Six Nations: England 12-19 Wales

 

Wales seized their 20th Triple Crown in dramatic fashion after a hugely controversial ending to a gripping contest at Twickenham.

 

Scott Williams' brilliant steal, kick-ahead and try with five minutes remaining put Wales ahead for the first time after four penalties apiece from Owen Farrell and Leigh Halfpenny had the teams locked together at 12-12.

 

With time up, replacement Mike Brown put David Strettle over on the right but after several minutes of deliberation, television match official Iain Ramage ruled the winger had failed to ground the ball.

 

It means Wales now have the Grand Slam in their sights and handed England interim coach Stuart Lancaster his first defeat in charge.

 

Seven of England's starting XV had never played at Twickenham before but their performance belied that lack of international inexperience.

 

 

With Farrell pulling the strings, scrum-half Lee Dickson impressive on his first full cap and the defence rock solid, this was the best display of Lancaster's reign so far.

 

But Wales, despite losing Rhys Priestland to the sin-bin and struggling to replicate the fluid rugby of earlier in the month, did what all top teams do and found a way to win.

 

If it was a frantic finale, it was also a breathless start, Sam Warburton feeding Mike Phillips off the top of a line-out and the scrum-half sending George North away with a cute inside pass.

 

North seemed certain to score but was brought crashing down by a desperate full-length tap-tackle from Strettle. When the ball was recycled, Priestland put a kick just too far ahead of Alex Cuthbert.

 

Wales had three-quarters of the possession and almost as much territory in the first quarter, and although Strettle nearly picked off a poor Alun Wyn Jones pass for an intercept, the Welsh forwards then launched a series of rumbles deep in English territory.

 

Halfpenny missed a simple penalty chance after his pack made a mess of the English scrum, and when Dickson went on a dart after a tap-and-go, England finally made inroads

 

Manu Tuilagi hammered dents in the red defence and Farrell made it 3-0, only for Halfpenny to level things up after Chris Robshaw took a pass standing still and was smashed by Dan Lydiate.

 

Dickson's quick pass and Tuilagi's power were lifting England's backline. It took a desperate tackle from Warburton to deny England's outside centre but Farrell made it 6-3 when other defenders went offside.

 

Farrell then chipped over the onrushing Welsh defence and gathered in space only to be clattered backwards by the monstrous North, and Halfpenny landed his second penalty from distance for 6-6.

 

The game was being played at a ferocious pace, the intensity relentless and the atmosphere crackling. Farrell's third successful kick from the left touchline came after an England turnover in the Welsh 22 and meant Lancaster's young side led at the interval.

 

Within four minutes of the restart the game turned again. Mouritz Botha charged down Priestland's attempted clearance and looked odds-on to secure England's third charge-down try in three matches. And although Halfpenny scragged him, Priestland then went off-side and found himself sin-binned.

 

Farrell knocked over another nerveless penalty to extend the lead to six points and the choruses of "Swing Low" rippled around the packed stands.

 

Wales went through phases after phases but England's defence initially held firm against the 14 men until Jonathan Davies thumped into Farrell, Ken Owens barrelled on and Dylan Hartley went off his feet to allow Halfpenny to take his side back within a single score.

 

Errors began to creep in, turnovers slowing Welsh advances and Geoff Parling being bundled into touch on the left as a promising move crabbed sideways.

 

Lancaster threw Ben Youngs and Courtney Lawes into the fray. Priestland missed touch badly with a penalty and was then pinged for holding on when Ben Foden's clearing kick came back to him. Farrell, for once, could not take advantage, and England's lead remained just three as the minutes ticked away.

 

It was Farrell's last deed, cramp forcing him to hobble off and Toby Flood coming on in his place.

 

Welsh replacements Ryan Jones and Williams then worked a priceless opportunity for Warren Gatland's team to wrest back the initiative. Jones burst off a scrum, Williams sliced through the scrambling English rearguard and had North completely free out wide, only to take the ball needlessly into contact and get turned over to roars from the home crowd.

