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Wales secured a Triple Crown victory over England in the Six Nations, beating Eddie Jones’s men 40-24 after two controversial attempts were awarded.
This is how the UK media and experts have been reacting to the result.
David flatman
Former England mainstay Saracens and Bath, who is a regular insider for BT Sport, Amazon and ITV, believes it’s not just the players that need to be replaced.
He said: “Based on this evidence, World Rugby should consider replacing referees, not just players. The first half was an oval-shaped omnishambles.
“If Louis Rees-Zammit didn’t say that, then the game I’ve been watching for 40 years is not rugby. Likewise, Josh Adams’ attempt was exceptionally well executed, but should never have been allowed.
“England was not beaten by Wales. They were beaten by astonishingly poor refereeing and by their own equally astonishing inability to stop doing silly, unforced and illegal things.
“Considering how unthreatening Wales was with the ball for most of the game, England’s penalty count becomes even more astonishing. It reminded me of Tyson Fury punching himself in the face.
“England actually looked like the sharper side with the ball in hand, but since when does that matter? When Wales had scoring opportunities, they took them, even if some of them were gift wrapped by a guy from France.
“In school, one of the first lessons they teach you in rugby is never to turn your back on the opposition. With that in mind, my former PE teacher will have been hoarse from yelling at the television when England shut down the attempt to Kieran Hardy.
Oliver Brown, Telegraph
Initially, one feared that the autopsy would be dominated by complaints about the referees. However, forget any idea that Wales won thanks to a man of the match performance from referee Pascal Gauzere. Ultimately, they owed this famous result to their ability to be more alert and agile when it mattered most.
Under Farrell, England was too slow and lacking in discipline. The notion that their side was the victim of dubious arbitration could have carried more weight if they had not been so heavy on decision-making.
Two truths in Cardiff were evident. The first was that Wales’ supremacy in this Six Nations had nothing to do with luck, even though they had won their first two matches against 14 men. Wayne Pivac, once feared for his work, has made them a formidable unit, blessed with cunning and ruthlessness.
At this rate, it seems likely that the Triple Crown will become a fourth Grand Slam in 13 years. The other stark reality was the magnitude of England’s shortcomings. Halfway through Jones’s stated quest to produce the best gear the world has ever seen, he looks further afield than ever.
Sir Clive Woodward, Sunday mail
Was the referee absolutely shocking in the first half and Wales got two attempts? Yes, in my opinion without a doubt, but did Wales deserve to win that match? Yes they did it. They didn’t play brilliantly, but actually for 80 minutes they were the best team and that’s a big concern for England fans.
England, just when they wanted to be in their prime, suddenly began to replicate all their recent failures. Poor discipline – it was penalties that basically cost England this game – and sloppy defense. Maro Itoje did a lot of very good things, but even he was taking too many penalties.
I was afraid of this result, England have worried me for a long time, since the 2019 World Cup final, but I would never have predicted the score. As I say, except for the last 20 minutes, I am not convinced that Wales have played particularly well and this is possibly the strangest Triple Crown in their history.
As for England? However, we cannot ignore the elephant in the room here as England were on the wrong side of two vital and perplexing decisions that cost them dearly in terms of points at an important stage of the game.
Stephen Jones, The Sunday Times
This was a wonderful victory for Wales, who are in a rebuilding period with a new coach and a national professional game where their clubs can barely win a match.
England, in two or three excellent phases of play, produced the kind of rugby they have been looking for, making the appalling mediocrity of much of what they achieved even worse. They and some cheerleaders had bronze necks after the game to suggest that Wales had been lucky with the refereeing decisions.
Anyone interested in English rugby would make better use of their time by donating a law book, because England was absolutely lousy at giving away penalties.
Paul Rees, tutor
If Wales’ first two attempts were controversial, England’s gruesome discipline in the fourth quarter cost them after they rallied to 24 in total.
Wales may not have the fanciest or most powerful model in the rugby showroom, but no one beats them on fuel economy. They go to the end and have developed the ability to deal with adversity. The French official may not have been let go and his decision to allow Dan Biggar to quickly shoot a penalty and kick the ball to Josh Adams for the first try of the game, when Farrell was talking to his players about his undisciplined start, per Gaüzère’s instructions, and some had their backs to play – was poor at best. The next time Farrell is given the same order, he will have the right to say that he will wait for the next break in the game.
Wales started the tournament with little confidence after an ill-fated 2020, but under the gaze of their former head coach, Warren Gatland, as Lions supreme, they built on their victories in the first two weekends against Ireland. and Scotland, who had a man expelled. If Wales are enjoying the luck that left them last year, they have again become difficult to take down.
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