England v Wales Highlights Rugby Union

It is days such as this, when England play Wales. Anthony Watson,

England in full control. George Ford. Charged down. Eddie Jones'

team on track for the grand slam. Danny Care, what he does. He scores.

Watson, for England. It is England's grand slam. Welcome to Twickenham,

this is the third time in the past nine months that these two teams

have faced off against one another. Back in October, Wales famously

triumphed, turning England's World Cup dream into a nightmare. England

gained sweet revenge in March, en route to their first Grand Slam in

13 years. This is one of the most intense rivalries in sport. Today's

match billed as a friendly, but we'll know there is no such thing.

Today's commentary comes courtesy of Brian Moore and Eddie Butler.

COMMENTATOR: One cap in the England pack. Harrison, born in New Zealand.

Scouted by Dylan Hartley. The England captain returns to

international rugby after concussion. Joe Launchbury and

Courtney Lawes back as the second row partnership. Luther Burrell at

centre. Many Tuilagi out again because of a hamstring. No Owen

Farrell. Or players from Exeter and Premiership champions, Saracens. No

Luke Charteris in the second row. Racing still have games in France.

Alun-Wyn Jones back. Ross Moriarty will be a strike runner from the

back row. Dan Lydiate is the captain, wearing seven. Scott

Williams back at centre. Injured his knee against England back at the

World Cup. Rhys Webb starts at scrum-half, missing the World Cup

through injury. Not a single Cardiff Blues player in the starting 15.

A little end of season bonus. England against Wales again at

Twickenham, for the third time this season. Instructions from referee

Mario Smith Rea. Born in Romania. From Italy. -- Mario

Rhys Webb, starts for Wales. Jamie Roberts. Liam Williams, how to play.

Good afternoon, Brian. Wonderful afternoon, I'm sure players will

revel playing in these conditions. You try telling them there is

nothing at stake, apart from places on the tour in New Zealand and

Australia. Ben Youngs' kick a lot longer than was meant. Giving Wales

an easy way back. Dylan Hartley. He had travelled with concussion -- had

trouble with concussion. The injury that worries rugby. Ben Youngs

checking where Anthony Watson is. Dazzling running skills from Watson.

England, Jonathan Joseph. Biggar back for Wales. Yarde with the

follow-up. Biggar stays in feel. No, he does not. Wales will have the

puts in. England profiting from Ben Youngs' adventure on the blindside.

Something reluctant to do in the past. That faithful dividends. --

paid full dividends. Watson could easily have stayed on his line.

Intelligent. Faletau the target of Wales.

The angle is slightly improved for Dan Biggar.

Jake Ball, wearing the scrum cap. Hallam Amos tackled by Yarde.

Rob Evans, from the front row. Rhys Webb could not be tackled. Penalty

advantage against Mullan. Wales looking comfortable, quite happy to

go through the phases, England giving them an easier way out. The

flag is up, Wales will have the attacking line-out. The penalty

which drives coaches crazy. Faletau spilling the ball, reclaim do. Good

work by the number eight. -- he reclaim the market. Alun Wyn

Jones. Chance for Dan Biggar. Samson Lee. Evans, instrumental in the

build-up. Scott Williams, twisting and turning. Held short. The try

scored, Rob Evans, for Wales. All too simple for Wales. Just a series

of short drives. You would normally expect any organised defence to

repel those. Good lineout. Four or five metres made, from that point

England's scramble defence struggling.

were not in the next meter. Ultimately came from an unnecessary

penalty on the Welsh ten metre line from Matt Mullan, giving Wales a 30,

40 metres advantage. Dan Biggar. Successful with the

extras. Not quite what they wanted. Not the

perfect line-out. Winning another penalty, Wales. They may not like

the interpretation of referee, Marius Mitrea, but England have to

stop offending. All of them are likely to cost them. This one likely

three points. The indiscipline cannot afford to continue if they

are to get anywhere near Wales. Wales have the balance, in terms of

possession and play. Where they are moving over the gain line. If you

compound that, by giving them penalties, not going to be much of a

contest. Three more points from the boot of Dan Biggar.

