Wales hosted England at the Millennium Stadium in the Six Nations showdown in Cardiff.
The Red Rose travelled across the border looking to secure their first Grand Slam victory in a decade, while the Dragons could still retain their title with a winning margin of eight points or more.
However, the Welsh smashed England to retain their Six Nations title with an emphatic performance on their own turf.
Read how it all unfolded below.
Good afternoon and welcome to Sports Mole's coverage of Wales versus England in the Six Nations, from the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Wow, this is it. This is essentially the final of this tournament. Wales can retain their title if they win by seven points, while England can record their first Grand Slam victory in a decade if they beat the Welsh.
It doesn't get any bigger than this, and it should be a cracker. Here is some team news for you.
WALES XV : 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-Alex Cuthbert, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-George North, 10-Dan Biggar, 9-Mike Phillips, 1-Gethin Jenkins, 2-Richard Hibbard, 3-Adam Jones, 4-Alun Wyn Jones, 5-Ian Evans, 6-Sam Warburton, 7-Justin Tipuric, 8- Toby Faletau.
Gethin Jenkins has been given the armband today, in the absence of the injured Ryan Jones.
WALES REPLACEMENTS: 16-Ken Owens, 17-Paul James, 18-Scott Andrews, 19-Andrew Coombs, 20-Aaron Shingler, 21-Lloyd Williams, 22-James Hook, 23-Scott Williams.
And now for the visitors.
ENGLAND XV : 15-Alex Goode, 14-Chris Ashton, 13-Manu Tuilagi, 12-Brad Barritt, 11-Mike Brown, 10-Owen Farrell, 9-Ben Youngs; 1-Joe Marler, 2-Tom Youngs, 3-Dan Cole, 4-Joe Launchbury, 5-Geoff Parling, 6-Tom Croft, 7-Chris Robshaw, 8-Tom Wood.
Owen Farrell returns for England following his recent injury, Joe Launchbury and Ben Youngs also come back into the side.
ENGLAND REPLACEMENTS: 16-Dylan Hartley, 17-David Wilson, 18-Mako Vunipola, 19-Courtney Lawes, 20-James Haskell, 21-Danny Care, 22-Toby Flood, 23-Billy Twelvetrees.
If history has told us anything, it is that there will be tries this afternoon, as there has not been a try-less England-Wales Test since 1978. However, the last five clashes between the two at the Millennium Stadium has not seen a margin of victory greater than 10 points. Wales would be willing to accept slightly less than that.
England have lost on four out of their last five trips to play in Cardiff, but won their on their last visit in the Six Nations. The Red Rose have faced the Dragons twice before when going for a Grand Slam, winning 24-0 in 1982 and losing 31-32 in 1999.
It was Wales who came out on top when these two sides met last year. That defeat was England's sole loss of the 2012 Six Nations, and helped Wales to the Grand Slam.
10 minutes to go!
The teams are in the tunnel.
England are out first. The atmosphere here is absolutely electric!
Talk about lights, camera and action; it is Hollywood style scenery here. Pyro galore in Cardiff.
So both teams are out, here are the anthems.
Wow, this is already an incredible occasions. The hair's on the back of my neck are erect. Excitement doesn't quite cut it.
Nervous about the result? Want to 'Cash in your bet'? See how with William Hill.
AND WE'RE OFF!
Youngs with a skidder that evades Halfpenny - he touches the ball down and Wales will restart.
Early intent from both sides to play the ball in-hand.
England take the lineout following a knock on.
The noise in Cardiff is unreal.
Alex Goode forced to scamper out of play from the Wales kick, great stuff from the hosts. Dragons lineout.
Steve Walsh is the referee today by the way, as he awards England a decision following a Welsh knock on.
Wales dominate the scrum, and are awarded the penalty. This is surely the opening points of the match.
Ah, Wales have opted to go for the try by declaring a scrum with their put-in.
The scrum collapses, we'll try again.
Acculmulator going well? Want to take your money now? Check out William Hill's 'CASH IN MY BET' service!
The second one is good, and Wales are piling on the pressure early on. Very patient defending from England in their own 22 at the moment.
England punished for not rolling away in the ruck, Wales have a penalty and Halfpenny is going for it.
PENALTY SCORED! Wales 3-0 England (Leigh Halfpenny)
It's a great kick from Halfpenny, who under immense pressure, curls it in between the posts. Wales lead.
Wales are surging forward, they have the momentum.
England hit Wales on the break, with Tuilagi offloading to Brown who storms down the left. He is tackled, and his pass is intercepted.
