Filed under: Rugby Union, Rugby World Cup, England Rugby, Ireland Rugby, Wales Rugby
England captain Lewis Moody limped off after 61 minutes of England's first warm-up match to put his World Cup dream on hold.Moody was part of an uninspired performance as a ring-rusty England just about saw off the challenge of the Welsh thanks to tries from James Haskell and debutant Manu Tuilagi.
Moody has played just three and a half games for Bath since missing the Six Nations with a knee injury and looked in serious trouble as he was helped off the pitch.
The loss of Moody would rob Martin Johnson of his first-choice captain but he could fall back on Mike Tindall who led the side for four matches in the Six Nations.
Meanwhile Wales are likely to be without Morgan Stoddart for the World Cup after he suffered a broken leg in he 48th minute of the game.
Wales winger George North went over twice for the visitors and confirmed that he will be a force to be reckoned with in next month's tournament and Shane Williams added a third try for the Welsh.
But Jonny Wilkinson put in a perfect kicking performance as he booked his place on the plane for New Zealand and shepherded England home.
Haskell's opening try came when England wheeled a scrum on the Welsh line and emphasised the dominance of their front row but North exposed some deficiencies in their defensive system.
The two sides meet in a reverse fixture in Cardiff on Saturday.
MOVE OF THE MATCH: Only one contender. Jonny Wilkinson had been probing the Welsh defence all day and when his inside ball hit the massive Manu Tuilagi on 56 minutes there was only one result.
WHAT IT MEANS: For Martin Johnson it confirmed that Jonny Wilkinson can play - but he didn't need telling that - and that Manu Tuilagi could be the real deal. Wales should wrap George North up in cotton wool now. He is that good.
REACTION:
England coach Martin Johnson heaped praise on Wilkinson who was starting his first Test for 17 months.
"He doesn't have to prove a point to me just because we don't start him. He is a world class number ten. There is always a reason to start Jonny Wilkinson and he handled the game very well. But I wouldn't have expected anything less He got the goals to keep us going when we lost some momentum and that was a big difference in the end."."
Johnson also praised the impact of centre Tuilagi on his try-scoring Test debut whose touchdown was made by Wilkinson.
"He played very well. Jonny Wilkinson got him into the game. It is great when guys do something in the game that they have worked on in training."
Welsh coach Warren Gatland confirmed full-back Stoddart - who only started because of Stephen Jones' calf injury in the warm-up - will miss the World Cup with a broken leg.
"It looks like a bad break, it's a shame for him." Stephen had a tight calf before the game and we didn't want to take any chances. If he had torn the calf that is six weeks out."
Welsh skipper Sam Warbuton added: "He has got a broken leg and it is hugely disappointing. He had a great chance of making the World Cup."
Wales winger Shane Williams admitted the game was scarred by school-boy errors by the ring-rusty sides.
"We don't play often at this time of year and both teams made mistakes but that is understandable."
ENGLAND 23
Tries: Haskell, Tuilagi
Cons: Wilkinson 2
Pens: Wilkinson
Drop: Wilkinson 2
WALES 19
Tries: North 2, Williams
Cons: Priestland 2
PLAYER MARKING:
England: D.Armitage 8; M.Banahan 5, M.Tuilagi 7, R.Flutey 6, M.Cueto 6; J.Wilkinson 8, D.Care 6; A.Corbisiero 5, D.Hartley 6, M.Stevens 6, S.Shaw 6, T.Palmer 6, T.Croft 7, L.Moody (capt) 6, J.Haskell 7
Subs used: Mears 5, Wilson 5, Botha 6, Wood 6, Wigglesworth 5, Hodgson 6, Sharples 7
Wales: M.Stoddart 6; G.North 8, J.Davies 7, J.Roberts 6, Shane Williams 6; R.Priestland 7,, M.Phillips 7; P.James 4, H.Bennett 5, C.Mitchell 5, B.Davies 6, A.Wyn-Jones 7, D.Lydiate 6, S.Warbuton (capt) 6, T.Faletau 7
Subs used: Burns 5, Bevington 5, Charteris 4, R.Jones 6, Knoyle 5, Scott Williams 4
ATTENDANCE: 80945
REFEREE: A Walsh
NEXT UP:
- Wales v England, Millennium Stadium, August 13 2011. Kick-off 1430 BST
MAN OF THE MATCH: Jonny Wilkinson - Stood out by a mile as England's midfield was misfiring. Time and again passes went to ground but Wilkinson's dead eye for goal kept the scoreboard ticking over.
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