Battling England have fought back from a 14-5 deficit at halftime to beat Wales 16-14 in a scruffy but hugely physical Six Nations clash, extending a Welsh winless championship run at Twickenham that stretches back to 2012.
Wales led at the interval – for the first time at Twickenham this century – after a penalty try and a nicely-created second for flanker Alex Mann with England on the board via Ben Earl.
But in a disjointed second half, England gradually gained control, closing the gap with a Ford penalty and Fraser Dingwall’s try before Ford landed the winning kick nine minutes from time.
It was not a great performance by England, who had won only three of their previous 10 games at Twickenham, but, unlike the boos that rang round the ground when losing to Fiji in August, the crowd recognised the team’s endeavour and noisily acclaimed the victory.
England, who came from 10-0 down to beat Italy last week, top the fledgling Six Nations standings after two wins – matching their championship tally from each of the last three years.
“This is a team which stays in the fight, which finds a way. It is a young side and we have a lot to learn, but we will grow together,” England coach Steve Borthwick said.
“At halftime we were very composed and clear what we need to do and we had belief we would go on and find a way. In some ways we stepped forward and showed the depth of the squad in certain positions.”
Wales were first on the board with a penalty try after England collapsed a maul – with Ethan Roots joining Ollie Chessum in the sin bin.
Despite being down to 13, England stormed back when Earl picked up at the back of a scrum and scuttled over. Ford failed to convert, though, as it was ruled he had started his approach when he took a step to the left, allowing Rio Dyer to hoof the ball off the tee – much to Ford’s fury.
Wales’s ambition paid off just before halftime when Tomos Williams and Tommy Reffell combined to send Mann over for a try that put the visitors 14-5 ahead.
Fraser Dingwall celebrates scoring his team’s second try. (Photo by Dan Mullan – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)
England struck first in the second half via Ford’s boot after Wales gave away their first penalty in the 47th minute.
A desperate tackle by Tommy Freeman to prevent Josh Adams claiming a third try after a great burst by fullback Cameron Winnett.
That proved vital as an England forward assault opened the way for Ford and Elliot Daly to send in Dingwall for a diving finish in the corner.
As England cranked up the pressure, Mason Grady deliberately knocked down a pass, earning a yellow and giving Ford an easy penalty to put England 16-14 ahead.
Wales, with only two championship wins at Twickenham in 36 years, launched a strong late assault but aggressive defence forced them back to leave Wales coach Warren Gatland ruing another narrow loss.
“It’s part of the journey we’re on,” he said. “I said to the players we have to be disappointed with that. ‘You should have won that’.
“We are going to be a good team, it’s just going to take us a little bit of time.”
Squeeze on Berry over controversial call
Australian referee Nic Berry has controversially ruled out a last-ditch try that would have given Scotland victory over France in the Six Nations at Murrayfield.
A superb solo score from winger Louis Bielle-Biarrey led France to a 20-16 victory on Saturday – but the drama really centred on the home side being ruled to have been held up over the tryline.
Scotland believed they had crossed for what would have been the match-winning try with the clock in the red – but Berry did not agree.
The Television Match Official then took several minutes to review the footage and could not find conclusive evidence to overturn his decision, even though it looked as though the ball may have touched the turf.
It was initially grounded onto the boot of a French player, but then appeared to slip down onto the grass.
“We were celebrating in the coaches box,” Scotland coach Gregor Townsend told BBC.
“We could hear the TMO’s conversation with the referee, saying, ‘the ball was on foot, then the ball was down’ and then he changes his mind and says ‘stick with the on-field decision’.
“I don’t know what you can say. We felt we won the game. We saw the ball on the tryline.”
But the French captain Gregory Alldritt reckoned Berry and the TMO got it right.
“The images are quite clear and I don’t see how he (Berry) can make any other decision,” Alldritt told reporters.
“We’ve been working for over three years to get the ball carrier behind the line, exactly like it was done. When we talk about details, that’s part of it. It’s nice to see it pay off.
The win will be a mighty relief for France coach Fabien Galthie, who has come under enormous pressure following their dismal opening 38-17 loss to Ireland in Marseille.
Trailing by six points with 11 minutes remaining, Bielle-Biarrey had three defenders around him but a clever chip and electric pace he gathered to dot down and the conversion from fullback Thomas Ramos gave the visitors the lead for the first time.
Ramos kicked a further penalty as La Marseillaise rang around the ground, with centre Gael Fickou scoring his team’s other try in the first half.
Scotland dominated much of the match and led 13-10 at halftime thanks to halfback Ben White’s score, but could not turn pressure into points on several occasions, and were made to pay in a game they looked like winning for 69 minutes.
White crossed for Scotland’s only try after a sweeping move down the right wing involving debutant Harry Paterson and centre Huw Jones.
Scotland were down to 14 players while flanker Matt Fagerson received treatment and France were able to use the width of the field for Fickou to canter in for their first score.
The visitors were reduced to 14 players just before halftime when prop Uini Antonio produced a no-arms tackle and was sent to the sin-bin.
The visitors were dealt a blow when the outstanding Alldritt left the field on a stretcher with a nasty gash on his leg on 50 minutes, but he revealed afterwards: “I’m very good. The muscle is not affected. It’s just the skin that is opened but with a few stitches, we’re going to let it heal.”
Mike88
Roar Rookie
Good one :thumbup:
Go Joe - Jo
Roar Rookie
You seriously making threats online? Good for you, doubling down on making it personal. If that's where you're at, I'll take the rules of the game over your "processes and protocols" every time. Good day to you, sir.