George Ford. Straight down the middle, hi.

Rhys Webb, as to be quick. -- he has so be quick. Mike Brown comes

forward. Jamie Roberts, lets inland. George Ford. It has come to Hartley.

Not how he wanted it. At the second time of asking, Liam

Williams. We are going high again. Hallam Amos

against Anthony Watson. Watson has the ball.

Spillage by Wales, chance for England. Penalty advantage. They can

do anything they want now. They will go back to the penalty. Is it a

fresh one? It is a fresh one. The first one was not playing the ball

in front of the man who had played it. The strategy from England, with

the kick from the ten metre line. There is one chaser, if Wales deal

with it better, a gap of 50 metres around the initial chaser. More men

need to be around the player contesting it. Wales would have a

large amount of room to working. -- work in.

England trying to get the drive on. The referee's instruction is to use

it. Ben Youngs. Big stretch from Luther Borrell. The try is given.

Great line from Luther Borrell. Shaun Edwards will not be pleased.

At pace, on the right line. You can see Burrell targeting the

fly half, Dan Biggar. There is the take by Clifford, the drive did not

get far. Burrell on the outside shoulder fantastic played by Jack

Clifford. Chance for Burrell. This is more like grand slam England.

Scott Williams makes the tackle. Knocked off. A let off for Wales.

Dan Biggar is down and hurt. Liam Williams running out from behind his

own line. No Dan Biggar, for the moment.

Rhys Webb calling for someone to give the ball to. Hallam Amos behind

him. Rhys Webb kicking himself. Brown, to Watson. Good tackle by

Jones. Ford spilling the ball. Samson Lee

collect. Dan Biggar up and able to clear, and make round. -- make

round. England almost through, and the line beam type. -- line been

tighter. It looks as if he can run, Jack Clifford. Low centre of

gravity. Yes, he can. From a Welsh point of view, they will be worried

by the fact that England are managing to make these big breaks.

The Welsh defence usually very solid, difficult to break down. Dan

Lydiate going off. James King coming on in place of the captain. Looks

like a limping injury. Doubtful he will be back.

There is Burrell begin. -- again. Flattering tackle by Jake Ball. Come

away by Clifford. Only as far as Hallam Amos. Good wriggling by the

Gwent Dragons player. Fantastic run, support by Jamie Roberts. Could not

get the pass back to Amos. Not for the moment. Scott Baldwin, on his

own. The ball out of play. That was the wrong option, on Baldwin on his

own in the 15 metre channel. Clifford quickly onto the ball.

Nothing wrong there, don't have to move. Getting out of trouble, the

Hallam Amos way. It was Jamie Roberts, unfortunately for Wales,

for all his strengths, not the quickest. Lovely run.

Good tackle, Joe Launchbury. One large plain wrapping up another.

Penalty advantage, Wales. Quickly taken by Rhys Webb.

Toby Faletau playing scrum-half. Dylan Hartley, from an offside

position. Always alert. He made a huge amount

of ground. Dan Biggar, a few bumps and bruises.

Harrison knocking him over once. Looking the same old Dan Biggar.

Going through his routine. Looking to extend the Welsh league. Just

about. -- lead. Wales have seen two pods. Well taken

by Hallam Amos, Courtney Lawes waiting for him on landing.

Clifford, winning the ball. Not quite up to the five metre line.

Youngs spilling away. Moriarty, good smothering tackle. It is loose. Rhys

Webb, against George Ford. George Ford gets back up, surely he was

held? Again, Wales counter rucking. Mike Brown spotting the

gap. The numbers are there. Joseph, Watson. Liam Williams cannot stop

him. Wriggling and rolling. Did he lose control of the ball on the

line? Whatever the outcome of this... All started by Mike Brown,

being in a position he would not usually be in. Taking the Bulstrode

overcome the spotting the gap. Back of the ruck. Allowed to do it in

momentum. I think he will give that. Allowed to make one movement in any

direction. When the ball goes over part of the line, he has developed

possession, in control. Downward pressure, not needed, just control.

