There was no doubt about the type of game that we were expecting to see this evening after the teams were selected earlier in the week, and it was certainly a bruising encounter.
Two huge sets of players went to battle this evening under the lights of Twickenham, and there was very little given from either side in the first half. The boots of outhalves Owen Farrell and Dan Biggar were set to be the story of the half, as they spent the early stages trading scores.
Biggar gave Wales the lead first, and Farrell matched him, which was a process that was repeated again over the course of the next few minutes. Biggar scored a penalty, Farrell got a drop goal, and then another penalty to give them a 9-6 lead.
They then kicked into high gear and scored a fantastic try after a beautiful display of fast passing and soft hands got them over the line through Jonny May, and although he was close to the corner he made the kick easier for Farrell by getting near the posts before touching down. A penalty for Wales brought it slightly closer, but it was England's game to lose at 16-9 at the break.
England also controlled the second half as Farrell continued to show that he was eager to take the no. 10 jersey for the rest of the tournament, and while his kicks weren't particularly difficult, he still slotted them over with ease.
The changes really happened when Lancaster brought on a number of substitutions, changing the combinations at 12 and 13 hoping to shore things up and kill off the match. Less than a minute later they had the opposite effect as a beautifully weighted kick set Gareth Davies through to touch the ball down between the posts, and bring Wales level when it looked for all the world that they were about to crumble.
Biggar was once again involved as it was his pass that opened the space as he threw it along the line to the wing, where the ball was then kicked through for Davies.
A few big hits had left Wales nursing injuries, and they may be without Scott Williams and Hallam Amos for the rest of the tournament, both of whom came off with serious issues. Gatland revealed afterwards that Amos has a dislocated shoulder, while Williams had to be stretchered off, so you would have been forgiven for thinking they would have given up the ghost.
Farrell cleans out two with the double tackle #ENGvWAL http://t.co/GEPbOZDvRH pic.twitter.com/f5CujsFIGf
— Newstalk Sport (@NewstalkSport) September 26, 2015
Like bouncers after closing time C'MON FOLKS, HAVE YOU NO HOMES TO GO TO?! #WALvENG http://t.co/GEPbOZDvRH pic.twitter.com/HsW26M8TZS
— Newstalk Sport (@NewstalkSport) September 26, 2015
BOOM! #ENG #WAL http://t.co/GEPbOZDvRH pic.twitter.com/pyCKz5Ipja
— Newstalk Sport (@NewstalkSport) September 26, 2015
Not so however, and it was that man Biggar with a mammoth kick from what looked to be right at the edge of his range that gave them the lead, causing a huge momentum switch that seemed to give Wales extra energy and see them through to the final whistle.
Lancaster will be both disappointed and more than a little bit annoyed that his team were in complete control of the game for about 70 minutes and threw it away, but they did have a chance at the end to kick and take the draw. However, they chose not to go for the three points and instead went for the try, which proved to be a mistake that cost them the match.
The scenes after the game told a story of their own, with a shell shocked group of England players looking disconsolate, and one or two of them shedding a tear.
Image: David Davies / PA Wire/Press Association Images
It's still all to play for in this group as both sides have yet to face Asutralia, but this was a match that will live long in the memory.
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