JAMES HASKELL STEPS ON GAS

MARTIN JOHNSON should send Alun-Wyn Jones a giant 'thank you' card for the brainless first-half trip that cost Wales dear.

The giant Wales lock, one of the most intelligent players in the game, inexplicably stuck his leg out to trip Dylan Hartley just before half time.

Referee Alain Rolland sent the part-time law student to the sin bin and England proceeded to make hay either side of half-time.

With James Haskell powering over for the first of two tries just before the break and Danny Care scampering over moments later, England added 17 unanswered points in Jones' absence.

It proved the difference between two below-par sides who both struggled for fluency on an absorbing but frustrating day.

Jonno will not care one little bit.

He said: "We played quite a lot of rugby last year without 15 men and we know how important it is to take advantage.

"The yellow card didn't gift us 17 points though. We had to work for them and that's what's pleasing.

"We're not patting ourselves on the back though. We'll work hard and get better."

His players had promised to cast off the shackles that had blighted their attacking play in the autumn.

Johnson picked an exciting looking back line packed with pace and attacking potential and told them to go out and play. Within reason.

There were stark improvements on their dire November displays - in truth it couldn't get any worse - but it won't happen overnight.

Johnson will take the points and head to Rome next week knowing his team have every chance of finishing the second week of the Six Nations unbeaten.

He has Alun-Wyn Jones to thank for the Welshman's blunder.

Furious Wales coach Warren Gatland certainly wasn't smiling.

He said: "Discipline was an issue we talked about all week. Defence coach Shaun Edwards told Jones he hopes he never does anything like that in his career again. Seventeen points cost us the game."

It was a maddening moment for Wales, who battled their way back into the game from 20-3 down after Care's try to 20-17 when Stephen Jones converted James Hook's try with 10 minutes left.

But there was to be no capitulation on the scale of the 2008 defeat to the same opponents, when England let a 19-6 advantage slip.

On a day full of pomp and ceremony it was perhaps fitting Haskell (celebrating below) produced a man-of-the- match display from his favoured blindside position.

Haskell's back-row union with Nick Easter and Lewis Moody was formidable, as their more celebrated Welsh counterparts were outplayed.

Haskell sealed the game with a lung-busting piece of support play when he latched on to Mathew Tait's magnificent reverse pass after Delon Armitage had intercepted Stephen Jones' pass.

The elaborate dive was another bit of showboating, but we'll forgive him. Don't expect his team-mates to go so easy. Haskell said: "It was a step in the right direction. We're not the finished article but we'll keep getting better.

"It wasn't a brilliant way to finish but it was my second try for England so I had to do something. I'll get some stick for the celebrations."

Jonny Wilkinson converted Haskell's second try and added a 78th-minute penalty. It meant Johnson and his coaches will avoid the stinging criticism of the autumn.

They came into the game under intense pressure and although this performance didn't warrant the ludicrous £10 programme cost, it was a big improvement.

The RFU billed it as "The Centenary Test" and boss Francis Baron and Co will happily be counting the readies. More importantly for Jonno and his squad, they'll be counting the points on the board.

Next week's trip to Italy gives them another chance to impress. Even better, they'll also lose those ridiculous shirts.

SCORERS - England: tries Haskell 2, Care; cons Wilkinson 3; pens Wilkinson 3. Wales: tries: A Jones, Hook; cons S Jones 2; pens: S Jones.

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