 

The pressure was making strong men weak. Matt Stevens kept his hands on the ball in a ruck despite repeated warnings from referee Steve Walsh and Halfpenny brought the scores level with just eight minutes left on the clock.

 

England came again. Lawes thundered down the left, Halfpenny scampered and Wales cleared. When Wales had possession just inside the England half another fumble forced Priestland to kick possession away.

 

Williams was not finished. Lawes crashed into three Welsh tacklers on halfway but the centre, on for an injured and ineffectual Jamie Roberts, ripped the ball from English hands, turned and span away.

 

With a kick through he was free, gathering a kind bounce to dive over the try-line as his team-mates celebrated in his wake. Halfpenny added the extras and the Triple Crown was within their grasp.

 

England needed a converted try to save the game. They went right, then left, and with time up a long mis-pass found Strettle sprinting for the right-hand corner.

 

Halfpenny and Davies threw themselves at man and ball with North also playing a hand; the crowd celebrated and it went to the television match official for a heart-stopping age until the fateful decision came: no try.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17141687

 

Six Nations: Ireland 42-10 Italy

 

Ireland ran in five tries as they secured an ultimately comfortable Six Nations win over Italy in Dublin.

 

Jonny Sexton's penalty and conversion of Keith Earls' 16th-minute try made it 10-3 but Sergio Parisse's try levelled the contest.

 

Tommy Bowe got over just before half-time and the Ospreys winger grabbed his 22nd Test try in the 61st minute to give the Irish some breathing space.

 

The win was capped by late tries by Ulster's Tom Court and Andrew Trimble.

 

Fly-half Sexton landed seven kicks out of eight in what was, in the end, an emphatic and deserved win for Declan Kidney's men.

 

The result and performance will be a boost after the defeat by Wales and the disappointing postponement in Paris .

 

Looking ahead, Kidney should be largely satisfied apart, perhaps, from a period in the second quarter when Italy piled on some sustained pressure and were rewarded with their try.

 

Ireland responded strongly, though, with four touchdowns and stopped the visitors adding to their tally for the entire second half.

 

Italy fly-half Tobias Botes pulled a penalty wide in the second minute, but he got the first points on the board with his next attempt when the hosts were penalised for not releasing.

 

Sexton brought Ireland level with his first penalty attempt after receiving treatment for a bang on the head.

 

Ireland moved up a gear and a period of sustained pressure ended with the Earls crossing for his sixth try in four Tests after flanker Stephen Ferris had unselfishly off-loaded to the Munster man.

 

Italy, though, were enjoying their best spell of the match, and grabbed a 35th-minute try after Ireland's five-man line-out went wrong.

 

Open-side Robert Barbieri committed four defenders during a charge to the line and when the ball was recycled, Italy had a huge overlap that enabled Parisse to stroll home.

 

Ireland's response was emphatic, kicking a penalty to touch and launching a series of attacks which created numbers out wide, presenting Bowe with a simple run-in, Sexton adding the extras.

 

The fly-half extended the hosts' lead to 13 points with two penalties in the third quarter, before sending Bowe in for his second try with a fine cut-out pass as Italy's resistance started to fray.

 

The score lifted Bowe to third in the all-time list of Irish try-scorers, behind Brian O'Driscoll and Denis Hickie, while Ronan O'Gara overtook O'Driscoll's appearance record when he came on for his 118th cap 10 minutes from time.

 

Two late tries put a gloss on Ireland's afternoon and delighted the home support.

 

A series of forward drives climaxed with replacement Court burrowing over, before Andrew Trimble raced 70m up the left flank to complete the rout.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17147540

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVcQuBzluiQ]England vs Wales RBS Six Nations 2012 Highlights - YouTube[/ame]

 

David Strettle says officials should have given his try against Wales

 

David Strettle has criticised match officials for failing to award his late try in England's 19-12 defeat by Wales.