Wrecked 'em
Roar Rookie
You're alluding to a previous incarnation where the on field ref would/could say "is there any reason why I can't award a try"? If this were still in place the Scotland try would have probably been awarded. But that process got canned for the same reason this one wasn't awarded - which is to say that if the ref or TMO didn't see it he can't award it. The problem is that for every team that feels robbed, the other team would feel equally robbed if the decision went the other way.
Go Joe - Jo
Roar Rookie
Not presumption, but incontrovertible conclusion is sufficient.
Go Joe - Jo
Roar Rookie
This is correct. The TMO initially gave Berry the information needed, Berry was in the process of revising his decision, then ... well, here we are.
Go Joe - Jo
Roar Rookie
Try the personal insults in ALL CAPS for added credibility. Don’t know what you’re talking about with Italy, but neither do you. No where in the laws of the game does it say that the referee must have explicit visual confirmation of the grounding. The referee is there to determine whether the ball has been grounded. Nic Berry was in the process of reaching that conclusion.
Wrecked 'em
Roar Rookie
" ‘See’ doesn’t matter." Omg. Ladies & gents, we have a new leader in why people can have an opinion, but shouldn't express it. So if see doesn't matter, Gibson Park's try against Italy should have stood because Luke Pearce didn't see he lost the ball. Brilliant.
Go Joe - Jo
Roar Rookie
'See' doesn't matter. The referee must simply conclude that a the ball has been grounded for the try to be awarded.
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
Those club demands are France's undoing I think. Still just one Six Nations championship since 2010!
JD Kiwi
Roar Rookie
I'm going to be kind to England - five new caps in the 23 for the first match and nine in total with 11 or fewer. I think that's quite a few amongst all the experience.
Mike88
Roar Rookie
Andrew. I'm in a different timezone so answers might not arrive in the timely fashion you so clearly demand. That said, dial the attitude back a bit. There's no clear shot of the ball touching turf. If you want decisions now being made by presumption and drawn out conclusions I hope the next million of them are made against any team you support.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
The problem with that assertion is that it's clear from the match video that the same Scots player's arm and torso have continuous contact and downward pressure as the ball moves off the boot to the floor beyond the tryline, and for many seconds afterward. Berry was quite right to say he saw 'no try' as he declared he'd only seen the ball on the boot, so must not have seen the movement to the ground from there. However, the TMO did see that, as we all did, from a different angle replay. He even declared as much over the microphone. Seems that once he realised his call was going to settle the match, his convictions changed. That's poor in my book.
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
France is also missing key players, and has also swapped out a layer of coaches. You'd also still have to expect there's quite a hangover in that playing group after their RWC party bombed. Unlike a setup like Ireland's which can wrap many of its returning International players in cotton wool, the French were all straight back into double-digit club games with no time to process. Rare I find myself defending the frogs. Must be a new year ....
Neil Back
Roar Rookie
The 'try or no try' call was recently binned because of complaints it gave too much responsibility to the TMO, rather than the onfield ref. You can see the logic of that, but also that it's still unsatisfactory on occasion. I just wish there could be some sort of common-sense law. The one that says I can't see blades of grass under the ball, but everything else about the movement of it and its final resting place overwhelmingly suggests a try. So it's a try.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
As I said elsewhere I havnt watched that try as yet but I just dont like the rule. A ref doesnt have to see a ball grounded for it to have been grounded so I say let the tmo get it right or wrong. Which pretty much happened in this case anyway but to give you a idea if Berry says "I saw a grounding" the tmo has to award the try. Right or wrong.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
thats what the cricket commentry team reviewed in the last WI test. Even had ex players on the pitch demonstrating it. The laws only refer to the "Top of the stumps" where 50% of the ball has to hit but it makes no reference to the Bails so I can only go off the TV coverage I saw between the Aus and WI teams in Brisbane. "For LBW reviews, the height margin of the Wicket Zone will .. Read more at: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/90348980.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst Ive found conflicting reports in trying to find the truth where some say the bottom of the bails, some say the top of the stumps ( probably a 10mil difference maybe ) and also a recommendation to take it to the top of the bails but at this point Ill take channel 7s experts views until I can find different.
CUW
Roar Rookie
Wales have a new team becoz of retirements and migration. England have a new team becoz its actually now the coach is getting the players he wants - coz he had little time to select for world cup and went with players Eddie had in training Wales are a very young team bar few oldies - skipper is only 21 if recall correct. England is not a young team - its a team of oldies with different but experienced players. for eg Henry Slade is not a young guy - hes an experienced player who was unlucky not to go to world cup . the coach has picked players on form. lot of Tigers in the team coz they are on top of Gallagher premiership - it wasnt the caase when he went to world cup :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
CUW
Roar Rookie
who are the first pics unavailable - aside from Farrell ? dont say that 9 with a long name - Alex is 100 times better than any other 9 in England atm !! has been since 2023 :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
CUW
Roar Rookie
who says bails are not included in the review?? has anyone stated it ? is there a Law on DRS that says bails are not part of the stumps ?? u seem to be making up laws as u go on :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
CUW
Roar Rookie
that is not correct turn of events. NB said he did not have a clear grounding. TMO first says he has a grounding. then he says wait lets look at it again and says no grounding. there was clear grounding from one angle - unfortunately it was also seen by everyone on the stadium screen. the only issue i have is timing - i mean if u keep pushing on the ball which is held up - at one point its gonna touch the ground. not sure why tmo ignored video evidence!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: