A statement victory from England, the most significant since Steve Borthwick began his rebuilding job after the 2023 World Cup. It might not be quite enough to secure a first Six Nations title since 2020, but England are guaranteed second place, with this stunning 10-try victory taking them above Ireland.
All eyes will turn to Paris now, with France needing a victory of any sort to clinch the title, but England could not have done any more. At the final whistle England fans could be heard shouting their support for Scotland. A Scottish victory or draw will had the title to England.
But however this championship concludes, this victory will linger long in the memory. Wales may still just be taking baby steps forward in the post-Warren Gatland era, but they played with vim and vigour only to be brutally outpowered by England.
What impressed most from the England perspective was their attacking game, which has come under fire during periods of this campaign, but in the cauldron of the Principality Stadium, Borthwick’s side bared their teeth, with the back row dominating the breakdown and the whole team attacking with ruthless instinct and accuracy.
The four-try bonus point was secured in the first half, but unlike their high-scoring victory over Italy, England’s intensity and purpose did not fade in the final quarter, but the powered on, with even Under-20s starlet Henry Pollock, crossing for two tries on his debut.
There were red-letter performances across the pitch. But outstanding performance came from Ben Curry, who work-rate and ferocious impact could yet have booked him a place on the Lions tour.
Tom Roebuck looks to the manor born, and Tommy Freeman has also surely booked his place on the Lions tour by crossing for his fifth try of the championship. So too Will Stuart, who powered over for England’s fifth.
Impressively, even with England’s bench selection being stressed by injuries to Ollie Chessum and Freeman, forcing Chandler Cunningham-South to play in the second row for over an hour and Ben Earl switching to the midfield, England would not be denied.
They were simply irresistible, and having had to dogfight their way to narrow victories over France and Scotland, have finally delivered the best version of themselves. Even if they don’t win the title, Andy Farrell’s Lions squad should now feature many England players, and perhaps even the captain in Maro Itoje.
07:21 PM GMT
Your views
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Paul Clements: “Well, I’ve waited 65 long old years to see England destroy Wales like this. It is simply outstanding.”
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Ronnie Dixon: “There are some very proud Englishman tonight.”
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John Llewellyn Thomas: “Totally smashed by a far better team. Congratulations England on an awesome display. For Wales ...back to reality after false euphoria of ‘ revival’. So far away from the top level of rugby that England displayed. Cannot after this see any Welsh Lions.”
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John Wilson: “Even factoring in the Wales issues, that was a really top notch performance. Exciting. Super physical. We have other players to come through too but this group are on the verge of doing something very special if they keep playing with that ambition. Credit to Borthwick - bold selection today and approach and boy it paid off. Huge congrats to Pollock on his debut and to Twindaloos for an amazing performance by them. Not human.”
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Tom Bombadil: “Commiserations to Wales, that was an unbelievably powerful performance from England, almost hitting the levels France can show. England have been playing some really good rugby for the last year and have fallen on the wrong side of tight games, we’re really seeing an evolution now and I really see the team going from strength to strength. Proud Englishman tonight.”
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Steve Britton: “Well done England! I got that completely wrong and thought Wales would present a bigger challenge. Great win, everything went so well. I can seep easy tonight and not wake up frustrated - yep, that really happens.”
07:14 PM GMT
More stats!
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This was the most points conceded by Wales in Cardiff ever. Previous biggest: Wales 23-55 New Zealand - 2022
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This was the first time in Six Nations that Wales have taken back-to-back wooden spoons
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Record-extending 17th defeat in a row for Wales
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This 54-point margin of victory was the largest by any team against Wales in a Home/Five/Six Nations game, overtaking France’s 51-0 win in 1998
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It is the second-most points conceded by Wales ever - their record worst points conceded was the 13-96 loss v South Africa in 1998
07:09 PM GMT
How did today’s game affect your Lions team?
Pick your 37-man Lions squad.
07:09 PM GMT
Matt Dawson on BBC Radio 5 Live
“This performance has been out of this season. I did not see England being able to come together so quickly. We have touched on this group of players being different than others might have been.
“There is not a chance I saw England getting to this level of performance in Cardiff at the end of the Six Nations. If they are going to play like this then they are going to threaten in this competition going forward. They were brutal at times today.”
07:08 PM GMT
Sam Warburton on the BBC
“If you win the power game so convincingly there is nothing the other team can do. This is international rugby, it is a brutal and physical sport and power wins and England completely obliterated Wales.
“They were just physically far superior. There was nothing Wales could do and that was the hardest watch for me, because it just showed the gulf in physicality.”
07:08 PM GMT
Jonathan Davies on the BBC
“You cannot take anything away from England. They were 14 points up in a heartbeat and then they just dominated the game.
“Every mistake that Wales made, they punished them. They have been very clinical, it was a professional job, you cannot ask for any more from England.”
07:07 PM GMT
Stat!
07:07 PM GMT
Final game of the 2025 Six Nations
Over in Paris, France are hosting Scotland knowing they have to win to secure the title. If France fail to win, England will be champions. You can follow all the build-up and live action from that game right here.
07:03 PM GMT
Wales v England player ratings
Which England players earned nines and which Wales player received a three? We have you covered with our player ratings from Cardiff.
07:01 PM GMT
England head coach Steve Borthwick talking to the BBC
“The team has been progressing, this is a young and evolving team. We challenged them to go out and play with the attitude that we wanted to play big and they did exactly that.
