REPORT: Battling Wales pick up bonus-point

Having conceded two tries to wing Jonny May in the opening 20 minutes, Alun Wyn Jones' side kept England scoreless for the remaining 60 minutes of a compelling match.

Wales were delivered a huge blow in the build-up to kick-off when Leigh Halfpenny, scorer of 24 points in the win over Scotland a week earlier, was forced to pull out with a foot injury. It meant Gareth Anscombe came into the side to fill the No 15 jersey and Owen Watkin came onto the bench.

Wales forced an error out of Anthony Watson at the kick-off to earn a scrum, but the first points of the game went to the home side when Gloucester wing May picked up his first 6 Nations try. Danny Care launched a box kick that Watson tapped back and wonderful vision from Owen Farrell saw the England centre kick deep into the Wales 22 to allow his wing to race onto the ball and beat Josh Adams on the slide.

Rhys Patchell was just wide from 45 metres with a long range penalty shot three minutes later and midway through the first half May picked up a second try as England turned a 26 phase period of possession into a try out wide that this time Farrell improved.

Wales were unfortunate not to be awarded a try in the 23^rd minute when the TMO ruled out a score for Anscombe. Patchell kicked across the 22 for Steff Evans and the ball bounced off his knee and into the England in-goal area.

Anscombe won the race for the touchdown ahead of Watson, but his right hand didn't do enough to control the ball in the eyes of the officials and the try was ruled out. Wales still got a penalty, which Patchell kicked from in front of the posts. To make it 12-3 at the break.

England brought on the former Ospreys flanker Sam Underhill at half-time in place of the injured Sam Simmonds and the first major break of the second half came when Aaron Shingler raced 40 metres and kicked into the England 22.

That attack ended in a penalty to England, who were able to relieve the pressure thanks to some superb defensive play from Farrell, but Wales hung in the fight. Just after the hour Scott Williams was denied a try after a superb cover tackle in the left corner by Underhill as the Scarlets centre slid in for the try.

Wales rung the changes in the second half and began to dominate territory and possession, but couldn't come up with the points they needed to close the gap.

A superb piece of ripping in defence by Justin Tipuric allowed Wales to break up an England attack in their 22 and develop another brilliant counter-attack that earned them a penalty on the other 22 that Anscombe kicked to provide the first points of second half with six minutes left to play.

That put Wales within losing bonus-point and then went all out for the winning score. England kept them contained out of range and a knock-on in the final phase of the game gave the home side the chance to kick the ball dead and claim the win.