Player Ratings: Wales
OPINION: The home side’s long wait for a Test victory goes on after England inflicted a 17th successive defeat on Matt Sherratt’s team, who finish this year’s Six Nations rock bottom and with another wooden spoon.
There had been hope prior to kick off that the occasion – and Sherratt’s final match in interim charge – could inspire Wales. In the end it was a torturous evening for those in red.
Wales endured the worst possible start, conceding tries to England captain Maro Itoje and wing Tom Roebuck in the opening 10 minutes. Fin Smith converted both to give the visitors a 14-0 lead. Wales rallied to an extent and got on the scoreboard when Ben Thomas finished well close to the line.
However, it was only brief respite and England scored three more tries – through Tommy Freeman, Chandler Cunningham-South and Will Stuart – to head into the break with a commanding 33-7 lead.
If anything, things went from bad to worse in the second half as Alex Mitchell, debutant Henry Pollock (twice), Joe Heyes and Cunningham-South all went over. Thomas’ second try of the contest was scant consolation for a stunned home crowd as they digested a record 14-68 defeat.
Martyn Thomas rates the Welsh players:
15. Blair Murray – 7/10
Wales’ best player on the day, and arguably their only real attacking threat. The diminutive fullback provided the majority of the moments that got fans in red out of their seats, and many of those were created out of nothing.
He thought he had scored in the eighth minute only for a Tomos Williams infringement to rule it out. Two moments of magic in broken play in either half almost gave Murray the try his performance merited but it wasn’t to be.
14. Ellis Mee – 4
Another chastening experience for the young winger, who did not see the ball enough to show what he can do from an attacking sense. Early in the second half though, he tried a miracle pass in the left corner and neither Max Llewellyn nor Aaron Wainwright were able to gather.
13. Max Llewellyn – 4
Much like his Gloucester colleagues inside him, it just didn’t happen for the centre. A difficult evening was summed up in the 47th minute when he came close to scoring, having broken through two attempted tackles close to the line, but was ultimately turned over and England were able to clear their lines.
12. Ben Thomas – 6
Scored both Wales tries, hitting a nice line from close range for the first, and was once again in the thick of things whenever his side had possession. The problem for Thomas was, of course, that ball rarely came when Wales were on the front foot.
11. Joe Roberts – 5
Can be happy overall with first ever professional start on the wing. He needed treatment in the first quarter but recovered well and put in a big shift defensively to help stem the English tide, albeit his efforts were ultimately in vain.
10. Gareth Anscombe – 3
An agonising evening for the Gloucester flyhalf who looked like a man nearing his 34th birthday. Turned over early on as he ran the ball into Stuart and Freeman, then kicked a crucial penalty out on the full when Wales had a chance to build pressure.
Even his conversion offered little respite as he was charged down from the restart to put his team under yet more pressure. In all, Anscombe conceded three turnovers as Wales faltered.
9. Tomos Williams – 3
A game to forget at the end of an arduous campaign. The scrumhalf marshalled play well during the move that led to Thomas’ try but that was a rare bright spot in an unusually insipid display.
Williams’ distribution was uncharacteristically poor at times – although he was not helped by teammates – and he was found wanting in defence on at least one occasion. His rush of blood created the space that Freeman ruthlessly exploited at the end of the first half.
Possession
1. Nicky Smith – 5
One nice bit of footwork and carry towards the end of the first half aside, the Leicester Tigers prop was not able to showcase his talents. Was replaced early in the second half.
2. Elliot Dee – 5
The Welsh set-piece has performed well in an otherwise poor championship, but his arrows deserted him on one occasion and although he got through a lot of work – making nine tackles and five carries – he was replaced by Dewi Lake at the break.
3. WillGriff John – 4
Looked a shadow of the player who had impressed against Ireland here three weeks ago. Was unable to impose himself on the game defensively and did not make a single carry during his time on the pitch.
4. Will Rowlands – 4
Was targeted at the line-out early on as Itoje gave away a penalty but was otherwise unable to help turn the English tide in Wales’ favour.
5. Dafydd Jenkins – 5
Put in another big shift defensively, completing more tackles than any other player and rarely shying away from the physical confrontation. Ultimately, though, he was unable to help Wales gain the upper hand in that area as a passive defensive performance from the hosts was exposed.
6. Aaron Wainwright – 4
Brought in to provide some physicality and dynamism in the back row, but aside from some first-half handbags with Ollie Chessum, was unable to provide much of that. Switched to No.8 when Faletau departed but the shift in position did not improve his performance.
7. Jac Morgan (captain) – 6
Towards the top of the tackle count once again, and his effort cannot be faulted. But if this was a Lions audition against Ben Curry, then it was the Englishman – Player of the Match – who came away the undoubted winner.
8. Taulupe Faletau – 5
Following a string of encouraging performances in recent weeks, this was not one that will live long in the British and Irish Lion’s memory. Made seven carries in his 52 minutes on the pitch but was turned over twice and struggled to exert his usual physicality.
Replacements
16. Dewi Lake – 5
Came on at half-time but was unable to shift the momentum of a match that had already got away from his side.
17. Gareth Thomas – 5
Another who came on early in the second half. Put in a big shift defensively but that merely helped Wales to tread water for much of the second half.
18. Keiron Assiratti – 4
Was introduced for the second half alongside Lake but found it difficult to have any meaningful impact on the contest.
19. Teddy Williams – 5
Wales were chasing the match by the time Williams came on and he was unable to change their fortunes.
20. Tommy Reffell – 4
Came on for Faletau with around half an hour to go. It was a tough time to come into the match and he was unable to make much of an impact.
21. Rhodri Williams – 5
Did not have time to make an impact as England ran away with it.
22. Jarrod Evans – 4
Found the going every bit as tough as the man he replaced, Anscombe. An errant pass in the 55th minute led directly to an Alex Mitchell try as the England scrum-half reacted quickest to race onto the loose ball.
23. Nick Tompkins – 5
Came on in the dying embers of the match and didn’t have enough time to make a mark on the match.
@RugbyPass
Possession
Rugby’s best of the best, ranked by experts. Check out our list of the Top 100 Men's Rugby Players and let us know what you think!