“All the fans out there, the England fans, so many of them in Cardiff and they were so loud, probably the loudest I have ever heard them in Cardiff. I’m so happy that they have got plenty to cheer about. I hope they enjoy the night. The RFU gave me no targets. In this job, coaching England it comes with an expectation. I would rather work in a job that has an expectation on it than a team that has no expectations.
“I am delighted I get the privilege of coaching these young group of players. I think this has got the makings of a very good team we just need to keep working at the process.”
06:57 PM GMT
As it stands ahead of France v Scotland
06:55 PM GMT
Tom Roebuck speaking to the BBC
“This was special. It is a special place and stadium. This England group is special, which is the word I would use. Thank you to the fans and we loved today. It was class. We spoke about our forwards getting us on the front foot with physicality, which is something we pride ourselves on. I am buzzing with my first Six Nations cap and try. I cannot put it into words. Every week we want to put on a big performance. We felt that we had the capability of winning well.
“Everyone has seen that Ben [Curry] has not got the plaudits over the years and at Sale we feel Ben is as good as Tom. They are massive for us.”
06:52 PM GMT
The thoughts of Wales captain Jac Morgan
“It was a tough game. We are gutted with the result but full credit to England, they were brilliant today and clinical when they had that ball. You cannot knock the effort of the boys and their commitment in training.
“It will come hopefully and we will get back to work and try to keep on improving. Thanks to the boys for all of their effort over the last few weeks and to the fans who are always coming out to support.
“To be able to play in front of a packed out crowd is something special, we are just disappointed with the result.”
06:50 PM GMT
Stats
This was the biggest win for England in Cardiff: 68-14 - 54 point difference in 2025 Six Nations
Previous record win in Cardiff: 44-15 - 29 points difference in 2001 Six Nations
England’s biggest win over Wales ever was: 62-5 - 57 point different at Twickenham 2007 World Cup Warm-up (three points more than today)
England biggest win over Wales in a Six Nations previously was: England 50-10 Wales - 40 points difference at Twickenham in 2002
06:49 PM GMT
England captain Maro Itoje speaking post-match
“It was a fantastic effort from the team, the English support here in Cardiff was amazing. We have been building towards this, each game we have shown a different side to us, we are just happy to finish it well.
“You have to keep consistent even when results are not going your way. I applaud the team because even when results were not going our way, and there was plenty of outside noise, we kept on being consistent.
“The challenge is to continue to grow, continue to get better even when we get scrutiny. Let’s just stay consistent.”
06:44 PM GMT
The thoughts of man of the match Ben Curry
“This team has been through a lot, I am really happy for everyone involved. It is an unbelievable feeling to be able to give that to not just ourselves, each other but to the fans as well.
“This is what you dream of. I love being part of this team. I have not had too many opportunities in the last two years, but I have loved coming into camp, I have loved this team. Even the lads who are not playing are helping the lads in the week, it is a proper team effort, I feel we are building something special.
“He [Henry Pollock] is a great player, a great lad. He has a lot of energy, I have loved the energy he has brought the last few weeks, he is going to be great.”
06:40 PM GMT
Full time
10 tries for England and they have absolutely destroyed Wales, who have now lost 17 straight Test matches. England win 68-14. Now it is over to France, who have to beat Scotland later to claim the Six Nations title. If France lose or draw, England will be champions. It is back-to-back wooden spoons for Wales, as they become the first Tier One nation to lose 17 straight matches.
06:39 PM GMT
TRY! Cunningham-South completes rout
What a day it has been for England and it ends as it started with England completely dominating. England attack from the scrum on halfway and it finishes with Cunningham-South smashing his way over from close range for his second of the game. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot rings around the Principality Stadium. M Smith lands the conversion.
06:37 PM GMT
80 mins: Wales 14 England 61
The kick-off from Wales does not go 10 and, despite the clock being in the red, we have to resume with a scrum rather than it being full time.
06:36 PM GMT
TRY! Pollock doubles up
Yet another try for England and once again it is a Ford assist for a Pollock try. Ford spots Pollock inside him running a great line and the offload is timed to perfection, which allows Pollock to race through to score his second on his debut. M Smith gets the conversion and England pass 60 points.
06:35 PM GMT
78 mins: Wales 14 England 54
Ford sends a long pass out to the right wing to his Sale teammate Roebuck who powers his way into the Wales 22...
06:33 PM GMT
TRY! B Thomas adds his second
Wales do not need the penalty advantages as B Thomas is sent through a gap close to the line like he was in the first half and goes over untouched. The conversion is landed.
06:33 PM GMT
76 mins: Wales 7 England 54
The Welsh maul creeps closer and closer to the England line and, five metres out, they send it out into the backs. Wales earn multiple penalty advantages...
06:31 PM GMT
75 mins: Wales 7 England 54
Cunningham-South is penalised for making contact in the air at the Welsh lineout and the hosts kick into the England 22.
06:29 PM GMT
73 mins: Wales 7 England 54
England’s back row has been immense. Ben Earl has won three turnovers in the first half and the Curry brothers have both made compelling cases to both be included in the Lions squad. Ben Curry has had to operate in the shadow of his twin brother for much of his career, but today he has been the star performer.
06:26 PM GMT
TRY! Heyes takes England past 50
What a performance and what a day this is for England. Willis is brought down just shy of the line and he offloads brilliantly off the ground to Heyes, who stretches out to score. M Smith gets the conversion and England are now up to 54 points. 54!