 

The England winger insists he touched the ball down one-handed while under pressure from three Welshmen, with time up on the clock.

 

Television official Iain Ramage was asked to adjudicate and he ruled no try because the footage was inconclusive.

 

"I felt the ball touch the floor," said Strettle. "If it is inconclusive you have to go with the attacking team."

 

Continue reading the main story

“It was far away from us. I stopped looking because it was not my decision. I couldn't control it”

 

England coach Stuart Lancaster

 

Strettle thought that touch judge Pascal Gauzere should have offered referee Steve Walsh more assistance because he was standing right next to the incident which occurred by the corner flag.

 

"When they showed it on the big screen it looked like it went down as well," he continued.

 

"The strange thing for me was that I was hoping the touch judge might have seen it because our physio was standing right next to him and he says it was grounded."

 

If the try had been given, Toby Flood would still have had the opportunity to level the scores with a conversion.

 

But once the decision went against England, Strettle suggested that referee Steve Walsh should have brought back play for a penalty because he was playing an advantage.

 

"I can't understand why we have not gone back for that penalty," he added.

 

"There were a few decisions [that went against England]. When Flood kicked the ball through and it was knocked into touch [by George North], you can't do that. He wasn't making an attempt to take possession.

 

"It is frustrating but we have lots of positives to take from the game. It is how the team responds now to our first defeat.

 

"We showed the public what we are about as a team - we are good in defence but we can take it to teams in attack as well.

 

"They came to physically dominate us but we stood toe-to-toe and smashed them back."

 

England will next play France in Paris before having the chance to avenge the defeat that denied them a Grand Slam in last year's tournament by finishing their Six Nations campaign against Ireland at Twickenham on 17 March.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17169125

France v Ireland beats Fulham v Wolves, game on :D

France 6 - 17 Ireland

Tommy bowe, you lucky boy! How did that bounce back in! :)

end of game

 

France 17 - 17 Ireland

 

Six Nations: Ireland 32-14 Scotland

 

Tries from captain Rory Best, Eoin Reddan, Andrew Trimble and Fergus McFadden gave Ireland a deserved Six Nations win over Scotland in Dublin.

 

Scotland led 6-0 through two Greig Laidlaw penalties, but Ireland hit back quickly with the opening try by Best.

 

Reddan nipped over for another converted try but Richie Gray's score brought the visitors to within three.

 

Trimble got a try just before half-time with McFadden adding a late fourth Irish touchdown.

 

The result puts Ireland - who travel to Twickenham for their final match of the Championship next Saturday - on five points from their four matches, three behind leaders Wales, while Scotland are left to contemplate yet another Wooden Spoon decider with Italy, in Rome.

 

It was a fine performance by Declan Kidney's men who must be rueing that narrow opening home defeat by Wales.

 

They did not make the brightest of starts with Scotland grabbing the initiative to establish a 6-0 lead by the 10th minute.

 

Laidlaw kicked the points after Ireland had been penalised for illegal binding and then joining the ruck from the side.

 

When Ireland got a kickable penalty, home skipper Best ambitiously instructed Sexton to kick for the corner and the enterprise paid off as it led to the opening try.

 

Man-of-the-match Donnacha Ryan caught the line-out and slipped the ball to Peter O'Mahony, who fed Best for the home skipper to get over in the left corner.

 

Sexton landed a fine touchline conversion to put Ireland into the lead and, when Scotland were blown up for collapsing a scrum, the Leinster fly-half made it 10-6.

 

Laidlaw's third penalty cut the deficit to one again but then Ireland got their second try with another piece of adventurous play.

 

Jamie Heaslip took a quick tap penalty and charged forward. The support was there and, when the ball slipped out of the ruck, scrum-half Reddan snapped it up and popped over on the left, taking advantage of Sean Lamont's reckless charge out of the defensive line.

 

Sexton again did the business with a replica of his first conversion to put Ireland into a 17-9 lead.