You may award the try. Brilliant awareness by Anthony

Watson, where the line is. It was, he had very little space, tumbling

over. A lot of credit to Watson, good finish.

Wales goes along, Faletau, beyond the end of the line-out. Wales on

the front foot, very little possession in the last quarter of an

hour. Baldwin has carried well. Waiting for Robert Evans to loop

around him. Scott Williams. Rhys Webb, very elusive. Penalty

against England. Not just a case... Not just a case of Rhys Webb being

elusive, powerful as well. Players go higher, because he is a

scrum-half, think they can taking down, they cannot. Scott Baldwin has

been Wales' best forward carrier. Third or fourth long carry. What do

Wales do? Going back to Faletau. James King in possession, slipping

it is Scott Baldwin at the back. Jamie Roberts comes in, adding his

weight to the rolling maul. Harrison stolen

it. They could go left or right, too slow. Maybe not. Liam Williams

reading it well. The pass not good enough. Williams stopping the move.

Cancer rucking from Wales. Making England pause for thought in their

22. That will be the end of the first

half. Plenty of action. Tries, missed kicks from a couple of

injuries. Half way through it. 1-1 in the season, the decider.

Hallam Amos catches. Ross Moriarty trying to drive to the 22, does not

get far. It is therefore Rhys Webb. Not as good an exit from the 22 as

Wales would have wanted. The formula that worked well in the first half.

Clifford. Harrison, part of an increasingly

fluent England operation. Here is Launchbury, allowed

scrum-half to take it. Now playing scrum-half. Dan Cole going nowhere.

Ford changing direction, goes long to Yarde. Scott Williams wrapping up

Yarde. Cole again taking the tackle.

Clifford dropping it, good Welsh defence. Biggar long to Jamie

Roberts. North outside him. Mike Brown just outside his 22. The

advantage is over. Ford, charged down. Moriarty coming

away with it. Nobody claims the ball. Ricocheting around. Liam

Williams sorting it out. Faletau drops it.

Wales compounding the error. Manufacturing the situation,

complete mismatch, in terms of defenders. Not only were the

forwards in there, superior numbers, and they have the dogleg. George

North with very little possession. You would think, give him the early

ball, let him see what he can do. George Ford, towards the corner. 12

metres out. England with the throw. He has had problems with the boot,

kicking for goal. Decent touch finder. Putting England in a good

position. England come of it quickly. Going to be a stretch for

the line again. It has worked again. The change of tactics from the

line-out, Ben Youngs, at pace putting England into the lead. I

mentioned in the first half, about the way England were using Marland

Yarde, inside and outside the fly half. You watch Yarde has

the run, standing there, they have an eye on him. Ben Youngs dummies.

The defender had to make a different decision. Ben Youngs, quick enough

and powerful enough to take advantage of that. We saw, close to

the line, you only need to be put off from your tackling by a small

margin, not to get the proper hit on a player.

Well picked up, Jake Ball. Evans again. Here is George North, coming

off his wing. Good spin by the number eight, Faletau.

The first spell of possession by Wales in the second half. Jack

Clifford comes away with it. Good pace by the England number eight.

Two tries. The game has turned. Well, Clifford, as he should have,

he is a professional, not bothering with anyone else about whether or

not it was a knock-on. He plays to the whistle. We might becoming all

the way back, I don't know. Well, it seemed to touch Dan Cole

and then touch... Can't see from that angle, need the reverse angle.

Well, if that's the only angle they've got, I don't know what you

can get from that because you see the hand of Dan Cole but you don't

see it go forward. You can see that it was a very rapid sprint by a

number eight. I have a decision. There is nothing

clear and obvious. You may award the try.

Nothing clear and obvious. I may award the try.

Thank you. The ball goes backwards from Dan

Cole, no knock-on. Clifford plays the ball and runs away with the try.

Well, whatever happens, you do not want a group of players surrounding

the referee. George Ford. He does land the kick.

Wales needs to respond. Samson Lee to James King. Dan Lydiate. Faletau.