06:25 PM GMT
69 mins: Wales 7 England 47
England are enjoying themselves and why would they not. They are in possession once again inside the Welsh 22...
06:24 PM GMT
68 mins: Wales 7 England 47
Van Poortvliet is on for Mitchell at scrum-half for England.
England are threatening to demolish all kinds of records here. Now 47-7 clear, they have just passed their previous best points haul in Cardiff of 44, set in 2001.
06:23 PM GMT
TRY! Pollock in on debut after sublime Ford pass
What a great moment for debutant Pollock and he will owe Ford a beer for that assist. England have a penalty advantage and come down the right. Ford swings a sensational flat, fast pass at the line out to Pollock, who goes over for his first international try. The conversion is landed and England are just three points shy of 50.
Of course he had to score. Henry Pollock has forced his way into the England squad by his force of nature via the Under-20s, and he caps his debut with a try, finishing off a gorgeous pass by Ford after England had mauled hard, and hit up twice in the midfield.
06:21 PM GMT
65 mins: Wales 7 England 40
An early drive from Wales gives England a penalty advantage, which they cannot use so we go back for it. England will have the penalty five metres out. Back into the corner they go.
06:20 PM GMT
64 mins: Wales 7 England 40
England have it inside the Wales 22 and win a penalty as there was no clear release just over five metres out from the Welsh line. England go to the corner as they make another change with Baxter replacing Genge.
06:19 PM GMT
63 mins: Wales 7 England 40
Wales did have possession inside the England 22 but they are driven back by the visitors defence. England end up winning a penalty at the breakdown, with Itoje the man to win it.
06:17 PM GMT
61 mins: Wales 7 England 40
06:15 PM GMT
59 mins: Wales 7 England 40
Wales push England back, which leads to Ford sending up a high kick into the Welsh 22. Roebuck shows just how good he is in the air as he wins the aerial contest but England then knock the ball on.
B Curry comes off after a terrific performance and is replaced by Willis.
As a Sale man goes off, the camera pans into the stands where Curry’s club teammate Rob du Preez, Sale defence coach Byron McGuigan and Sale co-owner Simon Orange are sat enjoying themselves. There were four Sale players in the England starting XV and one on the bench in Ford. WillGriff John started for Wales as well so plenty of Sale representation in this game.
06:13 PM GMT
57 mins: Wales 7 England 40
More great work from B Curry at the breakdown as he wins England a penalty on halfway. The Curry twins have been excellent again today. Ford is on for England on what is his 99th cap.
England have a lineout on the Wales 22.
Once again England benefit from a ball rebounding off a head, with this time Elliot Daly taking the hit, his assist allowing Alex Mitchell to pounce and race over for England’s sixth try after 15 minutes of Wales pressure. This could become a procession now. England turn the screw by bringing on George Ford for Fin Smith.
06:11 PM GMT
TRY! Mitchell scores England’s sixth
Wales have possession on halfway but a pass comes off Daly’s head as he went in for the tackle. The ball comes loose and Mitchell kicks ahead for England. He gathers the kick and runs over for England’s sixth try of the day. The conversion is successful and England hit 40 points.
06:09 PM GMT
54 mins: Wales 7 England 33
G Thomas is only just on but he has already conceded a penalty for charging into a ruck with no arms inside the England 22. Murray does well though to keep the ball in play to prevent an England lineout.
06:07 PM GMT
52 mins: Wales 7 England 33
Double change in the pack for Wales as G Thomas and Reffell replace N Smith and Faletau.
Wales have had more possession in this second half but so far the England defence is standing up.
06:04 PM GMT
50 mins: Wales 7 England 33
An England debut for Pollock, who replaces his Northampton teammate Freeman, who has limped off. That means Earl has shifted into the backs. The camera pans to his family in the stands and what a moment it is for the Pollock clan.
Injuries have not gone Borthwick’s way. Now Tommy Freeman has limped off, with Ben Earl now having to play in the final 30 minutes in the midfield. But intriguing it provides the opportunity to bring Henry Pollock on for his debut. Here we go.
06:02 PM GMT
49 mins: Wales 7 England 33
Wales have brought on J Evans and T Williams.
They get closer and closer to the England line. They get it through the hands out to the left and Mee offloads from the ground just a couple of metres from the England line but the pass is dropped by a combination of Llewellyn and Wainwright. Wales butchered that chance and they should have scored.
Pressure from Wales at the start of the second half as they attempt to claw their way back into the contest. What must Blair Murry do to score? Once again he comes agonisingly close to a try after Alex Mitchell drops a high ball from the Wales full-back. Murray chipped ahead but Fraser Dingwall was on hand to touch down as the Wales full-back slipped as the ball crossed the line. And somehow Wales manage to blow a three-on-one opportunity as Ellis Mee looks for contact but his offload is knocked on by Aaron Wainwright.
06:00 PM GMT
47 mins: Wales 7 England 33
England have made two changes in the front-row as George and Heyes replace Cowan-Dickie and Stuart.
Wales are awarded a penalty with Itoje the man at fault for collapsing the maul. Wales kick into the England 22.
05:59 PM GMT
46 mins: Wales 7 England 33
The scrum is stable and Llewellyn runs a great line. He is brought down just a few metre shy but B Curry steps in with a stunning intervention at the breakdown as he steals the ball brilliantly to allow England to clear. That is possibly as important as scoring a try with him preventing a Wales one.
