JONNY WILKINSON’S horror pass handed Wales their first Twickenham win for 20 years. Toby Flood and Danny Cipriani – and Wales hero James Hook for that matter – were mere babes the last time the Red Dragon was waved proudly across the home of English rugby. Wilko’s nerves of steel deserted him as a second-half Welsh onslaught took hold, with England running out of gas – and back-row reserves. A clanger to rank right up there with Tory MP Derek Conway’s wage structure, Wilko’s blunder cost his men just as dearly. Leading 19-12 with 12 minutes on the clock, the sensible option was to boot the ball into touch – anywhere. Instead he threw a momentous clanger in the shape of a double miss-pass that bisected Wasps team-mates Cipriani and Paul Sackey. The winger cleaned up and fed Cipriani, who enjoyed a first touch in international rugby to rival that of Mathew Tait in Cardiff three years ago. Wales won the scrum, and minutes later Lee Byrne coasted in at the corner to cut the lead, which Hook then cancelled out. Mere moments after that shaky Iain Balshaw – Wales’ target man – was charged down by Mike Phillips who finished the play diving in at the same corner to condemn England to defeat. James Hook landed 16 points – to add to his 22 against England in Cardiff last year - with the boot and ran Wilkinson into the ground after the break, in a match that England looked to have in complete control. Jonathan Davies and his ilk of ’88 are long gone, but Warren Gatland’s warriors were elated to step out of their shadow and pull off an unlikely victory - especially after England ran up a good first-half lead. It had all been going so well, especially for Newcastle Falcon and London Wasp James Haskell. Flood capped a dream half with his second international try, and Haskell stormed out of Lawrence Dallaglio’s shadow. The game’s brutal pace and intensity took effect straight away, and eventually took its toll, as Brian Ashton’s men found themselves mob-handed thanks to injuries. First Lewis Moody, then Tom Rees hobbled off the back row, leaving Ben Kay like a fish out of water at flanker after the break. Lesley Vainikolo was meant to impact the last 20 minutes – but thanks to David Strettle’s injury he was forced to put his stamp on the first quarter. Leaping high above Mark Jones he grabbed Wilkinson’s crossfield at the second attempt and still managed to feed Flood on the inside. The young No 12 glided through to score to put England in the box seat – but it was a seat from which they were ejected without regard for tradition or legacy. England simply fell apart in the second-half, all their assurance, resilience and domination went awry – and it will be most galling for the players, who just could not do anything about it. No worse way to start a Six Nations – but England must look to their first-half for inspiration ahead of next week’s trip to Italy. | 