Another interception. That one has gone forward. Hasn't it? It has.

Couldn't freeze his arms because Watson was on hand and he would have

been away as well. Rhys Webb to Hallam Amos. A clever

little move. Hallam Amos gets away but Marland Yarde is back there.

England are deep in their corner. Wales give away a penalty. Marland

Yarde did well to stay in field there.

It comes out eventually. Ben Youngs on the loop. Good England move.

Joseph. Ben Youngs, ever dangerous. He is slightly on his own there.

They might have turned it over. Wales get the penalty and Rhys Webb

will be looking to take it quickly. Liam Williams. Or they will say to

Dan Biggar, you take over. Faletau did a tremendous job because

England were away. England work their way beyond the

Welsh defence. Jonathan Joseph. Matt Mullan.

It has gone nowhere but it might work for Dylan Hartley. Or it might

work for Dan Biggar. Or Clifford. He tries the fancy pass. It has all

gone a bit scrappy. Wales have it, just about. Ross Moriarty did well

to get them out of danger. Chaos can be good for the game, Brian?

It can be exciting. The fact is because it is this sort of fixture

and you are not playing for a Grand Slam or anything else, there's are

willing to take chances that they wouldn't do and, of course, people

make mistakes and it keeps the game open.

The all-powerful England line-out. Here comes Anthony Watson. Tries a

pass and it hasn't worked. Brilliant pass by Rhys Webb to Gareth

Anscombe. He looks to off-load to Jamie Roberts. Brilliant by Wales.

Priestland can't get the ball to George North, England turn it over

and away, we white shirts. George Ford now. Wasn't expecting that.

Jamie Roberts, involved from the start, has to go back to 22. Wales

have to restart from here. Another charge down. It is a lucky

one for Wales. They have it. They just can't hang onto the ball at the

moment. Ball. That is not fair enough I Rhys Webb.

Handsomely reclaimed by Hallam Amos. Rhys Priestland manages to get the

ball away to Samson Lee. Faletau. And it is another spillage by Wales

and England are away. Danny Care finds Jonathan Joseph, Watson

outside him. Watson. Nearly through Liam Williams. Penalty advantage to

England. Corny lords hands-off Jamie Roberts,

feeds Marland Yarde and England's domination of the second half grows

and grows. England should have got over and

converted over the left-hand side. They did an the right and Wales are

struggling now. Marland Yarde had a simple walk in.

Good work by Launchbury. Had it been straighter, earlier than that,

Watson would have gone over in the corner but when the ball came back,

Wales had simply... Well, that's too easy. Too easy.

Having said that, you do give credit to Courtney Lawes for timing the

pass to the winger. Great work by Courtney Lawes. They

canned off, straight on, give the past with perfect timing.

Wales looking ragged at the moment. It has been a worrying second-half

for Wales. George Ford.

It's not going to be his day, is it? It's not.

11 points not on the board. 38-13 had they all gone over. 32 or 33-13.

Five tries, one conversion. A very solid England scrum and

George Ford can do with it what he wants. Gareth Anscombe in his own

22. He stays in his own 22. Williams Liam gets the pass away to

Kristian Dacey, the Hawker. There he goes. Jonathan Joseph, left behind.

Rhys Priestland gets the little kick ahead. Rhys Webb sets off in

pursuit, recovered I George Ford. -- recovered by George Ford.

A couple of players are going down with cramp now.

Changes on the England side. Elliot Daly comes on and into the front

row. Ellis Genge for his first cap. It is a penalty against 19.

The referee is going to have a word with him here because he has been

talking about the number of penalties.

Rhys Priestland, more of the same. Well, yes. I thought he would. He

has had a word. Be careful means that is your final warning? I don't

know. It would be helpful if it wasn't said. -- if it was that he

said it was. Kristian Dacey throws in. Safely

gathered up. This is a better maul for Wales. Launchbury came away with

it. Ellis Genge. England clear away as far as Hallam

Amos, who keeps the ball in play, set off and spins. Lloyd Williams to

Priestland. They go long to George North. North against Elliot Daly.