 

Scotland hit back quickly as huge second-row Gray got the ball from Laidlaw 25m out, charged through attempted tackles from Reddan and Tommy Bowe and then dummied past Rob Kearney to score his first Test try. Laidlaw missed the conversion.

 

The clock had passed the 40 minutes when winger Trimble profited from some more flimsy Scottish tackling to get over in the right corner for Ireland's third try after the hosts had recycled quickly.

 

Ireland thought they might have engineered another try 10 minutes after the break when Sexton kicked a penalty cross-field for Bowe on the right.

 

But Graeme Morrison wrestled Bowe on to his back and the television match official's verdict was that the Irish winger had grounded the ball with a second movement.

 

A sickening clash of heads between Trimble and Lee Jones just after the hour saw the Scotland wing stretchered off, and the lengthy break in play seemed to affect both sides in a disjointed second period.

 

Sexton's second penalty with eight minutes left made it 25-14 before Scotland's hopes of a late rally were further hampered when Max Evans was sin-binned for tugging the arm of Keith Earls as the Irish centre appeared poised to touch down his own kick ahead.

 

That impression was confirmed three minutes from time when replacement back McFadden squeezed over under the posts, Sexton adding the extras.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17303496

 

Six Nations: Wales 24-3 Italy

 

Wales were made to toil but stayed on course for a tilt at a third Six Nations Grand Slam in eight years with a scratchy win over Italy in Cardiff.

 

The Azzurri defence held firm in the first half, the hosts restricted to three Leigh Halfpenny penalties.

 

Mirco Bergamasco landed one for Italy before Jamie Roberts charged clear to score 10 minutes into the second half.

 

But Wales had to wait until three minutes from time before Alex Cuthbert grabbed a second try.

 

Their only other score was a Rhys Priestland penalty, while Halfpenny was in the sin-bin after a clumsy challenge on Italy captain Sergio Parisse in the air.

 

While Wales will turn their sights to completing a clean sweep against France, the Azzurri will aim to avoid another Wooden Spoon when they take on Scotland in Rome.

 

Whoever wins Sunday's encounter between France and England in Paris will also have a chance of taking the title.

 

But a France win will see Les Bleus come to Cardiff knowing victory will clinch the Six Nations, while Wales can claim the trophy and the Grand Slam on home turf if they triumph.

 

Halfpenny and Bergamasco, playing his first game for Italy since suffering a shoulder injury at the World Cup, exchanged early penalties.

 

But Wales were applying all the early pressure, although the Italian defence did well to pick up and at least half-stop charges from Jon Davies and George North in particular.

 

It was a red letter day for North as the 19-year-old became the youngest player in rugby history to play in 20 Tests, beating the mark set by the then 20-year-old James O'Connor of Australia.

 

Wales won a second penalty when a huge scrum fractured the Azzurri eight, although this time captain Gethin Jenkins - taking the armband in Sam Warburton's absence - asked Priestland to kick for a five-metre line-out.

 

Matthew Rees threw to Ian Evans as the front jumper but Italy defended well, albeit with a suspicion of dragging the driving maul down.

 

Referee George Clancy allowed that to pass but punished Italy for offside as they attempted to smother Wales' work when the backs were released to the right.

 

Halfpenny kicked that from in front of the posts, followed by a slightly more difficult attempt to give Wales a 9-3 lead at half-time.

 

A six-point lead was not the advantage that Wales' dominance deserved, with an attacking line-out the closest that Italy had come to threatening the home try line.

 

Ten minutes into the second half Wales got the try they deserved, seizing on a spilled ball to launch a swift counter down the left.

 

Roberts received the ball just inside his own half and stepped between Bergamasco and hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini to streak upfield and go under the posts.

 

Halfpenny continued his 100% kicking record with the simple conversion for a 16-3 lead.

 

But the full-back's fortunes dipped 12 minutes when he challenged Parisse for a high ball. The Italy skipper was left writhing on the floor and Halfpenny was shown a yellow card.