England's momentum is brought to a halt as they concede their third penalty of the match for coming in at the side of the ruck.
Wales, who have had 70% possession so far, play it into touch for the lineout in the England half.
Wales are on top here, winning succession of pens at breakdown. A quick tap-and-go from Phillips gains 50m.
It is fast and furious in Cardiff.
Bet £25 and get a £25 FREE bet with William Hill. Click here to join now. T&Cs apply, new customers only
Goode touches the ball down in his own try zone.
England are penalised again, this time for not rolling away from the tackle.
Halfpenny is going to go for it, this would be a monster kick.
PENALTY SCORED! Wales 6-0 England (Leigh Halfpenny)
As if there was ever any doubt, Halfpenny smashes it perfectly through the middle to double Wales' lead. Not a good start for the visitors. England have to stop conceding silly penalties when one of the players of the tournament is going to be going for the posts from them.
As soon as I say that, England are awarded a penalty of their own and a chance to get some points on the board. Wales guilty of putting their hands in the ruck.
PENALTY SCORED! Wales 6-3 England (Owen Farrell)
Farrell gets England back in the game as his kick comes off the inside of the post. Game on!
England are penalised at the scrum, so Wales have a penalty. Halfpenny will look to restore their six-point lead.
PENALTY SCORED! Wales 9-3 England (Leigh Halfpenny)
Lower trajectory from Halfpenny, but it is the same result. 9-3 Wales lead.
Farrell has a chance to reduce the deficit to to three points once again, as England are given this penalty.
He's put it just wide to the left of the posts, much to the delight of the Welsh crowd. He was more than 40 metres out, and he couldn't quite pull it off.
Farrell opts to put the ball into touch from another England penalty, rather than go for the points. Interesting, is the pressure getting to the Red Rose already?
George North roars forward for Wales and looks certain to score, he races away from a whole host of white shirts before Mike Brown pulls off a last-ditch tap tackle. Scintillating stuff, a certain try-saver.
The ball was smashed out of play by England, and Wales have a lineout deep inside their own half.
It's England's turn to have a go at scoring, but Mike Brown is denied at the death following a smart kick from Farrell. Players are squaring up, the tackles are flying in, this is passion personified.
Farrell puts a brilliant kick into touch as England are allowed to make ground. This is end-to-end stuff.
Dan Cole with a brilliant steal from the lineout, England have possession high up the field.
Wales manage to hold on and clear the ball downfield courtesy of Biggar.
Nervous about the result? Want to 'Cash in your bet'? See how with William Hill.
I'm out of breath just watching this, imagine being one of those 30 players on the field in Cardiff. England punished for a knock on, a scrum is the result. Tackles are going through the roof. The physicality of this game is unbelievable.
The scrum collapses, and we will try again.
England pushed backwards, and a huge roar from the crowd breaks out as Wales are awarded the free kick.
We're into overtime now.
Wales will try one last time.
HALF TIME: Wales 9-3 England
Dan Biggar goes for a drop goal right at the end of the half, it's just wide. The whistle blows for half time of this absorbing game. What a first half, we're in for a treat in the second. At the moment, England are still going to win the Six Nations.
I'm going for a lie down...
England are back out onto the field.
And Wales are back out.
Acculmulator going well? Want to take your money now? Check out William Hill's 'CASH IN MY BET' service!
And we're back underway. If this second half is half as good as the first, we're in for a treat.
A nervy start to this second half, the two sides playing a territory game at the moment as a kicking battle breaks out. Time for a lineout though.
England drive forward as the maul develops, and now look to pass along the line.
England are punished, Wales will have the put-in at the scrum on their own 22.
Wales have another scrum penalty as England fail to drive straight.
Biggar boots the ball out of touch for a lineout on the halfway line.
England making changes to the front row. Joe Marler is struggling and comes off, Mako Vunipola enters the fray.
The referee is not happy with the line of the England front row going into this scrum. He has had several goes at Vunipola who looks to be marginally ahead of his teammates. The scrum finally gets underway but Walsh penalises England immediately and Wales put the penalty into touch.
74,104 is the attendance at the Millennium Stadium.
Wales are on top at the moment, with England faulting. Goode puts a poor kick out of touch. Wales have the lineout.
Bet £25 and get a £25 FREE bet with William Hill. Click here to join now. T&Cs apply, new customers only
Wales are closing in on a try, Jamie Roberts is hunted down right by the line. Testing times for England. The crowd driving Wales onward.
Relentless pressure from the Welsh, England are hanging on.
Tipuric is fractions away! Wales have a penalty advantage though.
