England vs Wales LIVE: Rugby result and reaction after Owen Farrell red card in Rugby World Cup warm-up
Steve Borthwick’s side rallied late after going down to 12 men to edge Wales at Twickenham
England fought back to edge Wales 19-17 in a World Cup warm up full of incident, injury and yellow cards - and notably a red card for captain Owen Farrell that could see him suspended for their opening game of the tournament in France next month.
A dull game burst into life in the second half amid a flurry of sin-binnings for both sides, with one for England‘s Freddie Steward leading to a penalty try for Wales. England were reduced to 12 men with further cards for Ellis Genge and Farrell - later upgraded to red - and Tomos Williams put them further ahead with a breakaway try. However, Maro Itoje hit back for battling England, replacement George Ford converted then kicked the decisive penalty four minutes from the end.
England‘s fans were left somewhat bewildered as they had spent a frustrating hour wondering just how their team were going to score a try and play some rugby but left delighted by the gutsy comeback. Relive all the action from Twickenham LIVE below:
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England 9-3 Wales, 59 minutes
Wales punt into England’s 22 and make more metres in a muscular manner. England erect their defences on their own line...
YELLOW CARD! Ellis Genge is sent to the sin bin! England 9-3 Wales, 58 minutes
He had warned them. Down goes the scrum, off goes Ellis Genge, having been deemed the cause.
England 9-3 Wales, 58 minutes
Cole (101 international caps) appears to be putting the hurt on Kemsley Mathias (1 international cap) but Wales wisely extract promptly. They make initial progress to the right, Taine Basham and Tommy Reffell linking up, though it isn’t long before there’s an error.
England reshuffle their backline - George Ford on at ten, Owen Farrell to 12, Ollie Lawrence to 13, Joe Marchant to 14, and Henry Arundell off...
England 9-3 Wales, 57 minutes
Nika Amashukeli has had enough of the set-piece shambles. “Whoever is at fault next will get a yellow card,” the Georgian referee informs the players. England call on their scrum doctor: Dan Cole replaces Will Stuart.
England 9-3 Wales, 55 minutes
Genge goes off in search of a Welshman or two, stomping with typical snarl into his first carry, but an earlier knock-on ends his effort. Wales will feed the scrum 30 metres from their own line.
England 9-3 Wales, 54 minutes
Another errant Welsh dart gives England posssession with Ellis Genge now amongst things in Joe Marler’s stead. A lovely wide ball puts Elliot Daly into a sliver of space, but Liam Williams provides the requisite backfield cover after Daly chips ahead.
England 9-3 Wales, 52 minutes
An Owen Farrell spiral bomb doesn’t quite come off the boot right, but Henry Arundell’s hands tap it back and COurtney Lawes sweeps up.
Ollie Lawrence makes a break, a mighty fend on Tom Rogers as he strides free.
Can England capitalise? Of course not. Ben Youngs waits at the base inside the Welsh 22 but Liam Williams is deemed legal in his jackal, perhaps fortunately - it looked like the full-back went demonstrably off his feet.
England 9-3 Wales, 51 minutes
Penalty to Wales. Kemsley Mathias and Will Stuart again hit the deck, with the England tighthead chuntering away as he retreats after the whistle goes against him. Assistant Andrea Piardi reckons Stuart had slipped his bind...
But it matters not as Dan Biggar misses touch.
England 9-3 Wales, 50 minutes
Job one for Mathias and Lewis will be anchoring a seven-player Welsh scrum with Tommy Reffell still in the bin. Will Stuart and the newbie immediately hit the deck. Reset.
England 9-3 Wales, 49 minutes
Owen Farrell loses grip of the ball as he tries to release a wide pass. It’s been that sort of day.
More Welsh changes: off go Rhys Davies, Tomas Francis, Owen Williams and Gareth Thomas; on come Christ Tshiunza, Dillon Lewis, Dan Biggar and, on debut, Kemsley Mathias.
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