And that is... That's highly. -- that is high.

Just going out of play there. Against their former number eight,

only been playing prop for three years. Another one who is being

asked to do a primary job. They are looking at players to do something

else. New to the England coaching team,

responsible for the scrum and there has been nothing wrong with that

today. Steve Borthwick will be happy, the

line-out and performance coach, that the accuracy around the breakdown

has been better. Awaken Wales through Gareth Anscombe

and George North on the loop. Liam Williams. A pass to Mike Brown.

We'll stay in field. Rounded well as he was under considerable pressure

from Lloyd Williams. I am not sure if he is religious but

I think he was willing the ball to go out at least.

Eddie Jones has put Ollie Devoto in at outside-half and Tommy Taylor

comes on for his first England cap in place of Dylan Hartley. Tommy

Taylor has worked hard and he is the best striker of the ball in the

Premiership so I am very pleased for him.

Another good drive by the England forwards. They don't seem to have

been affected at all by newcomers coming on. Dominated possession in

the second half. Elliot Daly can go on the outside. A beautiful pass

back to Ollie Devoto. Could it be a sixth try? It looks like a knock-on

but you can't tell in this game. Free kick quickly taken by Lloyd

Williams. A sparky run from the scrum-half.

Jake Ball has offered himself all day. Priestland switches play.

Hallam Amos is away. Rhys Priestland card -- can't hang onto the ball. It

has been the Welsh tale of the half. That arm is only going one way from

the referee. Penalty to England. The invitation is, from the referee, if

you want to. Do England want to join Dan Cole sitting down, reflecting on

a very good second-half performance? No, they want to play on a bit

longer. From an England point of view I

think you would want to get on top of Wales, go over the line again.

One of the reasons I think Eddie Jones did not make substitutions as

early as Wales is he wanted to chalk up a win first and foremost. Well,

that job is done. Now it is just a question of by how much. Danny Care

says 14 points will do and kicks the ball out. The game is over. A real

turnaround by England. They trailed at half-time but they have won by

scoring five tries. Three of them in the second half. And they have

beaten Wales by 27 points to 13. England captain Dylan Hartley,

another one for the trophy cabinet. The chief executive of Old Mutual

Wealth gives him the cup of his company's name and England will go

on tour to Australia with a good victory under their belts.

Consider that was a fully loaded Welsh side, you must be pretty

happy? It was a good step forward for us.

We have a difficult tour of Australia coming up so it was nice

to have that today against a very good side.

A special mention to a number of your three quarters looking sharp,

especially Luther Burrell, Anthony Watson, Marland Yarde.

They did really well and you need to remember the work done on the inside

by George Ford and Luther Burrell. Outstanding.

Things started fairly positively but nothing and your way in the second

half. Assessment? I thought we played

pretty well in the first half of the way we started the game but the

disappointment of the Six Nations in terms of starting... We needed the

game. I said to the players, how do you feel? Lowing a bit. A lot of

those players haven't played for a few weeks. Haven't experienced that

intensity since the Six Nations so we needed that game to get under our

belt and a lot of things to work on, making sure we are more accurate and

particularly in the second half there were some turnovers at

line-out time. We showed rate courage to come back

from points down and I think it is a great reflection of the character of

the boys but hopefully we can sort out the first 20 minutes because if

we give Australia and southern hemisphere teams leads like that,

it's going to be to bounce back. We have given ourselves a good field

position and given us opportunities to play and we have coughed up the

ball off the line-out or haven't held on long enough so that is

disappointing but a lot of positives as well and we need to look forward

and play positive rugby in New Zealand. Tidy up our defence. A few

missed tackles, myself included. We will go there positively.

We have won six on the bounce so it is about getting our prep right. We

are confident in ourselves so as I say it is just about getting the

prep right and take sure we do everything we can to leave nothing

out there on the field, nothing to chance. It will be a great three

Test series. As we go into the All Blacks, if we

hadn't said that game it would have been difficult but it has served its

purpose is no doubt. Disappointing to lose but it is good to get a hit

out, especially in the heat. And play at that intensity because club

rugby is not at that inter-dizzy -- intensity.