It's finally over, Wales are awarded the decision after England were deemed offside. Terrific defending from England. Pulsating stuff again.
Halfpenny, who has three from three in this match, can give the Welsh a nine-point lead here.
PENALTY SCORED! Wales 12-3 England (Leigh Halfpenny)
It's four from four for Halfpenny, and as things stand, Wales are retaining their crown.
To say this is tense would be the understatement of the decade.
England have it all to do now, they have to close the points gap.
Wales are playing the territory game at the moment, clearing their lines at every opportunity. England have to come onto the hosts.
TRY! Wales 17-3 England (Alex Cuthbert)
Wow. Wales believe now. They rip the ball from England's grasp before playing it out wide to Cuthbert, who evades Mike Brown and outpaces Owen Farrell to score. They have a 14-point lead now.
Leigh Halfpenny misses the kick, so the gap stays at 14 points. England have it all to do now. Wales are 22 minutes from retaining their Six Nations crown.
England have a penalty, and Farrell has to score this one. 45 metres out.
The flags stay down, Farrell misses, Wales have all the momentum and England look rocked.
Wales are awarded the put-in at the scrum following a maul.
Gethin Jenkins comes out to huge cheers, he has been brilliant today. Warburton finally has the captain armband back. Wales are given another penalty at the scrum after the away side collapse the scrum.
Biggar kicks it into touch, and have the throw at the lineout on the England 22.
Wales are powering forward, they are looking to make sure of their victory in this match and further increase the margin.
Jonathan Davies nearly finds a way through but is halted at the last second for Wales. England are on the ropes at the moment.
Nervous about the result? Want to 'Cash in your bet'? See how with William Hill.
DROP GOAL! Wales 20-3 England (Dan Biggar)
Wales set the ball up nicely, and Biggar bangs the drop goal over. Wales now have a 17-point advantage, seven would have been enough.
TRY! Wales 25-3 England (Alex Cuthbert)
That is surely the final nail in the coffin of England. Wales nearly broke through with Sam Warburton, but he was halted by Farrell. However the Dragons kept plugging away, and Tipuric powered forward down the right before playing it wide on the right Cuthbert to score his second. This is a rout.
CONVERSION SCORED! Wales 27-3 England (Leigh Halfpenny)
No mistake from Halfpenny, a brilliant kick from an acute angle. Wales now have a commanding 24-point lead, and that should be that for the Six Nations.
England are going to have to produce something out of this world to win the title now.
England's greatest ever Test comeback was from a 12-point deficit against Australia in 2002. They will have to beat that today if they want to take the Six Nations title.
Wales have a penalty as England are found guilty of coming in at the side of a ruck. They are going to go for the kick and another three points.
PENALTY SCORED! Wales 30-3 England (Dan Biggar)
Great line from Biggar, 27 points the difference now. This is a thrashing.
Toby Flood comes inches away from scoring for England but he is brilliant stopped by Halfpenny. Wales holding on here, but are let off the hook as Danny Care produces a horrific pass out wide when England have the numbers advantage. That was the chance, England don't have any chance now.
Play has stopped as changes are made. This young England side looks to have beaten at the death by a simply awesome Wales outfit. The turnaround in their fortunes has been magnificent and, bar the first half of the opening game against Ireland, it has almost been a perfect tournament for Wales.
Five minutes until the Welsh can celebrate. We have scrum in the centre of the field. Wales win the penalty, England are in disarray.
Wales are ringing the changes, everyone wants a go on a day like today.
Wales are looking for another try, but England can intercept and break. A long mazy run from Brown is brought to an end by the brilliant Cuthbert.
Chris Robshaw is guilty of knocking on an easy catch. The saying 'when it rains, it pours' comes to mind.
We have a scrum, with time nearly up.
We're in to overtime. The title is moments away for Wales.
We're in to overtime. The title is moments away for Wales.
FULL TIME: Wales 30-3 England
WALES RETAIN THE SIX NATIONS
So that's it. What a dominant performance from Wales, they absolutely battered England to end any hopes of a Red Rose Grand Slam. Wales retain their crown, and what a wonderful day for the Welsh.
They only needed a seven-point win, but Wales said 'stuff that' and tore apart England and the scenes at the Millennium are that of pure celebration.
After narrowly losing out to Ireland on the opening day, Wales raced through France, Wales, Scotland and finally England to win the championships. England are gutted.
Well that is it for this year's Six Nations title. Congratulations to Wales, I hope you enjoyed the match. Thanks for joining us, see you again soon.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
