Jamie George stated that England made a dynamic start to the Six Nations by decisively defeating Wales 48-7, a win that sets the stage for an important match at Murrayfield.
Henry Arundell, in his first start since the 2023 World Cup, scored a first-half hat-trick at Allianz Stadium, while Ben Earl, Tom Roebuck, and Tommy Freeman also touched down, with a penalty try rounding off the victory.
Next, England will face a Scotland team that is recovering from their 18-15 loss to Italy as they aim for their first win in Edinburgh since 2020.
“No matter who we were up against next, this is a fantastic foundation for us to build upon,” remarked George, who captained the side in the absence of regular captain Maro Itoje, who was named on the bench.
“We aimed to start strongly, and we achieved that, particularly in how we began the match. The intensity we displayed reflects the type of team we aspire to be.
“It will be about determining how far we can push ourselves, as we understand the significant challenge that awaits us at Murrayfield next week.
“There is a strong desire within this team to reach our full potential and to improve. We felt that in the competitiveness of our training sessions.
“To go out and perform as we did is very satisfying because we appeared to be a cohesive unit.
“Considering it was the opening game of the tournament, that’s quite impressive.”
England’s victory marked their third-largest win against Wales, achieved despite a lack of rhythm in the second half after leading 29-0 at halftime, thanks to a clinical first 40 minutes expertly managed by George Ford.
Head coach Steve Borthwick commented: “Defensively, we were outstanding. We recognize that Wales has many dangerous players with speed on the flanks, and we managed to contain them effectively.
“Our kicking game was solid, and the set-piece performed well, but there is still ample room for enhancement.
“What is particularly encouraging is that we generated numerous opportunities, and we can improve on converting those.
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“Especially in the second half, we failed to convert the chances in the way I would prefer. There is much for us to address.”
Wales captain Dewi Lake provided a candid evaluation of his team’s 12th consecutive defeat in the Six Nations, with the first half being particularly difficult for Welsh supporters.
“We let ourselves down and disappointed others. We discussed all week what we intended to deliver, and we fell short,” Lake stated.
“There is no other way to express it. We are extremely disappointed with our performance.”
Wales will host France next Sunday, and Lake added: “We are aware that we need to perform better next weekend.
“We have talked extensively about our desire to excite the nation. We did not achieve that against England. We have four more games in this tournament, and we will ensure we deliver next week.”
