CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — England consigned ailing rival Wales to a 17th straight loss with a record 10-try 68-14 drubbing to finish the Six Nations on Saturday.
England ended up second, its highest finish since it was the 2020 champion. The English were a point behind France — which beat Scotland 35-16 in the finale in Paris — and a point ahead of defending two-time champion Ireland.
“We did our job," England captain Maro Itoje said.
England exited the tournament on a high with four wins from five — including over France — and its status as a leading rugby power restored after some tough narrow losses for coach Steve Borthwick last year.
Wales' biggest ever loss in Cardiff began with a third-minute score for Itoje, one of five tries in the first half for the visitors as Tom Roebuck, Tommy Freeman, replacement Chandler Cunningham-South and Will Stuart also went over.
Freeman scored a try in each game in this Six Nations, a first for an English player.
Tries by Alex Mitchell, replacements Henry Pollock (twice) and Joe Heyes, and then Cunningham-South again completed the rout and a record margin of victory by England over Wales. Pollock's tries came on his debut.
“Even when results weren't going our way, and there was outside noise, we kept on being consistent. The challenge for our team is to continue to grow, continue to get better,” Itoje said.
Wales' only response was two tries by center Ben Thomas, one in each half, and this was another humiliating match for a proud rugby nation whose last win came way back in October 2023 and finished outright last — thereby picking up the wooden spoon — for the second straight season for the first time in the tournament's 142-year history.
Seventeen straight defeats is a record losing run for a tier one nation in the professional era and equals Scotland's run from 1951-55. It is only one behind France's losing streak from 1911-20.
The Welsh have lost all of their matches for two straight campaigns and are in a dark place as they continue their search for a full-time coach to replace Warren Gatland, who left mid-tournament. Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt took over for the final three rounds.
Of the other records to tumble, this was the most points Wales has conceded in Cardiff and the country's heaviest Six Nations loss.
“It's tough — all the boys are gutted but you can't knock the boys, the commitment, the effort in training, how hard we've worked,” Wales co-captain Jac Morgan said. “It'll come hopefully.”
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
The Associated Press