 

Italy enjoyed their best spell in the game but were unable to make their man advantage count as Wales held their shape and their discipline.

 

Gatland sent on the reinforcements to help shore things up, with the most notable the return of lock Luke Charteris for his first Test since his wrist injury at the World Cup. Ospreys youngster Rhys Webb also came on to win his first cap, replacing Mike Phillips at scrum-half.

 

Just before Wales came back to full strength, with James Hook getting a run out instead of Halfpenny returning, Priestland extended Wales' lead to 16 points with a penalty.

 

Wales were denied a second try when another defence-busting Roberts run was called back for blocking by Webb.

 

But a quick tap-penalty saw Jenkins feed Cuthbert - off his wing into midfield - and the wing just had the strength to slip one tackle to touch down in the right corner for an unconverted try.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17305509

half time

 

France 9 - 14 England

FT

 

France 22-24 England

 

France almost snatched it with the drop goal :uhoh:

So bearing any major shocks next week, the title is going to Wales this year.

 

England Kids winning all 3 away games for the first time ever and only losing to Wales due to a dodgy try decision. If that is a sign of the future than the future is bright.

Italy 13 - 6 Scotland

Wales 16 - 9 France

 

well done Wales!

 

Six Nations: Italy 13-6 Scotland

 

Scotland were confirmed as recipients of the Wooden Spoon after Italy completed a Six Nations whitewash of Andy Robinson's side.

 

Mirco Bergamasco and Greig Laidlaw exchanged penalties as the sides went in level at the interval. Giovanbattista Venditti's converted try put Italy in control during Nick de Luca's sin-binning for the visitors.

 

Another Laidlaw penalty kept Scotland in touch, but Kris Burton's drop-goal ensured a home win. Both sides were forced into late changes with Fabio Ongaro starting in place of Leonardo Ghiraldini after the hooker failed to overcome a foot problem and Scotland's Allan Jacobsen failing a fitness test in the warm-up, meaning a place for Jon Welsh at loosehead prop. The Italians made the early running and, after a couple of Scottish infringements, the hosts moved ahead through Bergamasco's penalty.

 

Scotland were struggling to get out of their own half and were not making the most of their set-pieces. Bergamasco missed his next kick after David Denton was penalised for holding on following a scrum.

 

Italy continued to press, with Sergio Parisse and Quintin Geldenhuys gaining territory on the left before the ball was recycled to Burton, whose drop-goal attempt was charged down. Better use of the scrum led to Scotland being awarded a penalty near halfway and Laidlaw's massive kick was good.

 

Centre De Luca was sin-binned for kicking the ball out of Edoardo Gori's hands at a ruck, but Bergamasco was again off-target with the penalty in the closing stages of the first half. Italy made their one-man advantage count at the start of the second half as Burton off-loaded to Venditti and the wing burst through to touch down between the posts, giving Burton a simple conversion. Scotland had an early chance to reduce their deficit with a penalty on the right, but Laidlaw's attempt was wide.

 

Burton thought he had gone over for a second try, but play was brought back for a Scottish scrum due to a knock-on and De Luca returned to the fray as the visitors managed to get the ball foward.

 

Lock Jim Hamilton became the second Scotland player to receive a yellow card as referee Alain Rolland punished a maul infringement. Richie Gray's replacement, Alistair Kellock, was pulled down while jumping by Alessandro Zanni and Laidlaw reduced Scotland's arrears with the penalty. Zanni was sin-binned for going off his feet at a ruck as Hamilton returned for the Scots.

 

However, Scotland could not make the most of their numerical advantage and the Italians added to their tally through Burton's late drop-goal.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17391267

 

Six Nations: England 30-9 Ireland

 

England produced a dominant forward display to steamroller Ireland and finish second in the Six Nations table in coach Stuart Lancaster's first campaign in charge.

 

Six penalties from the boot of Owen Farrell and an inevitable penalty try were a fitting reward as England's pack destroyed their opposite numbers at the scrum.

