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Wales 40-24 England
England pay for penalty count after first-half controversy

Eddie Jones has consistently deflected questions about Owen Farrell’s captaincy. But his failure to establish a relationship with a pernickety official here was a telling factor, as the champions ended the defence of their title prematurely and Wales recorded their highest score against the team they most enjoy overcoming.
England went into the break 17-14 down despite having played their most fluent rugby of the tournament. They failed to adapt to the insistence of the referee, France’s Pascal Gaüzère, that players stay on their feet at the breakdown and Wales were awarded two hotly disputed tries, the second to the astonishment of their wing, Louis Rees-Zammit, who was convinced he had knocked on in the buildup as he tried to gather Josh Adams’s chip inside England’s 22. Henry Slade kicked the ball towards his line and Liam Williams, more in hope than expectation, touched down. Continue reading...