Wales
15 Leigh Halfpenny 6/10 He gets closer to his 2013 form as every match goes by, albeit slowly. Seems back to his best from the tee. Ever so reliable in defence and showed up on the wing, too.
14 Alex Cuthbert 5/10 Did not get down low enough to deny Youngs his try and on the periphery thereafter until he came up with a try-saving tackle on Danny Care. Not international class, though, nowhere near.
13 Jonathan Davies 6/10 Early tackle on Farrell stopped a certain try. Had he held on to Webb’s pass when wide on the right it may have been game over. His failure to find touch late cost Wales dearly.
12 Scott Williams 8/10 Quiet start but his decoy run created the space for Liam Williams’s try and got better and better as the game wore on. Brings so much more to the No12 shirt than Jamie Roberts.
11 Liam Williams 7/10 One typically mazy run down the left before calling the move that led to his try. The most dangerous attacking threat on the pitch in the first half, more subdued in the second.
10 Dan Biggar 8/10 Loves playing England. Awesome in defence, far improved in attack and his interception in the second half looked like it might be crucial. A fine performance considering doubts over his fitness.
9 Rhys Webb 7/10 Held up just short in the first half but outshone Youngs before making way for Davies. He, and perhaps Alex King, must take a lot of the credit for how improved Wales’s attack was.
1 Rob Evans 6/10 Always on hand to carry when called upon, making ground too. Ripped the ball from Clifford just before half-time. Mixed scrummaging day but, all told, a decent shift.
2 Ken Owens 7/10 Another who rolled his sleeves up and got stuck in. Made his tackles and emptied the tank. Nothing wrong with his lineout throwing, either. Has really made the jersey his own.
3 Tomas Francis 6/10 Given the chance to start after impressing against Italy but was not as effective here. Such was the pace of the game the Wales tighthead was unsurprisingly off it.
4 Jake Ball 7/10 Tireless. Jones inevitably earns the plaudits but Ball was just relentless in defence next to him. Carried very well - the pick of the second-rows on the pitch in that regard.
5 Alun Wyn Jones, capt 8/10 Inspirational. Two big calls to turn down shots at goal late in the first half but responsible for not letting Wales buckle after Youngs’ score. His consistent excellence is just remarkable.
6 Sam Warburton 8/10 Fantastic. Has been liberated without the captaincy. A huge number of tackles, his usual work at the breakdown and often the go‑to man in the lineout. Did not deserve to lose.
7 Justin Tipuric 7/10 Excellent. Was Wales’s best performer in the autumn and now that he knows the No7 jersey is his he plays like it. For all his running threat he is a fine defender, too.
8 Ross Moriarty 8/10 Physical, abrasive - he relishes this kind of battle. Tackled all day, and he hits hard - even if one on Farrell was late. He and his captain led the defensive rearguard. A big future beckons.
REPLACEMENTS: Scott Baldwin 6 (for Owens 61) Deputy to Owens and performed the role well; Nicky Smith 5 (Evans 53) Youngster did not have a great deal to do; Samson Lee 5 (Francis 53) Powerful, made his tackles; Cory Hill 6 (Warburton 78) No time to make an impact; Taulupe Faletau 7 (Moriarty 53) Classy but surprising to see Moriarty go off so early; Gareth Davies 5 (Webb 65) Busy without anything electric; Jamie Roberts 6 (S Williams 70) A couple of typically powerful carries
England
15 Mike Brown 5/10 A couple of aggressive runs but one terrible kick out on the full. His place looks increasingly under threat despite the leadership role he performs for Eddie Jones.
14 Jack Nowell 6/10 Picked for his work-rate and justified his selection. Scrambled well to deny Biggar and had a few wriggling runs up the middle. Could not get away from Welsh defence, though.
13 Jonathan Joseph 6/10 Scored his first England try here two years ago but did not have a sniff. Great pass to Daly in the first half but overcooked one in the second. Te’o is breathing down his neck.
12 Owen Farrell 8/10 The coolest player on the pitch. Always kicks his goals but made line breaks and some unerring long passes. Outfoxed for Wales’s try but played a key role in Daly’s.
11 Elliot Daly 8/10 Lovely inside pass for first try and express pace to both recover after Biggar’s interception and score the winning try. Very nearly took Cuthbert out in the air, though. Must shake the habit.
10 George Ford 8/10 Targeted by Welsh forwards throughout but his ability to delay a pass is delightful. He keeps going in the face of all that comes his way and, with Farrell, teed up Daly.
9 Ben Youngs 6/10 Smart finish for first try but he is charged with setting the tempo and was a shade sluggish, too often failing to get the ball wide early enough. Not a good day with the boot, either.
1 Joe Marler 7/10 Things got a bit lively on more than one occasion but, with such an inexperienced back row, others have to step up. Nearly crossed the line but managed to stay just the right side.
2 Dylan Hartley capt 5/10 Stripped of the ball early on and hooked after 47 minutes. He may be the captain but his form does not warrant a place in the side at present. Lineout was fine, as you would expect.
3 Dan Cole 6/10 Earned his corn when Wales turned down a penalty and opted for a scrum. Stayed on for a good 70 minutes, which is no mean feat considering how frantic things were.
4 Joe Launchbury 9/10 England will always miss Chris Robshaw’s engine but less so when Launchbury plays like this. Got through a remarkable amount of dirty work. Quiet off the pitch, ferocious on it.
5 Courtney Lawes 7/10 Conceded early penalty and was sometimes ponderous in possession. Held firm in the face of colossal pressure in the second and third quarters, though. Gave it everything. .
6 Maro Itoje 7/10 Still finding his feet at blindside but this was much better than last week. Shoved back by Jones and Moriarty to the delight of the crowd but he tends to improve as the stakes are raised.
7 Jack Clifford 5/10 Not involved nearly enough on just his second England start and made way for Haskell. Not really his kind of game but Jones will have wanted a bit more from him.
8 Nathan Hughes 7/10 Shaky start, knocking on and getting dumped on his backside. Grew in authority, though and showed his dexterity. May get a call from the citing officer for a stray hand to the face.
REPLACEMENTS: Jamie George 7 (for Hartley 47) Impressive again. Pushing to start Matt Mullan 6 (Marler 71) Solid if unspectacular Kyle Sinckler 7 (Cole 71) Won the crucial tackle in the last minute Tom Wood 6 (Hughes 78) No time to get involved James Haskell 7 (Clifford 49) Showed the aggression that England had lacked Danny Care 7 (Youngs 65) Better. Another pushing for a place in the XV Ben Te’o 8 (Joseph 65) Great impact. Brings a real presence Jonny May 6 (Nowell 71) Did well to stay in play on the right