 

Ireland had been within three points at half-time as Jonny Sexton punished England indiscipline, but the visitors were dismantled in a one-sided second half.

 

Replacement Ben Youngs sealed the win with an opportunistic darting run from a tap penalty as the wheels came off the Ireland set-piece in the last quarter. Ireland had beaten England in seven of their last eight meetings but failed to adapt to the wet conditions, an epidemic of handling errors costing them any chance of another Twickenham win.

 

On a day when Wales secured their third Grand Slam in eight years a few hours earlier, the comprehensive manner of England's win - making it four from five - meant Lancaster's job application for the permanent coach's role becomes even more persuasive.

 

England had the lead within two minutes of the start, Farrell drilling over a penalty after Ireland's scrum had been penalised at the first set-piece.

 

Steady drizzle made handling difficult with both Jamie Heaslip and Mouritz Botha spilling promising possession, and after Keith Earls accelerated down the right wing Lee Dickson slipped in pursuit of the kick through and came close to conceding a dramatic try.

 

Full-back Rob Kearney hit the right-hand post with an audacious long-range drop-goal attempt in a frenetic opening, and Ireland were level soon after as Sexton's simple penalty punished Brad Barritt for going offside.

 

If England struggled occasionally at the line-out their scrum was enjoying some dominance, Eoin Reddan going offside to gift Farrell the chance to make it 6-3 with just over a quarter of the match gone.

 

Tom Croft and Manu Tuliagi both dropped garryowens as the quality dropped away before a trademark rampaging run from Ben Morgan put the Irish under more pressure, but England failed to capitalise and were turned over.

 

The mistakes kept coming and the atmosphere, spicy at the start, ebbed away. It took Farrell's third successful penalty in three after Ireland skipper Rory Best hacked clear from an offside position to rouse the capacity crowd, and a desperate covering tackle from Chris Ashton to haul down Tommy Bowe after another steepling kick ricocheted from Ben Foden's fingertips.

 

England dithered in their own 22 on the stroke of half-time, Donnacha Ryan smashing into a ruck to allow Sexton to make it 9-6 at the interval.

 

The errors continued as battle was rejoined. Dickson knocked on after a scrum won against the head and then Ireland did the same. A wonderful piece of counter-attacking from Foden then almost brought the first try. The full-back went on a curving, accelerating run and set Croft free on a barnstorming burst that seemed certain to replicate his match-winning score against France a week ago, only for the ball to pop from his grasp with the line closing in and Ashton on his inside shoulder.

 

Ireland's respite was brief. Once again their scrum was mangled and Farrell landed his fourth penalty to extend his side's lead to 12-6.

 

Next man in an ever-lengthening list to spill the bar of soap was the otherwise outstanding Morgan, and as Ireland counter-attacked Sexton reduced the deficit to three with a penalty after another ruck infringement.

 

A clever grubber through from Farrell gave England a five-metre scrum and once again they took the men in green apart.

 

Referee Nigel Owens went to his TMO as replacement Tom Palmer dived on the ball as it came loose, awarded another penalty and then, with the England pack in total control, signalled for a penalty try as Twickenham celebrated.

 

Farrell converted for 19-9, his front row of Dan Cole, Dylan Hartley and Alex Corbisiero bear-hugging behind him.

 

The demolition job continued. At the next set piece the Irish pack went backwards at pace, Owens blew again and Farrell popped over his fifth penalty to put England 13 points clear with 15 minutes left on the clock.

 

Youngs spotted a gap in the tired defence after another scrum penalty to take a quick tap and dart over, and Farrell drilled over his sixth penalty with the seconds running out to seal a thumping win.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17391486

 

Wales battle to Grand Slam glory

 

Wales survived France's best display of the 2012 Six Nations to secure a third Grand Slam in eight years in a pulsating Millennium Stadium encounter. The visitors lived up to their pre-match promise to take the game to the only team left in the competition with the chance to take the Slam.

