ENGLAND TOOK THE Six Nations title race to its final game after destroying Wales 68-14 in Cardiff. Steve Borthwick’s team guaranteed themselves a top-two finish, ahead of favourites France hosting Scotland, in emphatic bonus-point fashion but Wales were condemned to a second successive wooden spoon and 17th Test defeat on the bounce – a record for a tier one nation in the professional era. England collected a bonus point by half time at the Principality Stadium before completing a record Six Nations win against Wales in 10-try fashion.
There were touchdowns during the opening flurries from captain Maro Itoje and wing Tom Roebuck but the real damage was done during a six-minute scoring blitz just before the interval. Wing Tommy Freeman became only the second player after France’s Philippe Bernat-Salles 24 years ago to score a try in every match of a Six Nations campaign, with Chandler Cunningham-South and prop Will Stuart – on his 50th cap – also crossing. It was one-way traffic as scrum-half Alex Mitchell added a sixth England try, with debutant Henry Pollock scoring twice, his fellow replacement Joe Heyes also going over and Cunningham-South adding a second, while Fin Smith kicked five conversions and Marcus Smith four.
Outclassed Wales’ only replies were a Ben Thomas try double, with Gareth Anscombe and Jarrod Evans each landing a conversion as interim head coach Matt Sherratt’s three games in charge came to a demoralising end. England made a dream start, mono.
