Wales run riot to destroy England’s grand slam dream

ENGLAND’S grand slam dream was left shattered by a rampant Wales at a pulsating Millennium Stadium in Wales.
IN THE WAY: England's Chris Ashton finds himself surrounded at the Millennium Stadium.IN THE WAY: England's Chris Ashton finds himself surrounded at the Millennium Stadium.
IN THE WAY: England's Chris Ashton finds himself surrounded at the Millennium Stadium.

The Welsh scored 21 unanswered points in a lopsided second half to retain the Six Nations title and rip the heart out of England’s bid for a first slam in a decade.

Stuart Lancaster’s side had been firmly in the contest at half-time as they trailed 9-3, with Wales on top thanks to the power of their scrum.

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But the hosts not only improved that area in the second half, but all facets of their game as Alex Cuthbert ran in two tries on the right wing to send the Millennium Stadium into raptures.

Lancaster’s men simply had no answer to the onslaught.

Trailing 9-3 after the break, thanks to three Leigh Halfpenny penalties to Owen Farrell’s one, England had to withstand enormous pressure on their own line that resulted in only a further Halfpenny penalty.

But that was only a prelude to what would follow.

Geoff Parling was robbed of possession inside his own half and Wales set in motion a move that involved Jamie Roberts and ended with Cuthbert, sprinting over on the right despite the best efforts of Mike Brown.

Halfpenny missed the conversion but within moments Dan Biggar had kicked a drop goal to extend the lead to 20-3.

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Shellshocked, England fell further behind when Sam Warburton burst forward from inside his own half.

Farrell stopped him in his tracks but the ball was quickly recycled to man of the match Justin Tipuric who set up a two-on-one on the right, again against Brown, which Cuthbert finished off.

Halfpenny converted and then Biggar added insult to injury with a further penalty to make it 30-3.

England had a couple of chances in the last 10 minutes but the fact they amounted to nothing, primarily through poor play, summed up what was a performance by no means fitting of such a grand stage.

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Wales, who trailed 30-3 to Ireland shortly after half-time on the opening weekend of the tournament, have won four straight to win the Six Nations for a second year.

Tipuric said: “Our boys were outstanding, we worked really hard.

“We were ready to play this on Tuesday.”

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