05:57 PM GMT
45 mins: Wales 7 England 33
England are very lucky! Mitchell makes a mess of catching a high ball under no pressure inside his own half. Murray then hacks ahead and there is a foot race between Murray and Dingwall to the ball rolling towards the line. The ball comes off a diving Dingwall and M Smith dots down behind his own line so Wales will have a five-metre scrum.
05:52 PM GMT
42 mins: Wales 7 England 33
That is exactly what England did not need to do at the start of the second half. They fail to clear their lines from the kick-off and Itoje concedes a penalty for a neck roll. Wales kick into the corner but Itoje makes up for his mistake by disrupting the lineout and winning England a scrum, which sees the visitors win a penalty to allow them to move up the pitch.
England audibly cheered back out onto the pitch for the second period. At the Principality Stadium. That’s a reflection on how many Wales fans are still in the bars, but I think also how well they’ve gone in that first period… and don’t I feel silly now. Maro Itoje ships a penalty within seconds.
05:51 PM GMT
Second half
We are back under way at the Principality Stadium. Will England complete the job to put all the pressure on France later or can Wales stage a dramatic comeback to end their 16-match losing run?
Wales have made a double change at the break as Lake and Assiratti are on in the front-row for Dee and John.
05:47 PM GMT
Sam Warburton on the BBC
“In a nutshell England have just physically dominated Wales. Wales are just struggling to go forward, it does not feel like they are making inroads when they get the ball.
“When England get the ball they are so powerful, if it is not at scrum time or maul time, it is their carrying and we know they have the athletes to do that.
“That is why England have stayed in games throughout the Six Nations because they can always rely on that physical dominance.
05:44 PM GMT
Today’s final round fixtures
Italy 17-22 Ireland
Wales 7-33 England HT
France vs Scotland 8pm
05:42 PM GMT
HT verdict
A brilliant and clinical first half by England. The contest has been gloriously loose, but has been defined by England’s utter ruthlessness, scoring five tries from just six visits into the Welsh 22.
Steve Borthwick could not have hoped for a more productive first-half, with the four-try bonus point already secured. If England go on to win the game, as they should, it will guarantee England a second-place finish in the Six Nations, their best finish since their title triumph in 2020.
So far not even the setback of losing Ollie Chessum after just 18 minutes – with England having no recognised second row cover on the bench – has disrupted their procession.
Wales have had their moments, with Blair Murray denied a try by the television match official because of a knock-on, and Ben Thomas crossed for a try to bring the atmosphere back to life after England had eased themselves into a 14-0 lead with tries by Maro Itoje and Tom Roebuck, on his first England start.
But otherwise England have been in complete control, delivering their most impressive 40 minutes of the championship. The passing has been crisp and accurate, Tom Roebuck looks to the manor born, and Tommy Freeman has booked his place on the Lions tour by crossing for his fifth try of the championship. So too Will Stuart, who powered over for England’s fifth. His set piece work has been outstanding in this championship, but critically he has also stepped up his loose play. If England push on, we could be on for a record-breaking display and one that will turn the heat on France.
05:37 PM GMT
Stat!
05:36 PM GMT
Half time
That brings an end to a brilliant half of rugby for England. They lead 7-33 at the break.
05:33 PM GMT
TRY! Stuart over on his 50th cap
England make it five tries in this first half but we need to make sure there was no knock-on the build-up. At the ruck just before Stuart scored Itoje did go down to try and pick up the ball but ended up not picking it up. It appears it did not go forward so the try stands. A great moment for Stuart on his 50th cap to cap off a brilliant first half for England. F Smith misses the conversion.
05:31 PM GMT
TRY! Cunningham-South secures England’s bonus point
England have their fourth try and we are not even at half time yet. They continue to powerfully carry through Welsh tackles and get closer and closer to the line before finally Cunningham-South smashes his way over. F Smith gets the kick and England lead by 21 points just over a minute before the break.
Punchy response by England, who make hay from a sloppy restart by Wales. Tommy Freeman has completed his own personal grand slam. He has now scored a try in all five matches, a first, and a personal achievement that has almost certainly secured his place in the Lions squad. And just before half-time, Cunningham-South powers over for the bonus-point try.
05:30 PM GMT
37 mins: Wales 7 England 21
Wales go off their feet at the breakdown in possession and England win a penalty on their 10-metre line. England get their rolling maul going into the Wales 22 and have a penalty advantage...
05:28 PM GMT
TRY! Freeman over for England’s third
A series of neat offloads leads to F Smith sending his Northampton teammate Freeman through a gap and he goes over untouched to score England’s third try. F Smith gets the conversion and England’s lead is back up to 14 points.
Tommy Freeman is only the second player, after France’s Philippe Bernat-Salles 24 years ago, to score a try for his country in every round of the Six Nations. An understated superstar.
05:27 PM GMT
33 mins: Wales 7 England 14
The hosts make a mess of receiving the kick-off and England have it deep in the Wales 22. Roebuck is found with a crossfield kick on the right wing and England are closing in on the Welsh line...
05:23 PM GMT
TRY! B Thomas over for Wales’ first
Wales have multiple penalty advantages but they do not need it. They are so close to the England line and a great pass from T Williams puts B Thomas through a gap to score. The TMO did quickly check something but it is all good. Anscombe lands an easy conversion and England’s lead is cut to seven points.
Just as the atmosphere had gone flat, Wales strike. It was imperative that the home side scored next and an effective driving maul from a line-out and hard carries finally generated front-foot ball in England’s 22. Tomos Williams’s flat pass puts Ben Thomas over. Game on.
