Pride, Vengeance and a 40-Yard Kick: Remembering Wales’ 2005 Clash With England

When Wales face England at Twickenham on Sunday, the visitors will find themselves under a glaring spotlight. While only a tour warm-up match on paper, the significance of the fixture belies its status. As one of the most hotly contested rivalries in rugby union, a clash between Wales and England is never a 'friendly' in any more than name. However, with a high-profile tour of New Zealand on the horizon, Wales go into the game in desperate need of regaining some pride.

In their third game of the Six Nations, back in early March, England soundly beat Wales on the way to their latest Grand Slam. Though it ended 25-21, the scoreline rather flattered Warren Gatland's men. Had it not been for two late tries from George North and Toby Faletau, the game could have bordered on the embarrassing. If Wales are to make progress on their Antipodean expedition, they can hardly afford to kick things off with another confidence-sapping defeat to their oldest and bitterest foes.

The Welsh need to vindicate themselves this weekend. They need a taste of vengeance, before they can taste success. The same was true of a bitterly cold, winter weekend in 2005, when the same two sides came to play each other at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. On that day, the stakes were considerably higher. On that day, the Welsh prepared to avenge not one loss, but 12 years' worth of slog, failure and pain.

The '90s and early 2000s were not kind to Welsh rugby. Though Wales won the old Five Nations tournament in 1994, that was their only major achievement of the decade. In a country that has always held rugby to be borderline sacred, the decline of the national team was a source of much melancholy. As Wales floundered, England picked up seven championship victories and four Grand Slams.

Just when the barren spell looked like it might go on forever, the green shoots of renewal started to sprout. A new generation of young talent sprung forth, with a baby-faced Stephen Jones, a permatanned Gavin Henson and a heavily mulleted Shane Williams amongst them. Nonetheless, having suffered the humiliation of a whitewash at the 2003 edition of the tournament, Wales could only muster a fourth-place finish a year later. The 2004 Six Nations included a 31-21 whipping at the hands of Clive Woodward's England, with the scoreline once more flattering the men in red.

The following winter, Wales' youngsters were adamant they would not be beaten again. Despite their residual grandeur, England had been in gradual decline since their World Cup triumph three years previous; the 2005 Six Nations was seen as Wales' best chance to defeat their nemeses in over a decade. The home crowd in Cardiff hadn't witnessed a victory over England in 12 years, and the clamour for vengeance was deafening.

On the day of the game, the Western Mail ran with the front page headline: 'Just Do It'. It was, in their words, "time for our boys to deliver."

In the Welsh camp, all the talk pre-match was of redeeming themselves. It was the first game of the tournament, and to start with a defeat would be devastating. Alongside the fresh crop of youngsters, there were veterans of the team who had lived through the barren years, scraping up results and never quite challenging for honours. Gareth Thomas, Martyn Williams, Robin McBryde; as much as anyone else, the old hands were determined to prove they could do Wales proud.

The atmosphere at kick off was electrifying. The Millennium Stadium was packed to the rafters, and "Cwm Rhondda" echoed under the covered roof. The emotion of the occasion was etched on the players' faces, with the tension almost too much to bear. For the first time in years, the home crowd roared with confidence.

The seconds ticked down to kick off. The ball came off an English boot, and the battle began.

Over the course of a cagey opening period, both sides seemed stifled by expectation. England knew just how much this meant to their opponents, and were themselves under huge pressure to win. Ruck and counter-ruck were fiercely contested, with neither side in the ascendancy. Then, with almost 10 minutes on the clock, Wales produced an attack that would become highly familiar in the years to come.

Stephen Jones to Gavin Henson; Henson to Michael Owen at eight; Owen to Shane Williams on the wing; Williams streaking like lightning, running like the wind, tumbling over the line, and leaping up to a thunderous roar.

The build up to Williams' try starts at 0:15

Williams' try went unconverted, after which the two sides exchanged penalties before the break. Wales led 8-3 at half-time, and everything seemed to be going to plan. Henson had been magnificent, tearing through white shirts left, right and centre. England came out with renewed resolve in the second half, however, and Wales teetered on the brink of gifting them the game.

Though England couldn't breach the Welsh try line, they could force their opponents to make mistakes. Wales duly gave away two kickable penalties, and fly-half Charlie Hodgson put the visitors 8-9 ahead. Then, just when it looked as if England might eke out a victory, they gave away a penalty on the right touchline. Henson stepped up to take the kick and, for a moment, the Millennium Stadium was hushed.

Note the bizarre commentary on Henson's shaved legs

Despite the acute angle, despite the distance of almost 44 yards, Henson sent the ball sailing over the posts. The crowd exploded, and the scoreboard read 11-9 to Wales. In a chaotic final few minutes, the two sides went hammer and tongs as England scrambled despairingly for a scoring chance. The clock went red, and the chance had failed to materialise.

The scenes of jubilation at the final whistle were telling. Not only had Wales vindicated themselves against the old enemy, they had also set down a marker for the rest of the tournament, and beyond. The era of failure and underachievement was over, and the team were finally ready to flourish. They duly went on to win the championship, and secure their first Grand Slam since 1978.

Wales secured their Grand Slam with a 32-20 win over Ireland in Cardiff

It's not an exaggeration to say that the win rejuvenated Welsh rugby. The fresh-faced team who triumphed that day became a golden generation, winning another Grand Slam in 2008, producing scintillating performances and, more than anything, restoring their nation's sporting pride. Though they face nothing like the same weight of responsibility, the young bloods who play for Wales this Sunday should look to their example. All it takes is a symbolic win over England, and all honour is restored.

@W_F_Magee