England humiliate Wales with record-breaking Six Nations victory
England wrapped up their Six Nations campaign with a sensational 68-14 victory over Wales in Cardiff.
Steve Borthwick’s men needed to win to have a chance of winning th
It took less than three minutes for England to make a breakthrough with a Maro Itoje try and they went on to score 10 in all – including two for debutant Henry Pollock and two more for Chandler Cunningham-South, with Tom Roebuck, Tommy Freeman, Will Stuart, Alex Mitchell and Joe Heyes also making it onto the scoresheet.
But for Wales this was a new low, unceremoniously handed the Wooden Spoon and suffering an even heavier defeat than their 2022 home humbling by the All Blacks, when they shipped 55 points.
Ben Curry was named Man of the Match yet it could have been any number of men in a white shirt, England bowling Wales over with their physicality as they ran up the score.
Following months of scrutiny on Borthwick’s project this was perhaps not a definitive answer to his critics but it was vital that England finished the tournament in style. Lions boss Andy Farrell may have been just as delighted with what he saw.
“Andy’s got some decisions to make – good headaches,” Steve Borthwick said on BBC One afterwards.
“The team’s been progressing, this is a young and evolving team.”
Borthwick responded to questions around his future by insisting: “Coaching England there’s always expectation. I’d much rather be in a team that has expectation than a team that has no expectation.”
There was praise too for Borthwick from former England international Matt Dawson following a number of bold calls in the starting XV.
“I like the ruthlessness of what England have done,” Dawson said.
“Steve Borthwick has done so well with his selections.”
England’s Six Nations results in full
- 1 February – Ireland 27-22 England
- 8 February – England 26-25 France
- 22 February – England 16-15 Scotland
- 9 March – England 47-24 Italy
- 15 March – Wales 14-68 England
