger after only four minutes) to complete his hat-trick. That equalled England's highest ever score at Cardiff and there was virtually the whole of the second-half to play.

Balshaw almost added a sixth try when he easily outstripped the opposition as he chased his own kick but knocked on as he tried to regather over the line. Wales held out until the 57th minute before Wilkinson kicked another penalty and that set England off on another scoring burst.

A minute later Cohen found himself in space on the Wales 10 metre line and probably could not believe his luck as he realised the men facing him were both props. He accelerated effortlessly between them and cruised over. Wikinson converted and England had eclipsed Australia's 39 points at Cardiff in the 1991 World Cup to set a new all time record.

Howley once again left the England back-row for dead, this time from a scrum just inside his own half, and his inside pass sent Quinnell racing away to score under the posts. It was a lost cause but at least Wales showed there was plenty of fight left in them.