05:22 PM GMT
29 mins: Wales 0 England 14
Mitchell is penalised for deliberately knocking the ball down so Wales have a penalty just inside their own half, which they send towards the England 22.
Earl is then penalised for not rolling away on the edge of the England 22. That feels slightly harsh but referee Nick Berry believes Earl could have moved faster.
Wales turn down the chance at three point and Anscombe sends them within five metres of the England line.
05:20 PM GMT
27 mins: Wales 0 England 14
England attack down their left inside their own half but the ball goes to ground. Mee then hacks ahead into the England 22 but the ball dribbles into touch. Had that stayed in England would have been in trouble.
05:16 PM GMT
24 mins: Wales 0 England 14
Wales are awarded a penalty just inside the England half and they kick towards the corner but the kick goes dead, which is a huge let-off for England and a massive waste by Wales.
05:14 PM GMT
23 mins: Wales 0 England 14
That was crucial from Cowan-Dickie. Murray chips ahead and gathers the bouncing ball inside the England half. He looked destined to run in all the way for the try but the England hooker pulls a terrific tap-tackle that denied a certain try. England then gather possession and can clear their lines.
A stunning tap-tackle by Luke Cowan-Dickie to prevent a try-scoring opportunity for Blair Murray, who looked in the clear after gathering his own chip ahead. It should be a warning sign to England that Wales are at their most dangerous when counter-attacking in broken field play.
05:13 PM GMT
22 mins: Wales 0 England 14
England have been really up for this so far and been very physical. This is pretty much the exact start Steve Borthwick would have been looking for, apart from the Chessum injury.
05:09 PM GMT
18 mins: Wales 0 England 14
England are being forced into a change as Chessum is heading off. Cunningham-South is coming on for him but this will be a test for the Harlequins man as he will have to play in the second row when he is a back-row by trade. That is the risk of not picking an out-and-out lock on the bench.
Even at 14-0 ahead, that could be a huge blow for England. We are going to have 62 minutes of Chandler Cunningham-South at lock. He has had one senior start in that position in his entire career, for London Irish against Leicester Tigers in the Premiership Cup three years ago. Wow.
A huge blow for England. Ollie Chessum limps off after just 18 minutes, just after he had stolen a Wales line-out. Steve Borthwick has stacked his bench with six forwards but three of them are back row forwards. So Chandler Cunningham-South is going to have to put a significant shift in as cover.
05:05 PM GMT
16 mins: Wales 0 England 14
05:02 PM GMT
13 mins: Wales 0 England 14
Itoje impedes Rowlands in the air at a lineout on halfway, gifting Wales a penalty. They kick into the England 22. England’s defensive set is strong and they hold up Wales, winning themselves a scrum.
04:59 PM GMT
TRY! Roebuck finishes brilliantly in the corner
England have a penalty advantage but they do not need it. They come down the right and F Smith loops a terrific pass out to the right wing into the hands of Roebuck, who shows great strength and power to push through the tackle and dot down brilliantly in the corner. F Smith nails the conversion and England already lead by 14 points.
Sumptuous pass from Fin Smith and a powerful finish from Tom Roebuck – thanks in part to some pretty passive Wales defence – but that first-phase carry from Elliot Daly really punched a hole. England’s versatile veteran is having a really strong tournament.
A huge couple of minutes for England. Blair Murray sees a try ruled out by the television match official and from the scrum, England win the penalty and a brilliant long pass by Fin Smith to Tom Roebuck gives the Sale wing the opportunity to use his strength to barge through Murray and score a try on his first start. England have been ruthless and are halfway already to the bonus point that can secure second place in the table.
04:58 PM GMT
9 mins: Wales 0 England 7
Wales have the feed at the scrum but England win the penalty just inside the Wales half. Again England kick into the Welsh 22 and it is a decent kick once more from F Smith.
From that earlier scrum free-kick, Marcus Smith called Tom Roebuck into the full-back slot and Tommy Freeman shifted out to the right wing. Fluid back-field coverage from England, and pretty clever.
04:57 PM GMT
NO TRY!
There is no knock-on from Murray as the ball came off his head from the high kick. However the question now is whether T Williams influences T Curry from an offside position when the England flanker was trying to gather the loose ball before Murray pounced on the loose ball. Initially it appears the TMO is happy to give the try but in the end sense prevails as T Williams affected play when he was ahead of Murray. The try is correctly chalked off.
04:54 PM GMT
TRY! Murray races over after ball falls loose
Have Wales responded quickly? The ball falls loose as the ball hit the ground from a high kick and Murray races 40 metres to score. The TMO will check...
04:51 PM GMT
5 mins: Wales 0 England 7
Superb work from Earl. Wales have possession not far outside the England 22 but Earl gets over the ball brilliantly and the Welsh players are unable to clear him out so England are awarded a penalty.
04:48 PM GMT
TRY! Itoje over from close range
England are over for the first try of the game inside three minutes. Itoje caught the lineout throw from Cowan-Dickie and then the ball is released to T Curry, who is brought down just a couple of metres shy after a phsyical carry. Itoje then burrows his way over from close range and that is the perfect start for the visitors. F Smith nails the conversion and England have a seven-point lead.
Very assured start from England, there. A brisk kick-return from Marcus Smith is followed by a deft cross-kick from Fin Smith to Tom Roebuck before some flinty carrying close to the ruck earns a penalty. Then a shrewd peel and Maro Itoje’s opportunism is enough to open the scoring. What a way to quieten a quite monumental rendition of Hen Wld Fy Nhadau.
