Wales 16-21 England, by David Nicholson at the Millennium Stadium

After all the hype and home-side mind games, an inexperienced and injury-ravaged England dominated Wales to win the Six Nations opening game in Cardiff on a freezing and pulsating Friday night.

The opening tournament match was preceded by huge amounts of fanfare and analysis which largely said that Wales were firm favourites with a settled side, while England were struggling with injury.