England booked their place in next week’s Autumn Nations Cup final with a 24-13 win away to Wales at Llanelli on Saturday.
But the Six Nations champions’ victory was far from the pre-match rout forecast by many pundits, with this success a triumph for the visitors’ set-piece dominance rather than attacking flair.
Wales stunned England when Johnny Williams’ try opened the scoring in a behind-closed-doors match at Parc Y Scarlets.
But tries in either half from Henry Slade and Mako Vunipola, allied to 14 points from the boot of England captain Owen Farrell, saw the visitors to a victory that meant they finished top of Pool A.
Defeat meant Wales had won just once — against second-tier Georgia — in eight matches.