Incredible atmosphere here at the Principality. Remarkable testament to the Welsh support, given how tough the championship has gone for them. But it is England who strike first, with Maro Itoje grounding after a line-out move. England needed a quick start to silence this crowd, and that is the perfect start.
04:48 PM GMT
2 mins: Wales 0 England 0
England have a very early penalty as Wales are caught offside just inside their own half. F Smith is not going to go for goal, instead kicking deep into the Welsh 22. That is a great kick from F Smith and England have a lineout five metres out...
04:45 PM GMT
Kick-off
We are under way at the Principality Stadium, with the Prince and Princess of Wales in attendance. Can England keep their title hopes alive or will Wales end their 16-match losing run?
04:39 PM GMT
Anthem time
Before the players come out, the crowd are treated to a lights show to continue to build the atmosphere.
Both sides emerge from the tunnel at the Principality Stadium, with England led out by Will Stuart on his 50th cap. Before the anthems, we pause for a moment’s silence to remember the victims of the Llandow air disaster on 12 March 1950.
Now it is time for the national anthems. “God Save The King” followed by “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau”.
A sombre moment as Wales mark the 75th anniversary of the Llandow air disaster, in which a plane full of rugby fans crashed in a tiny south Wales village, killing 80 of the 83 on board. Not the best time, all told, for seemingly oblivious England supporters to break into their first mass rendition of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.
04:34 PM GMT
Reminder of the teams
Wales starting XV: Murray; Mee, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Roberts; Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Smith, Dee, John, Rowlands, Jenkins, Wainwright, Morgan (captain), Faletau.
Replacements: Lake, G Thomas, Assiratti, Teddy Williams, Reffell, R Williams, J Evans, Tompkins.
England starting XV: M Smith; Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Daly; F Smith, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Itoje (captain), Chessum, T Curry, B Curry, Earl.
Replacements: George, Baxter, Heyes, Cunningham-South, Pollock, Willis, Van Poortvliet, Ford.
04:32 PM GMT
Atmosphere inside the Principality Stadium
I know that Maro Itoje was pretty punchy about the atmosphere on Thursday evening, insisting that he will not be intimidated by it, but the volume in here is already very high and it is difficult to foresee a game in which Wales do not enjoy some sort of purple patch. England’s response, with a somewhat funky line-up, will be fascinating.
04:30 PM GMT
England gearing up
04:25 PM GMT
Six Nations agree new free-to-air deal – with no England games on BBC
The Six Nations will remain on free-to-air for the next four years after a landmark deal was struck that means the BBC will no longer show England games, Telegraph Sport understands.
ITV will show all of England’s games under the new deal, making Saturday’s match between Wales and England the last shown on BBC until at least 2030.
The deal, which is said to represent a significant uplift to the existing one of £90 million over four years, will give ITV 10 games per Championship with the BBC showing the remaining five games. This will include Wales and Scotland home games as long as England are not involved.
Our chief rugby union correspondent Gavin Mairs has the full story.
04:18 PM GMT
How things stand with two games in the tournament left
04:15 PM GMT
Chef fuelling England rugby team is viral sensation of Six Nations
There is something for everyone at breakfast in England’s training base at Pennyhill Park. From 6.30am, the players are treated to a smorgasbord of breakfast bliss. A hot buffet including scrambled and poached eggs sits beside smoked salmon, avocado, granola and overnight oats. There are homemade breads, from the hotel’s Michelin-starred kitchen and bakery, as well as fresh fruit, juices, smoothies, health shots and homemade porridge. The daily special, on the day of my visit, is a crispy potato hash with chorizo and red peppers.
The pièce de résistance of the early-morning service, however, is the omelette station, overseen by Thomas Kirby, England’s full-time head chef. Kirby, who was head chef of Pennyhill Park itself before taking on a full-time role with the Rugby Football Union during Covid, has developed into an unlikely social-media sensation during this year’s Six Nations, with fans ravenous to hear more from a member of the backroom staff whose likeability and charm is matched by a passion and knowledge of his art. The chef’s content is among England’s most viewed on social media.
Charles Richardson has all the details.
04:10 PM GMT
Pollock has the swagger England need
The prospect of an England rookie making a Test debut in Cardiff turns thoughts to the chastening experience of Mathew Tait some 20 years ago.
It was that evening that Gavin Henson bent a tense game to his will, setting Wales on course for their first Grand Slam since 1978. He man-handled Tait in two brawny tackles before kicking the decisive points. Tait, then 19, was promptly dropped in what felt like a clumsy piece of man management.
Henry Pollock is another prodigious talent. But just as intriguing as the back-rower’s pace, deceptive power, handling skills and breakdown spoiling, is his persona. The 20-year-old possesses an unmistakable swagger that has accompanied his inexorable rise through the senior ranks over the past 12 months.
Our senior rugby writer Charlie Morgan takes a look at the 20-year-old who is set to make his debut off the bench for England.
04:05 PM GMT
Have your say
04:01 PM GMT
‘Speed wins’ according to Ben Earl
Ben Earl, one of England’s best talkers with the media, gave an interesting answer to a question this week around the shift in back-row selections to more athletic trios as opposed to selecting a bulkier blindside flanker to dominate the line-out.
“The thing you are seeing around the park is speed wins,” noted Earl. “France is the classic case, [Louis] Bielle-Biarrey is the quickest person I have seen play the game and every time he gets the ball he can make something happen.
