England kept their Six Nations title hopes alive with a crushing 68-14 victory over Wales, registering 10 tries, and putting additional pressure on France, who must now secure a win against Scotland later to claim the championship.
The match, held on March 15, 2025, at the Principality Stadium, saw England dominate almost from the outset, establishing a commanding lead of 33-7 at halftime after scoring five tries. England captain Maro Itoje opened the scoring just three minutes in, setting the tone for the match. He was quickly followed by tries from Tom Roebuck, Tommy Freeman, Chandler Cunningham-South, and Will Stuart, each contributing to the runaway scoreline.
Scrum-half Alex Mitchell, debutant Henry Pollock (who scored two tries), Joe Heyes, and Cunningham-South again added to Wales' woes with tries in the second half. Freeman’s impressive performance saw him equal the record set by French winger Philippe Bernat-Salles for scoring in each round of the Six Nations.
This win represented not just a simple triumph but marked England's highest score against Wales, surpassing the previous record of 62-5 set during the 2007 World Cup warm-ups. The 68 points scored by the English side also underscored the growing prowess and depth of the team under coach Steve Borthwick.
Conversely, Wales suffered from the humiliation of their 17th successive Test loss, setting an unwelcome record for Tier One countries. It was also the heaviest defeat for Wales on home soil, highlighting their struggles this season, particularly as this loss completed their back-to-back wooden spoons—the first time for the nation.
While Wales did manage to register their sole try through Ben Thomas, following solid groundwork via line-out play, their efforts were simply not enough to withstand the relentless onslaught from England. Thomas's try, converted by Gareth Anscombe, was initially overshadowed by the disallowed effort from full-back Blair Murray due to offside by scrum-half Tomos Williams.
Reflecting on the match, Itoje expressed his satisfaction with the performance, stating: "We’ve been building toward this, each game we’ve shown a different side to us, we’re just happy to finish it well." The England captain applauded the team's consistency amid challenges and the outside noise surrounding their performance throughout the tournament.
Wales' captain Jac Morgan, on the other hand, acknowledged the overwhelming dominance exercised by the English side. "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 the ball," Morgan said, emphasizing the need for improvement within the squad.
England's remarkable performance included slick interplays and rapid scoring, particularly during the first 40 minutes—considered one of the finest displays of Borthwick's tenure. The tactical approach applied included pinning Wales back with smart kicks and aggressive attacking plays as they forced the Welsh defense to scramble without success.
Midway through the second half, the match spun even more out of reach for Wales as Mitchell added their sixth try after skillfully outrunning the defense. Pollock and Heyes each breached the Welsh defense one last time before Cunningham-South rounded off scoring for the day.
Looking forward, England's victory not only reaffirms their credentials within the championship but also sets up stakes for their final match against France, where both sides have their fates hanging by the balance. The overwhelming success against Wales points to their growing potential to reclaim the Six Nations title, especially with performances like these boosting team morale.
This emphatic win tells the much-needed story of resilience and capability, ensuring England remains firmly in contention for glory this year, and forcing other participating nations to take notice as the tournament nears its climax.
With the Six Nations drawing to its climax, the showdown between France and Scotland remains one of the most significant fixtures now. Fans will await eagerly to see if France can rise up to the challenge and secure their position at the top.