England hammered Wales 48-7 in the Six Nations opener at a roaring Allianz Stadium, with Henry Arundell’s hat-trick and George Ford’s metronomic boot sealing a five-point statement win ahead of a sterner trip to Murrayfield.
The Allianz Stadium was already humming before a ball had been kicked.
And by the time England and Wales emerged, the noise had hardened into something more forceful. A cacophony of 82,000 voices singing in anticipation and old resentment.
This was the opening night of the Six Nations, and England wasted no time treating it like a statement.
The table is already set for them. Wales, right now, were just trying not to be the meal.
George Ford’s third-minute penalty settled the pulse. Then came the squeeze.
England were sharper at contact, quicker to the breakdown, and importantly, patient.
Henry Arundell finished in the corner on eight minutes, Ford converted, and the tone shifted.
Wales were chasing shadows, and then the game tilted from uncomfortable to catastrophic.
Ford’s boot became a metronome as Wales’ discipline unravelled.
Two yellow cards arrived in quick succession, Nicky Smith then Dewi Lake, and England attacked the space like a team that had been waiting months for it.
Ben Earl’s try on 24 minutes came straight from that pressure. England stretching the defence until a seam opened, Earl powering through and grinning as if this was unfolding exactly as planned.
Ford kept stacking the points, landing his first five kicks, and by the break Wales were not just behind, they were being wiped out.
A loose pass deep in Welsh territory was seized upon, and England flipped defence into attack in an instant. Arundell completing his hat-trick on 36 minutes, leaving it 29-0 at the break.
The second half briefly threatened to drift, but England shut that door too. Tom Roebuck crossed the line early after the restart.
And huge cheers echoed around the bowl as Maro Itoje returned to England action for the first time since the death of his mother.
But the cheering turned to boos as Itoje was sent to the bin with penalties mounting.
Wales finally found a spark when Josh Adams slid in on 52 minutes, Dan Edwards adding the extras.
But any momentum was short-lived. Indiscipline resurfaced, yellow cards returned, and England were handed a penalty try making it 43-7.
Late on, Tommy Freeman forced his way over to complete the rout and Ford’s final conversion bounced back off the posts in the dying moments of the game.
On their 12th consecutive victory, England leave with five points and a warning shot fired.
But next weekend’s trip to Murrayfield will be a sterner examination with Scotland, stung by a narrow loss to Italy, will be desperate to find their footing.
For Wales, who now welcome France to Cardiff next Sunday, this tournament may already be a case of limiting damage.
All pictures: Daisy Redhead
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