Englishman Owen Farrell is held back from Wales' Dan Biggar. Image Credit & Copyright: PA/Joe Giddens.
This is a victory that will almost certainly come at a terrible cost to England.
Despite all the chest-pounding defiance of Steve Borthwick's team, with Maro Itoye's late shot and George Ford's penalty for an unlikely win, it was a sight Owen Farrell, disconsolately returning to the dressing room after his yellow card was upgraded to a red card in the 70th minute, that will forever be remembered for this completely chaotic fight.
Borthwick had already lost his first-half scrum half to Jack van Puorthlitt with an ankle injury, leading to anxious anticipation. for a scan to determine the extent of the problem.
A disciplinary hearing will take place this week that will determine Farrell's fate, and first instinct is that the England captain will do everything possible to avoid a lengthy ban, and almost certainly at least least miss the start of the World Cup and England's most important billiard match. , the first match against Argentina on September 9.
Farrell was initially booked for his unarmed tackle that made contact with Welsh replacement flanker Thane Basham. But referee Nika Amashukeli sent him to the official televised match for Brian McNeice, who only took five minutes to confirm he was red.
The referral was part of World Rugby's trial of the «TMO bunker» system during the Summer Nations Series, with the off-field yellow test process likely to be implemented for the fall tournament in France as well. The only surprise was that Amashukeli felt compelled to use him as the infringement looked obvious, causing a row between the two sides.
This means Farrell's fate now hangs like a black shadow over England's World Cup preparations. Borthwick and the England players were careful not to comment on the Saturday night incident ahead of the disciplinary hearing, but his challenge is to prove any mitigation.
Farrell had already used up the equivalent of attending a speed training course by attending World Rugby's 'selection school' back in January, allowing the Saracen player to start the Six Nations in the opening match against Scotland at Twickenham. His ban was then reduced from six to four (for his remorse) and then to three weeks (for attending a trapping school) for a shoulder-to-head tackle on Gloucester's Jack Clement when he played Gallagher's premiership with the Saracens. But World Rugby rules say you can only visit a tackle school once.
Owen Farrell leaving the field after receiving a yellow card , which later turned red. Photo: Getty Images/David Rogers
He also had two previous relevant disciplinary bans — five weeks for a tackle on the head of Os midfielder Charlie Atkinson in 2020 and two weeks for a dangerous tackle on an Os scrum. — half Dan Robson in 2016.
It's likely that RFU legal counsel Richard Smith will need every skill to keep Farrell from missing half of their pool matches, with only two World Cup warm-up matches left, against Ireland and Fiji.
This is an urgent problem facing the England camp, but there is a bigger problem as well. Farrell is the totem figure of this New England team. Borthwick identified him as the man who spearheaded the recovery phase after Eddie Jones, but once again his short-tempered instinct got the better of him despite extended periods of time devoted to his grappling technique.
Farrell's outbursts of indiscipline are often rooted in his general disappointment with the team's performance. England trailed 10-9 during his tackle, just minutes after Steward's yellow card and penalty conceded.
This is a scenario where composure is required, but Farrell is such a fierce competitor that it was another the moment when his attempt to impose himself failed.
Brian Moore's verdict
As Courtney Lowes, who is set to replace Farrell as captain during his pending ban, said afterwards that while England praised their rearguard actions in the win-break, they were unlikely to get away with playing in 12 again man.
The loss of Farrell would also be a serious blow to the plans of the England defenders, given that Borthwick had long since set his starting XV for the World Cup, and the implications for midfield and midfielder. Farrell switched to the inside center when George Ford came on, another of the combinations to end the game.
Without Farrell, England's midfield options became more limited due to the power play of Manu Tuilagi and Olli. Lawrence.
It now appears that Ford will be tasked with starting in the semi-finals if Farrell is excluded from the World Cup start. That Borthwick can turn to a player of such experience and skill is some consolation.
Owen Farrell's possible Woe at the World Cup
But overall it was a controversy that the England head coach could do without as he's trying to breathe some fire into a side sorely lacking in confidence and resilience.
England's emotional reaction to their audacious victory was understandable, but a trip to Ireland in Dublin next Saturday will be another big test. And what is clear is that England still has a huge amount of work to do, with or without Farrell.
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