 

But Warren Gatland's side were equal to the challenge, holding their nerve under the pressure of great Welsh expectations, to deliver victory in arguably their best season since the game went professional in 1995. A minute's silence before kick-off paid tribute to former Wales and Lions number eight Mervyn Davies, who died on Thursday. Davies had captained Wales for their 1976 Grand Slam.

 

Wales said Davies' achievements had given them extra motivation, but it was France who went ahead first through a Dimitri Yachvili penalty. Giant wing Alex Cuthbert sliced through for a converted try to put Wales in front and two penalties from Leigh Halfpenny to one from Lionel Beauxis made it 13-6 to the hosts after an hour. Yachvili cut the gap to four points but Halfpenny's third penalty, with five minutes to go, saw Wales to their 11th Grand Slam in all.

 

France's defence was outstanding throughout with skipper Thierry Dusautoir again leading it by fearless example and Philippe Saint-Andre's side were also far more capable with ball in hand than they had been in defeat by England in the previous round.

 

But Wales were the better side and Dan Lydiate was the man of the match as he countered Dusautoir's defensive efforts. Wales enjoyed the early momentum, prompting the home crowd to burst prematurely into song in anticipation of what they expected to follow. But Jonathan Davies was twice thwarted on the left and Halfpenny saw a well-placed up-and-under come to nothing.

 

Scrum-half Mike Phillips was then penalised near halfway, giving France their first attacking platform. Julien Bonnaire set up the drive and after Wales were penalised Yachvili kicked the opening points.

 

Both sides saw promising attacks falter because of their own indiscipline at the breakdown. Fly-half Rhys Priestland's first penalty attempt also rebounded off an upright while Halfpenny received treatment for a knock. But Wales lock Alun Wyn Jones executed a superb steal on the floor from Dusautoir and when the ball went right, Cuthbert cut past Bonnaire 30m out before bursting clear for the opening try after 22 minutes.

 

Halfpenny added the conversion and after centre Davies's ball-freeing tackle on Florian Fritz, the full-back landed the penalty that resulted from the panic in the visiting defence. The up-and-unders were coming thick and fast from both teams amid the test of nerves. Overall, however, Wales won the tactical battle in the opening period with greater possession and greater territorial gains.

 

A Jamie Roberts chip and chase created another Welsh chance as Dan Lydiate and lock Jones followed up to force another penalty, but Halfpenny saw it rebound off an upright to leave them 10-3 ahead at the break.

 

Wales suffered a blow at that point with skipper Sam Warburton continuing his record of not having finished a game against France, this time because of a shoulder injury. Ryan Jones, sporting a Mervyn Davies-style headband a day after the death of the 65-year-old 1970s number eight icon was announced, came into a reshuffled back-row and Gethin Jenkins took over as captain.

 

Cuthbert broke through on the counter-attack as Wales began the second period with familiar intent, but just as Beauxis had failed with a long-range drop-goal, Priestland's effort also failed to get off the ground.

 

Gethin Jenkins illegally halted the threat after Palisson's dangerous chip-and-chase caught Wales out and Beauxis kicked the penalty. A frenetic period of end-to-end counter-attacking offered Halfpenny the moment he had been craving since a late, long-range penalty attempt fell short in Wales' failed 2011 World Cup quarter-final against France.

 

This time the full-back's thumping kick crossed the bar with metres to spare to put Wales a converted try ahead with 27 minutes remaining, only for the French defence to come out on top in five-minute arm-wrestle on the visitors' 22 that followed.

 

Having won that psychological battle, France failed to take advantage when their scrum was caught engaging early in Wales' 22. Wales also had a let-off when Imanol Harinordoquy failed to spot Louis Picamoles on his right after Halfpenny had lost control near his own line.

 

Yachvili kicked the penalty that followed, but Halfpenny responded with a brilliant counter-attack that allowed him the chance to kick another penalty. Priestland saw a late drop-goal attempt go wide, but the home side were in control for the final play to bring down the curtain on their success.

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17382260