Red Rose Ratings: England 25-21 Wales.
England survived a late scare from a resurgent Welsh team to move just one win away from a long awaited Grand Slam.
Here are my player ratings for those in white:
Starting 15:
15: Mike Brown - 7 - Solid display under the high ball and impressive going forward. Played a pivotal role in Watson's score.
14: Anthony Watson - 7 - Really starting to impress when fielding the high ball. Was able to show his pace and footwork, and was constantly asking questions of Wales. Took his try well and worked hard all game.
13: Jonathan Joseph - 6 - There were glimpses of his dancing feet but mainly a quiet game for the Bath man. Not his best match of the campaign and will be eager to improve ahead of the France fixture.
12: Owen Farrell - 8 - A very impressive performance for Farrell. Kicked faultlessly which proved the difference following Wales' late rally. His work in defence and attack were also both very solid. Distributed and tackled like a natural centre.
11: Jack Nowell - 6 - Failed to really get going in attack despite his best efforts but was always keen to help out.
10: George Ford - 6 - Not the performance he would have wanted considering Manu's return to fitness and the possibility of Farrell returning to fly-half. Distributed well but was crucially charged down by Biggar to gift the Welsh a way back into the game.
9: Ben Youngs - 7 - Was the danger with ball in hand that we know he can be and impressed in defence winning a crucial turnover at the end of the first half. A solid performance.
1: Joe Marler - 6 - Performance wise, impressive, scrummaged well considering the pre-game hype. Let him self down with some silly discipline problems that will be looked at in the aftermath, most notably an elbow to Rob Evans, and some choice words to Lee.
2: Dylan Hartley - 8 - Did a superb job as hooker hitting his targets every time at the line-out. Must also be applauded for captaining well in a game that looked set to boil over on more than one occasion. As captain he most likely had a role in keeping England focused when Wales began to fight back.
3: Dan Cole - 7 - Came agonisingly close to scoring early on and won two key penalties. Seemed to have the beating of Lee on more than one occasion.
4: Maro Itoje - 9 - Itoje was everywhere. Stole lineouts, won turnovers, and made breaks. Did absolutely everything but score a try, having said that he was responsible for Watson's crossing of the whitewash. Rare to see such a young prodigy living up to his media billing so well.
5: George Kruis - 8 - It seems England have found potentially, their best lock pairing. Kruis was immense at the breakdown and like Itoje, a menace at the lineout.
6: Chris Robshaw - 6 - Won't grab the headlines but was his ever busy self, challenging at the breakdown and putting in some big tackles.
7: James Haskell - 7 - Brings an immense amount of grit and determination to England's defence, something they seemed to lack for the last ten minutes after the Wasps man had gone off for Clifford.
8: Billy Vunipola - 7 - A quiet game for his standards especially considering his form so far in this tournament. Carried well and always looked to get England moving forward. Did his best to prevent Welsh fluidity when defending.
Subs:
Luke Cowan Dickie - 5
Mako Vunipola - 6
Joe Launchbury -N/A
Jack Clifford - 5
Danny Care - 6
Manu Tuilagi - 6
Elliot Daly - N/A
Henry Justice
Here are my player ratings for those in white:
Starting 15:
15: Mike Brown - 7 - Solid display under the high ball and impressive going forward. Played a pivotal role in Watson's score.
14: Anthony Watson - 7 - Really starting to impress when fielding the high ball. Was able to show his pace and footwork, and was constantly asking questions of Wales. Took his try well and worked hard all game.
13: Jonathan Joseph - 6 - There were glimpses of his dancing feet but mainly a quiet game for the Bath man. Not his best match of the campaign and will be eager to improve ahead of the France fixture.
12: Owen Farrell - 8 - A very impressive performance for Farrell. Kicked faultlessly which proved the difference following Wales' late rally. His work in defence and attack were also both very solid. Distributed and tackled like a natural centre.
11: Jack Nowell - 6 - Failed to really get going in attack despite his best efforts but was always keen to help out.
10: George Ford - 6 - Not the performance he would have wanted considering Manu's return to fitness and the possibility of Farrell returning to fly-half. Distributed well but was crucially charged down by Biggar to gift the Welsh a way back into the game.
9: Ben Youngs - 7 - Was the danger with ball in hand that we know he can be and impressed in defence winning a crucial turnover at the end of the first half. A solid performance.
1: Joe Marler - 6 - Performance wise, impressive, scrummaged well considering the pre-game hype. Let him self down with some silly discipline problems that will be looked at in the aftermath, most notably an elbow to Rob Evans, and some choice words to Lee.
2: Dylan Hartley - 8 - Did a superb job as hooker hitting his targets every time at the line-out. Must also be applauded for captaining well in a game that looked set to boil over on more than one occasion. As captain he most likely had a role in keeping England focused when Wales began to fight back.
3: Dan Cole - 7 - Came agonisingly close to scoring early on and won two key penalties. Seemed to have the beating of Lee on more than one occasion.
4: Maro Itoje - 9 - Itoje was everywhere. Stole lineouts, won turnovers, and made breaks. Did absolutely everything but score a try, having said that he was responsible for Watson's crossing of the whitewash. Rare to see such a young prodigy living up to his media billing so well.
5: George Kruis - 8 - It seems England have found potentially, their best lock pairing. Kruis was immense at the breakdown and like Itoje, a menace at the lineout.
6: Chris Robshaw - 6 - Won't grab the headlines but was his ever busy self, challenging at the breakdown and putting in some big tackles.
7: James Haskell - 7 - Brings an immense amount of grit and determination to England's defence, something they seemed to lack for the last ten minutes after the Wasps man had gone off for Clifford.
8: Billy Vunipola - 7 - A quiet game for his standards especially considering his form so far in this tournament. Carried well and always looked to get England moving forward. Did his best to prevent Welsh fluidity when defending.
Subs:
Luke Cowan Dickie - 5
Mako Vunipola - 6
Joe Launchbury -N/A
Jack Clifford - 5
Danny Care - 6
Manu Tuilagi - 6
Elliot Daly - N/A
Henry Justice
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