Wales arrived in London with the legacy of Adrian Hadley two-try salvo in 1988 casting a shadow over them. Gatland’s eight predecessors including Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and the 2005 Grand Slam winning coach Mike Ruddock had all failed to achieve victory.
But the Kiwi masterminded it at his first attempt as Wales produced a magnificent performance full of grit and determination.
The Dragons trailed 19-6 five minutes into the second half but the Three Feathers rose to the occasion and breathed fire in the final half hour on a momentous day for Welsh rugby. Wales had got off to the worst possible start when centre Sonny Parker, under extreme pressure from Leicester Tigers’ rampaging flanker Lewis Moody, knocked on inside 12 seconds from Wilkinson’s kick off.
The Newcastle fly half opened the scoring with a 40 metre penalty to hand England a dream start.
But Wales responded within a minute and levelled the scores when Hook showed no early signs of nerves to fire over a penalty. The tough-talking Gatland predicted there would be a bloodbath and it took only 12 minutes before the first signs of brutality were shown.
On the eve of this Anglo-Welsh clash, new defence coach Shaun Edwards had told skipper Ryan Jones to just go out and smash the opposition while England’s Mark Regan claimed they would be ready for the arm-wrestle.
And it was the hosts who were true to their word as Jonathan Thomas had to hit the blood-bin after a swinging right arm smash by Wilkinson caught the flanker in the mouth. As Thomas was leaving the field, Strettle pulled up injured and Vainikolo entered the field to make his international debut.
His introduction immediately lifted the crowd and he wasted little time on imposing his 6ft 2ins and 17 stone frame on Llanelli Scarlets’ Mark Jones who he dumped into touch.
Jones, along with Cardiff Blues flanker Martyn Williams were the exceptions to Gatland’s record 13-man Ospreys selection and probably wished he was sat in the stands than face the man-mountain Vainikolo.
But, a minute later, Jones felt the full effect of England’s volcano as Vainikolo chased down a Wilkinson cross-kick. Jones managed to evade the storm but the hosts turned the ball over and after gaining excellent field position, Wilkinson slotted home the simplest of drop goals from infront to hand England a 9-3 lead.
Wales struggled to impose themselves upfront in the loose as England’s front five dominated. And the visitors’ nerves crept in at the end of the opening quarter as Hook wastefully kicked the ball straight into touch.
And in the following phase Vainikolo’s presence created panic to create the first try of the match on 22 minutes. England’s deliberate cross-kick tactic was in action again as Wilkinson’s kick deep into Wales’s 22 found the Gloucester wing who leapt over Jones and his deft inside pass found the on-rushing Toby Flood to score under the posts. Wilkinson duly converted the extras.
But Wales hit back and a mazy run by the pint-sized Shane Williams was edged out by a stubborn English defence. Hook reduced the arrears to ten points with his second penalty from long-range after Andrew Sheridan impeded the Welsh line-out.
However, three minutes before the interval, Sackey would have doubled their try count only for the intervention of Huw Bennett. South African referee Craig Joubert, in charge of his first match at Twickenham, went upstairs to the Television Match Official and Ireland’s Simon McDowell deemed the Ospreys hooker and Hook had done enough to stop the Wasps wing.
Wales fell further behind on 45 minutes as Wilkinson kicked his third penalty before Hook kept the Dragons in touch with his third successful penalty.
But Henson showed his undoubted star potential on the hour mark with a brilliant burst past Wilkinson as Wales came to life. Wales were given hope when Hook converted his fourth penalty two minutes after full-back Lee Byrne’s chip and chase to leave Wales seven points behind.
Wales were now in the ascendancy and scored the crucial try on 67 minutes when Hook beat three challenges to supply Byrne in the left corner. It was now time to believe as Hook fired home the conversion to tie the scores.
Gatland had stoked up the fire in the build-up by saying he was unimpressed by England fullback Iain Balshaw when he went on a scouting mission at his club side Gloucester last weekend.
And within a minute, his prediction came true as Phillips charged down Balshaw’s kick and Gethin Jenkins fed Williams who passed to the Ospreys scrum half to beat Balshaw as Wales led for the first time in the match.
Hook’s splendid conversion from the touchline pushed the visitors into dreamland as Wales recorded their first win in London since 1988