What reception are you going to get personally?

Hopefully a few barbecues, mate. You never stop loving your country. I am

coaching England and I want to beat Australia badly.

Those are the thoughts of the players and coaches. Martyn Williams

and Jeremy Guscott join me outside Twickenham. Smiles all over the face

of Eddie Jones. The happiest of the coaches.

It didn't start off well for him with Wales getting the early try and

rightly so, they looks more like a team. England slowly getting into

the game. The more errors Wales were making, the more confident England

got. I think one of the prize was a fair reflection. The distance of the

wind didn't reflect how close the game was watching it live at England

will be confident and happy after the victory.

What about Wales, Martyn Williams? That was a pretty much full strength

Wales side against a weakened England side so that will give their

confidence a knock? However much they want to gloss over

that, it will be a blow to their confidence going into New Zealand.

If they had won, you would have expected them to win without some of

the Exeter and Saracens players but as it was they lost convincingly. At

half-time I thought Wales would be pretty happy in front but it fell to

pieces. The decision with Dan Cole and the Clifford try but the wind

seemed to go out of their sails. They missed 20 tackles and that is

not like the Wales team so a disappointing day at Dagenham.

Not very characteristic, those defensive frailties. I would imagine

they would have had a run in the dressing room.

It is a sign the guys haven't played for two or three weeks. A little bit

off the pace and it showed they needed this game before going to

play the world champions because otherwise it would have been worse.

Wales are a notoriously slow starting side, which I predict they

start scoring the try. They show their control and went back to their

old habits. Line-out not as tight as it should be, kicking game not as

tight as it should have been. They let England into the game by losing

momentum and turning the ball so many times. England dominated

territory and possession and scored at least... Two of them were a good

price. The first try from a role was good -- from Luther Burrell. The

other two were breakaway. Wales are as low as a group when

they get together. Alun Wyn Jones desperately needed game time. We

have the likes of others to come back, and Sam Warburton. We hope

it's a video nasty for these guys. You were frustrated, the amount of

times England chose to kick when they had men outside. Marland Yarde,

Luther Burrell... Luther has a point to prove after

not getting the run in the web world back -- in the Rugby World Cup.

Anthony Watson, for me, is one of the most improved buyers globally.

Every time he gets a ball he is exciting. He can beat a player

quickly. His finishing for that try was just wonderful. Marland Yarde,

out in the wilderness for a bit, came back and scored a try. Looking

good apart from George Ford, who seems to be lacking a bit of

confidence. Joseph kicking the ball on a couple of times, showing a lack

of confidence. You want to keep the ball in play so you can up the

intensity but as a first run out as a new team, they did -- they did

very well. I think Liam Williams and George

North are as standard. Hallam Amos acquitted himself well. He was quick

and strong and solid under the high ball. I think that what they do is

point. Ross Moriarty had a decent game in the back row, carrying well.

Quite a few will be disappointed themselves. Defensively it is

unheard of for Wales to miss 20 tackles and Sean Edwards but we are

looking for plus points and we are gasping at straws but Hallam Amos

was a shining light. England in Australia next. Eddie

Jones has called them favourites. Do you agree?

He was trying to boost the confidence. Six games in a row they

have won. They go there with confidence. The pack is strong. It

was a mixed bag in the back row today but you have believer LuPone

to come back and he is so solid. -- Billy Vunipola. And we get Owen

Farrell back at ten. He could play at 12 and George could be stuck in

at ten so they fancy their chances out there. To say they are going to

win is a big ask. Why not go with the aim?

That is the way Eddie Jones is thinking. What of Wales? New Zealand

is least toughest days to two so what are they -- is the toughest

place to draw. What will they help for? Rain!

Warren Gatland said before the game the best job they have got is the

second and third test, when they are up to speed. After today's

performance it is a very long shot. Thanks for your company today. That

is it from us. England travel to Australia with confidence and Wales

have a little bit of work to do. Stay tuned for brand-new Top Gear

with Chris Evans.