Welsh hopes of winning successive Six Nations championships for the first time in 30 years remained alive on Saturday but it was pushed all the way by England in an absorbing 23-15 win in Cardiff. Martin Johnson's Englishmen, showing a vast improvement on last week's underwhelming 36-11 victory over Italy, hounded the champion but never once led as a try after halftime from Leigh Halfpenny and five Stephen Jones penalties proved decisive. Sluggish France kept Scotland at bay in a far less pulsating match with a 22-13 win in the day's early game in Paris. Flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo's second-half try and five penalties by flyhalf Lionel Beauxis proved the difference against the improved but limited Scots as France opened its championship account after last week's 30-21 defeat in Ireland. Wales, who next travels to Paris on Feb. 27 for the first Friday night Six Nations game, tops the standings with four points, two clear of England, Ireland and France. “We have to give England a lot of credit because they actually came here and tried to play a little bit of rugby, defended really way and it was a proper test match,” Wales coach Warren Gatland told BBC television. The champion began full of pace and, despite sturdy resistance from a fired-up England defense, was 9-0 up after 20 minutes via two Jones penalties and one for Leigh Halfpenny. But England rallied to reach halftime only 9-8 down. If the visitors were feeling good about their comeback it took only a minute for things to swing back Wales's way. A charge by Jamie Roberts forced England into a desperate and illegal defense of its line and Goode was sin binned, the second week running that England had received two yellow cards. Jones slotted the subsequent penalty and moments later the Millennium Stadium was in uproar as Wales cut loose.
