A nerveless George Ford papered over a host of craters to boot England to a madcap, scrappy but vital 19-17 victory over Wales at Twickenham.
England were reduced to 12 men for five minutes in west London, and even saw captain Owen Farrell sent off for a head-high shot on Taine Basham.
Steve Borthwick’s men would have slipped to an all-time low world ranking of ninth in defeat. Victory snatched at the last and from a deep, worrying malaise at least staves off that ignominy.
But when the breathlessness of the late turnaround subsides, England simply have to savage themselves for another performance mostly lacking any cogency, substance or direction.
Clive Woodward’s 2003 World Cup winners trace much of the belief for that victory in Australia back to surviving 10 minutes with 13 men to beat New Zealand 15-13 in Wellington six months before lifting the Webb Ellis Cup.
England’s five minutes with 12 men here was the polar opposite of that composed and tenacious rearguard action.
Tomos Williams coasted in unopposed for a try that threatened to sink England without trace. But then, from nowhere, England’s pack decided to keep it tight and powered over the top of the visitors.
Maro Itoje capped a driving maul, replacement Ford converted – and then later blasted the winning penalty. Ford was a man possessed in captain Farrell’s absence, and his dominant, authoritarian closing of this match throws out the renewed possibility of a 10-12 partnership with the skipper come the World Cup.
Farrell’s red card was reckless, while Freddie Steward was fortunate to escape with a yellow for upending Josh Adams in the air. Ellis Genge was sin-binned to boot, on his first act off the bench in his 50th cap.
The emotion around victory must be transformed into immediate momentum for England, because the hard truth is the hosts were so poor for so long. Head coach Borthwick’s men need direction, and fast, otherwise Argentina will send them packing in the World Cup opener in Marseille on September 9.
England were abject again in a dismal, dispiriting first-half. At least the hosts took a 6-0 lead into the interval, but there were almost no other positives before the break. Henry Arundell was left red-faced by a facile yellow card, for a brainless tackle on Liam Williams after refusing to retreat from a mark.
England for the most part had set-piece dominance and defended Wales’ tight drives well. But there was next to no attacking shape, and again a litany of errors.
Farrell slotted a penalty to put England 9-0 up to open the second-half, and Tommy Refell was sin-binned.
Then England started to implode. Three scrum penalties allowed Wales to turn the set-piece tide, then take control.
First Owen Williams slotted a goal, then Wales claimed a penalty try.
Genge was sin-binned with his first act off the bench on his 50th cap, and so the carnage started to unfold.
Steward tackled Josh Adams in the air, copping a yellow card for his trouble and then Farrell walked for his head-high shot on Basham.
Tomos Williams cantered in unopposed for a Wales try as England were reduced to 12 men.
Dan Biggar’s conversion had Wales 17-9 ahead, with England staring right down the barrel.
Somehow though, England’s 12 men conjured a tight-drive try through Itoje, and George Ford’s conversion had the hosts trailing by just one point at 17-16. Replacement playmaker Ford then held his nerve to boot England back into a 19-17 lead from a penalty, with just five minutes to play.
Wales then had Adam Beard in the sin-bin, Twickenham was as alive as it has ever been, and both sets of players looked stunned by events.
England somehow clung on, for a victory that raises far more questions than answers – but at least helped avoid an all-out crisis.