“Speed seems to be more of a priority to some teams than others but for us, we are talking a lot about moving the ball, being aggressive, outworking teams. The players we have got buy into that.”
For more, click here.
03:58 PM GMT
Hosts arriving
03:55 PM GMT
England’s 2013 Six Nations disaster – by the players involved
Time, it turns out, does not heal all wounds in rugby. The 30-3 thumping England suffered against Wales 12 years ago still resonates. It remains impossible to think about that day without recalling the beaming face of Jonathan ‘Jiffy’ Davies as part of the BBC’s pundit line-up, standing next to a stunned Sir Clive Woodward and Jeremy Guscott.
“It was awful, a massive regret,” admits James Haskell. Has there been a more disastrous 50th cap celebration for an England player than Haskell on that day? He admits to hoping Stuart Lancaster, the England head coach, would leave him on the bench. Instead he had 10 minutes (in which he gave away a penalty).
England were aiming to win a first Grand Slam since 2003, while Wales, defending champions from the previous year, were defeated by Ireland on the opening weekend at home and were not wholly convincing in their following three wins over France (16-6), Italy (26-9) and Scotland (28-18). So England entered the Cardiff bearpit as favourites, despite a couple of unspectacular wins themselves over France and Italy. And then from the first whistle to the last, Wales were dominant.
Ben Coles has all the details.
03:52 PM GMT
England taking in their surroundings
03:50 PM GMT
The thoughts pre-match of England lock Ollie Chessum
“It is a tough place to go. The hostility - there is nothing quite like it from an English perspective,” Chessum said. “We were there for two days prior to the game [in 2023] and everywhere the bus goes, abuse seems to follow.
“When you arrive in Cardiff on the day of the game, that last half-mile stretch is just packed with fans. There are a few English dotted around and you can hear them, but the abuse from the Welsh fans is something that will live long in the memory.
“You look out the bus window and you will see a young lad with his old man and he will give his dad a tap. His dad gives him the approval, they turn around and they both give you the middle finger. I enjoy it. It revs you up a little bit. For me, it’s probably the best away day as a player you can have.”
03:46 PM GMT
‘You can’t frame the No 23 shirt, really’: Tom Roebuck on long-awaited first England start
Tom Roebuck is discussing the art of winning high balls. There is the way you track the ball with your eyes as well as the dedicated gym programme he is given at Sale Sharks to improve his explosive jumping power.
Then there are all the conversations he will have around the Sale training ground with George Ford so that Roebuck, who starts his first England Test against Wales on Saturday, will recognise the subtlest of cues that the fly-half is about to launch a high bomb. Yet for the technical and physical work the 6ft 2in winger spends on honing these fine details, winning a high ball is fundamentally a mental test.
When you are launching yourself several feet into the air with no crash mat to cushion your fall, it is often a case of who blinks first. The slightest flinch can result in losing a 50-50. So Roebuck, who sets himself a target of winning between four or six high balls through slapbacks or clean catches, needs to get himself in the right mental state before the game. And that means going to war.
“There’s the element of the skill and the practice of it making sure your body’s in the right position, but a lot of it is who wants it more,” Roebuck tells Telegraph Sport. “You might see a lot of lads who jump a bit hesitantly and you know they are not getting the ball back. You understand you may run into someone, you may get clattered in the air and come down a bit worse for wear, but you have to relish that side of the game and get yourself in that mental position where you are going to war.
For more on this, click here.
03:41 PM GMT
Got a question for James Haskell and Mike Tindall?
Ask it here and come back on Monday lunchtime for the answer.
03:36 PM GMT
Wales can lose every game and avoid wooden spoon ignominy – it is madness
It is ridiculously boneheaded that the Six Nations has allowed it to get this far. No doubt, Wales’s focus will be solely on beating their nearest and dearest in Cardiff on Saturday, but it is bizarre and wrong that there could be a back route for the Dragons to avoid retaining the wooden spoon – even if they are defeated by England.
Should Matt Sherratt’s men repeat their performance at Murrayfield last weekend, when they picked up their 16th defeat in a row but still left Scotland with two losing bonus-points, courtesy of four tries and finishing within a score of the victors, then all it would have taken is for Ireland to have earlier justified the odds and prevailed comfortably in Rome and it would be Italy who finish bottom of the Six Nations table.
Indeed, Wales might even trot out on to that Principality Stadium pitch aware that they could side-step the ignominy with only one bonus-point. What a farce that would be. They would have lost all five games, including, of course against Italy, and yet they would be deemed to be the fifth best team in the tournament.
03:32 PM GMT
Darth Vader and his crew
03:26 PM GMT
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03:20 PM GMT
Secrets of Itoje’s captaincy
From one England captain to another. Maro Itoje sent a long video message to Colin McFadyean on Tuesday. McFadyean knows what it is like to lead England against Wales, having done so in the 11-11 draw at Twickenham in January 1968, when he scored the last of his four tries for his country. The former Moseley centre and wing won 11 caps in total between 1966 and 1968, and toured with the British and Irish Lions to Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Now he spends his time in a Bristol care home called Badminton Place. When his family reached out to England ahead of McFadyean’s 82nd birthday on Tuesday, Itoje had no hesitation, recording the footage just the day after England’s victory over Italy last Sunday. For Itoje, the responsibilities of the England captaincy extend way beyond the 80 minutes, and that includes reconnecting with the past as well as engaging for the future.
