48-7: England gives Wales a sovereign beating on the first day of the Six Nations

England has shown this Saturday, in London, the abyss that exists between its rugby and that of what was one of its great and historical rivals, Wales, in the oldest tournament in the world. The locals are, along with France, the favorites to win this edition and this afternoon they beat their neighbors mercilessly with a 48-7. And with the match already closed at halftime with 29-0.

At the end of the first day, England becomes leader with the same five points as Francewho beat Ireland 36-14 on Thursday in Saint Denis and also added the bonus point. With four is Italy, which made a splash at the Olympic Stadium in Rome with its 18-15 victory over Scotland.

Dominant in the 70s with players who are legends of this sport and marked generations of fans, and winner of the Six Nations not so long ago, it did so in 2019 and 2021, today the XV of the Dragon was on the Twickenham grass a shadow of what it was, without any option over the XV of the Rose.

Neither defender Rees-Zammit, who returned to wearing red after trying to succeed in the NFL, nor the new coach, Steve Tandy, gave their followers hope for the future. Wales have won the “wooden spoon”, awarded to the team that loses all of its matches, in the last two editions of the Six Nations.

Not even 10 minutes had passed and the de la Rosa team already dominated 10-0 after Arundell’s try, converted by Ford and a hit from him. The two consecutive expulsions of the Welsh Nicky Smith and the captain, Lake, for repeating fouls on their line of 22, only poured more dirt on the visitor’s grave.

With 13 players and with Ford and Mitchell directing the whites at will, Wales could not stop Arundell’s scores, two again, and an extraordinary Earl: 29-0 at halftime.

The trend remained the same – it could not be otherwise in view of the first 40 minutes – and Roebuck made the fifth try for those selected by Steve Borthwick, who then began to move the bench.

Whether it was a certain laxity on the part of the English, the changes in both squads or the pride of the Reds, they shook off local dominance. Itoje, who had just come on, saw Monsieur Brousset show him the yellow card in the 51st minute, and Adams added the first and only try for Wales in the 54th minute (36-7), passed between the sticks by Edwards.

The controversial Pollock, one of the young Englishmen, starred in the sixth brand of the XV de la Rosa. The controversial local third, who sometimes orders his fans to shut up as well as those of others, stepped outside while diving into the rival goal area, but Plumtree’s action on his neck and head while trying to tackle him caused the French referee to declare a penalty try and Plumtree’s expulsion. The fourth for the visitors in 80 minutes.

Freeman, in the last minute, sealed the victory for England, which has not lost in the Six Nations since doing so on the first day of the 2025 tournament against Ireland against a Wales that has not won in the capital of the United Kingdom since 2012.