Wales vs England LIVE: Result and reaction from Six Nations grudge match in Cardiff
Wales 10-20 England: England edge a scrappy clash in Cardiff as Anthony Watson, Ollie Lawrence and Kyle Sinckler score
Tries by Anthony Watson, Kyle Sinckler and Ollie Lawrence propelled England rugby to a nervy 20-10 victory over Wales rugby in a scruffy Six Nations encounter that showed how much both teams have to do to become competitive in the championship.
England started strongly with an Owen Farrell penalty and a well-crafted try for Watson, making his first start for two years, but Wales briefly led after an intercept try by Louis Rees-Zammit at the start of the second half.
England regained the lead when Sinckler burrowed over and though they were on top for most of the second half, they made the game safe only 10 minutes from the end with another well-crafted try finished off by Lawrence.
It was England’s second successive win following the home victory over Italy but made it three defeats out of three for Wales, who rarely looked dangerous, to complete a wretched week where the fixture was in doubt after the players threatened to strike in their row with the Welsh union.
Relive the action from Cardiff below:
TRY! Italy 20-34 IRELAND (Mack Hansen try, 72 minutes)
The dam bursts!
Outstanding continuity from Ireland, biding their time to wait for a gap to appear. Caelan Doris wins the gainline decisively, and Conor Murray extends his arms free, teeing up Mack Hansen to scamper around the posts.
Ross Byrne pops through the extra two.
Italy 20-27 Ireland, 69 minutes
Patient play from Ireland, phases 16, 17, 18 and onwards they go...
Italy 20-27 Ireland, 68 minutes
Ireland keep things simple, rocking back Italian defenders with forthright carries. Stuart McCloskey picks and drives to make five metres; Conor Murray three more in manner akin.
Mack Hansen does dare to dance, skipping by one defender but swiftly brought down.
Italy 20-27 Ireland, 68 minutes
Was that Italy’s chance? The hosts shoulders just seem to have sagged slightly as they knock on inside their own half.
Another Ireland score would probably kill it. They’ll feed the scrum on halfway.
Italy 20-27 Ireland, 67 minutes
Cries of frustration from the Italian crowd - that looks a chance butchered!
It’s superb to begin with, a delightful inside ball putting new man Giovanni Pettinelli into space.
There’s an overlap, and swift hands look likely to lead to a certain score, but instead the option is to chip across - and Federico Ruzza is aghast as he chases in vain to try and get to it, the lumbering lock not fleet enough of foot to ground before it skips into touch.
Italy 20-27 Ireland, 66 minutes
Conor Murray is brought on for Craig Casey, and Dave Kilcoyne enters in the place of Andrew Porter.
Italy play fast and loose, as they have done all afternoon. Ireland knock an errant Italian pass on.
PENALTY! Italy 20-27 IRELAND (Ross Byrne penalty, 65 minutes)
35 metres out, dead centre - simple, straight and true.
Italy 20-24 Ireland, 64 minutes
Penalty to Ireland. Johnny Sexton doesn’t look overly pleased alongside Garry Ringrose in the posh seats, but his understudy Ross Byrne will have opportunity to extend the visitors’ lead from the tee.
Italy 20-24 Ireland, 60 minutes
Italy battle on, getting back in enough number to defuse a kick from Ireland that appears set to trouble them. A high kick is equally well dealt with.
Italy 20-24 Ireland, 60 minutes
Italy certainly won’t die wondering! Off they go from behind their own line, throwing caution (and ball) to the wind with a wide pass.
There barely seems space at all for Juan Ignacio Brex to then release a clearing kick with the Irish defensive line approaching, but the centre does a very good job, finding touch on halfway.
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