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England celebrate
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Credit: David Rogers
ALLSPORT
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England triumph in Paris
by Andy McKenzie
England recorded their first win in Paris for six years and ended France's grand slam hopes at the Stade
de France on February 19.
- Jonny Wilkinson scored all of England's points in a 15-9 win that makes them clear favourites for the Six
Nations title.
- England were on top for the majority of a scrappy game, but had to withstand intense late pressure from the French.
- Despite being down to 13 players at one point late in the game - with Simon Shaw and Austin Healey
in the sin-bin - England held on for a hard-earned win.
- Full-back Richard Dourthe scored all of the French points in the second half with his boot.
- In Cardiff, Wales bounced back from their opening defeat at the hands of the French to record a convincing
win over Italy.
- The Welsh ran in four tries in a 47-16 win over the Italians to end a three-game losing streak at the Millennium
Stadium.
- The Italians failed to find the form that saw them triumph over Scotland on their Six Nations debut, against
a Welsh side looking full of confidence despite their crushing loss to the French on February 5.
- Fly-half Neil Jenkins opened the scoring with an early penalty and in doing so passed the 900 point mark
for internationals.
- But the Italians came back and levelled the score with a Diego Dominguez drop goal after seven minutes.
Three minutes later the underdogs went into a surprise 6-3 lead when Dominguez kicked a penalty.
- Inevitably, it was Jenkins who got the Welsh back on track, with four straight penalties giving his side a 15-6
margin.
- Tries for Scott Quinnell - his sixth for his country - and Shane Williams on his full international
debut, gave the Welsh a 30-9 half-time lead, with a Dominguez penalty the Italians' only response.
- The second half continued in similar fashion, with a try from centre Allan Bateman and a further five points
from Jenkins putting the home side 40-14 up.
- With the Welsh threatening to run riot, the Italians found another gear and Vilhelmus Visser powered over
for a consolation try, which Dominguez converted.
- Visser almost went over again moments later as the Italians fought for their pride and the Welsh began to look
tired.
- After weathering the Italian onslaught, Wales recovered and Shane Howarth went over for his fourth try in
18 games.
- Jenkins added the conversion to increase his tally to 27 points, securing Wales' second biggest win over Italy and
ending their three-game losing streak at the Millennium Stadium.
- At Lansdowne Road, Ireland produced a dominant display to crush Scotland 44-22 and add to their
disastrous start to their Six Nations campaign.
- Five players scored tries for the Irish, who got their first win over their Celtic rivals since 1988 and recorded
their highest ever points total against Scotland.
- The Scots went 10-0 up through a penalty and a converted try from Kenny Logan. But the Irish fought back
and went into the break 13-10 up, courtesy of a try from Malcolm O'Kelly and two penalties.
- It was all Ireland after the break and only two late Scottish tries from Glen Metcalfe and George
Graham gave the scoreline some repectability.
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