The line of service runs not just from player to player. When Itoje took over the captaincy from Jamie George in January, one of his innovations was to establish a weekly presentation which he called ‘My Rose’. Every Wednesday night, a player and member of the backroom team is nominated to give a short talk about themselves to the group.
For more from our chief rugby union correspondent Gavin Mairs, click here.
03:16 PM GMT
Today’s final round fixtures
Italy 10-12 Ireland HT
Wales vs England 4.45pm
France vs Scotland 8pm
03:11 PM GMT
Six Nations Super Saturday predictions
Italy 14 Ireland 52
How Simon Easterby would have loved to have fielded the side that is available to him in Rome against France last week. With James Lowe, Mack Hansen and Garry Ringrose restored to the back line, and a first appearance on the bench of Tadgh Furlong, expect Ireland to finish their campaign with a bang to ease the disappointment of their humbling by France and put some title pressure on England and Les Bleus. The fascinating subplot will be how Jack Crowley grabs hold of the game, with his first start of the championship.
Wales 15 England 40
Wales will hope for a rousing finish to another tough campaign against the old enemy and it should make for a fantastic atmosphere, but I expect England to push on from their display against Italy and the specific target of needing four tries should sharpen minds and free up their attacking intent.
France 28 Scotland 30
Gregor Townsend knows what it takes to win in Paris, and talk of France’s procession to the Six Nations title will no doubt have fired up the Scotland players, as it famously did in 2021 when they needed a bonus-point win to pip Wales. Scotland won 27-23 and they should also have beaten France at Murrayfield last year only for the match officials somehow to rule that Sam Skinner had not scored with the final play of the game. It will take a monumental effort, but Scotland have the back line to cause France problems in the wide channels, in the scenario that France struggle to replicate the intensity of their display against Ireland.
Which of our writers thinks this is how today will unfold? You can find out right here with our experts’ predictions.
03:06 PM GMT
Team news
England make four changes to their side from the victory over Italy last time out. Marcus Smith comes back into the starting XV at full-back, with Elliot Daly moving from 15 to the wing. Tommy Freeman moves from the wing into the centres with Ollie Lawrence injured. Tom Roebuck comes onto the wing for his first Test start in place of Ollie Sleightholme. Luke Cowan-Dickie replaces Jamie George at hooker and Ben Curry comes into the starting XV in the back-row in place of Tom Willis, who drops to the bench. George Ford is in the matchday squad for the first time in this Six Nations and could make his 99th appearance if he comes off the bench. 20-year-old Henry Pollock is set to make his senior debut off the bench.
England starting XV: M Smith; Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Daly; F Smith, Mitchell; Genge, Cowan-Dickie, Stuart, Itoje (captain), Chessum, T Curry, B Curry, Earl.
Replacements: George, Baxter, Heyes, Cunningham-South, Pollock, Willis, Van Poortvliet, Ford.
Wales have made two changes to their starting XV. Centre Joe Roberts and back-row Aaron Wainwright come in for the injured Tom Rogers and Tommy Reffell. This will be Roberts’ first professional start on the wing.
Wales starting XV: Murray; Mee, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Roberts; Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Smith, Dee, John, Rowlands, Jenkins, Wainwright, Morgan (captain), Faletau.
Replacements: Lake, G Thomas, Assiratti, Teddy Williams, Reffell, R Williams, J Evans, Tompkins.
03:00 PM GMT
Anglo-Welsh rivalries renewed
The final round of the 2025 Six Nations is upon us and there is still so much to play for on the final day. Steve Borthwick’s England travel across the Severn Bridge to Cardiff to take on Wales at the Principality Stadium. England, who have won nine of their last 11 Six Nations meetings with Wales, go into the final matchday one point behind current leaders France, who play in the final game of the tournament tonight at home against Scotland and a bonus-point win for England will put all the pressure on the French. Borthwick is anticipating an electric atmosphere in Cardiff and wants to see his team play quick rugby.
“Our aspiration is to win the tournament, that has always been the target and that has not changed. The team is really clear on what we need to do to put ourselves in that position,” said Borthwick.
“We want to do it by playing fast and getting the ball to our players with strength, pace and athleticism. That is exactly how we want to play this weekend. We are excited to face Wales at the Principality Stadium, one of the most iconic venues in rugby. The atmosphere will be electric, and we know we will need to be at our very best to get the result we are aiming for.”
Wales are sat bottom of the table going into the final round, one point behind Italy, who are currently playing Ireland, and hope to avoid finishing last for the second straight year. They have now not won a Test match since October 2023, which came against Georgia during the World Cup group stages, which makes it a run of 16 straight Test defeats and 10 consecutive Six Nations losses. It has been a chaotic period off the field as well with Warren Gatland departing mid-tournament after the defeat to Italy last month and Matt Sherratt taking interim charge. They are currently on a run of eight straight home defeats and are bidding to avoid a clean sweep of defeats in successive tournaments for the first time in their history. Ahead of the game, Sherratt has stressed the importance of balancing emotion and calmness when facing old foes.
“There will be emotion. It is getting that balance between heart and brain. There will be stacks of heart. We need to get our game on the pitch. If that win comes, it would give everyone a massive lift, especially against England at home.
“Everything has been leading up to Saturday [today]. It will not need an emotional build-up. It is about not overloading them mentally, as that will take away some of their energy. Then it is how much time we actually need on the pitch. Emotionally, they will be there but it is important physically as well that they have got bags of energy in their legs.”
Kick-off in Cardiff is at 4.45pm.
