England 50 Wales 10: It says as much about England as poor old Wales that a half-century of points and a Triple Crown caused little air-punching. How sad it is to watch one of the great Six Nations fixtures descend into a sterile excuse for a spread-bet. The history books will show England's winning margin of 40 points was a record for games between these countries. They will fail to address the more disturbing truth - both sides played to perhaps 75 per cent of their potential.
The Wales coach, Steve Hansen, talks about the journey his team have embarked on; on this evidence, they have lead in their boots.
Ironically, it was England who spoke loudest about fatigue afterwards. There was, as always, plenty to admire in their five tries: the consistent class of Will Greenwood and Jonny Wilkinson and the strength of a front row. But the freshness that distinguishes a great side grows ever more conspicuous by its absence as the season wears on.
England assistant coach Phil Larder freely admits it: "I'm not sure people fully understand how tired the players are at the moment. The guys who went on the Lions tour are absolutely hanging."
A few yards away, one of those weary Lions, Austin Healey, was leaning against a wall, counting the days until the end of the English domestic season on June 8th."I've been looking forward to this summer since last summer," he said. Healey is not the only one worried that this treadmill existence will harm England's World Cup aspirations.
Clive Woodward, though, still wants a depth-enhancing tour this summer, with Argentina now his preferred option. Only those who played a major part in the Lions tour - Martin Johnson, Wilkinson, Healey, Richard Hill, Danny Grewcock, Jason Robinson - or have merited a break - Kyran Bracken, Graham Rowntree - will be excused.
Their leading men could be rested immediately, but Woodward insists that would be disrespectful to England's final opponents, Italy. In any event, the management have not entirely given up hope of sneaking the championship title. "We just have to hope Ireland turn France over," said Larder optimistically. "Then it'll be down to points difference and ours is far superior."
Wilkinson's superb little chip kick set up Greenwood for the opening try inside the first 10 minutes, and 31 points followed in the second-half, including scores for Wilkinson and the replacement, Tim Stimpson, either side of a brace for Dan Luger.
Healey, in his new, shiny, white boots, was never seriously tested at full back, and the only hint of tension came when Wilkinson lined up the final conversion required to take his side to 50 points.
Whichever side of Offa's Dyke you happen to live, it was less than satisfying; as ever it is not so much England whom Wales need to beat as the system that feeds their national team. Iestyn Harris took his late try nicely, but Scott Quinnell and Rob Howley, the Welsh players of genuine world class, seemed to be running through the same treacle Larder has identified.
This was, nevertheless, a far more resilient Welsh defensive display than they managed against Ireland in Dublin under Graham Henry, and the thwack of flesh and bone audible via the ref-link microphones was genuine enough. England, though, had their mindset right. "It was one of the best dressing-room atmospheres I've felt before a game," revealed Woodward. "I genuinely believe at the end of all this there is something special."
ENGLAND: Healey; Cohen, Tindall (Stimpson 63 min), Greenwood, Luger; Wilkinson, Bracken; (Dawson 59 mins); Rowntree, Thompson (West 74 mins), White, Grewcock, Kay, Moody, Back (capt), Hill (Worsley 80 mins).
WALES: Morgan; James, G Thomas (R Williams 48 mins), Marinos, Morgan; Harris, Howley (Peel 59 mins); I Thomas, McBryde (B Williams 65 mins), Anthony, Moore, Wyatt (Llewellyn 54 mins), Budgett, M Williams (Charvis 50 mins), S Quinnell.
Referee: A Cole (Australia).
