Arundell scores hat-trick as England pile misery on Wales

Guinness Six Nations

England 48-7 Wales

England strolled to a comprehensive victory over struggling Wales in round one of the 2026 Championship.

England’s 48–7 win was a statement of intent for the 2026 Championship, after a similarly impressive Thursday night result from France against Ireland. It also extended England’s winning streak to 11 matches.

The tone was set within ten minutes. Fly-half George Ford, operating with the calm of a grandmaster, orchestrated an opening half that often felt like a high-intensity training run. His flat, fizzing pass to young wing Henry Arundell for the opening try was a masterclass in timing.

Wales, already struggling with the pace, saw their discipline disintegrate under the shadow of their own posts. In a chaotic sequence around the 18-minute mark, both front rowers Nicky Smith and captain Dewi Lake were dispatched to the sin-bin in quick succession. Down to 13 men, the Welsh dam burst.

Ford, sensing blood, exploited the numerical advantage with a pinpoint cross-field kick to Arundell for his second, before Ben Earl – a rampaging presence throughout – powered over in the corner. When centre Fraser Dingwall scooped up a loose offload by opposite number Ben Thomas to put Arundell over for his hat-trick before the half-hour mark, the bonus point was secured and the contest was effectively over.

The second half was a stop-start affair, punctuated by the referee’s whistle and a flurry of tactical changes. Wales did find a moment of solace when fly-half Dan Edwards mirrored Ford’s vision, finding wing Josh Adams with a sumptuous cross-field kick to put the visitors on the scoreboard. It was a brief spark in an otherwise dark afternoon for Steve Tandy’s side.

England’s depth was on full display as Maro Itoje and Luke Cowan-Dickie entered the fray to a roar of approval. Even a yellow card for Itoje – sent to the bin seconds after coming on – couldn’t halt the momentum. Wing Tom Roebuck, a late call-up for the injured Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, claimed his sixth international try after a slick Dingwall assist, and a late penalty try further compounded Welsh misery after Taine Plumtree’s high hit on a surging Henry Pollock.

Despite a late yellow card for Tom Curry, England had the final word. Wing-turned-centre Tommy Freeman capped off a dominant personal performance by crossing in the final play, taking the score near the half-century mark

For England, it was a ruthless start to 2026. For Wales, it is a sobering reminder of the distance between their new generation and the summit of the Championship.

England: Steward; Roebuck, Freeman, Dingwall, Arundell; Ford, Mitchell; Genge, George, Heyes; Coles, Chessum; Pepper, Underhill, Earl

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Rodd, Davison, Itoje, T Curry, Pollock, Spencer, M Smith

Wales: Rees-Zammit; Mee, James, Thomas, Adams; Edwards, Williams; Smith, Lake (c), Griffin; Jenkins, Beard; Mann, Macleod, Wainwright

Replacements: Belcher, Carre, Francis, Carter, Plumtree, Deaves, Hardy, Grady