Final Score: England 28 Wales 18

ENGLAND won their first Triple Crown for 11 years and stayed on course for the RBS 6 Nations title after Wales wilted in glorious Twickenham sunshine.

In emphatically avenging a record drubbing in Cardiff last season, England’s 29-18 victory means if they beat Italy in Rome next Saturday and current tournament leaders Ireland lose or draw away to France, then Chris Robshaw’s men will take the title.

Wales’ bid for an unprecedented Six Nations title hattrick effectively ended on a sobering afternoon for a team that was also dismantled by Ireland four weeks ago.

Scrum-half Danny Care and centre Luther Burrell scored tries during the opening 35 minutes for England, while Owen Farrell kicked 19 points, landing all seven of his shots.

Only Leigh Halfpenny’s astonishing accuracy – six penalties from six attempts – kept Wales interested, but they could have no complaints as England’s dominance gained a rich and deserved reward.

It was a landmark success in England coach Stuart Lancaster’s two-year reign, and also struck an early psychological blow ahead of the countries’ World Cup 2015 pool meeting in 18 months.

Wales’ woeful kicking strategy and tendency to concede penalties at regular intervals played into English hands, yet the hosts also possessed the game’s sharpest attacking forces in Care and full-back Mike Brown.

England could have won by more as their impressive upward curve under Lancaster continues.

As if spurred on by their Millennium Stadium horror show of 12 months ago, they blasted from the starting blocks and were ahead after just five minutes.

It took a superb tackle by Wales skipper Sam Warburton on his opposite number Robshaw to thwart England following prop David Wilson’s break, but when the visitors then infringed, Care caught them napping.

No-one laid a finger on Care as he scampered over following his tap penalty, with Farrell converting. It was England’s first try against Wales since August 2011.

Halfpenny cut the deficit through an eighth-minute penalty, but a try went begging when wing George North broke free but ignored an unmarked Dan Lydiate outside him.

England regained a sevenpoint advantage after Wales conceded a scrum penalty.

Halfpenny landed his third penalty, this time from halfway, but Wales imploded after a line-out inside their own 22.

Hooker Richard Hibbard’s off-target throw gave England an attacking opportunity, and they ruthlessly punished Wales when centre Billy Twelvetrees’ superbly-placed kick was gathered by Burrell for his third try in four Six Nations games this season.

Farrell effortlessly landed the touchline conversion, before Halfpenny struck twice more.

England had dominated but Wales trooped off just five points adrift.

Wales needed a strong third quarter, but two Farrell penalties opened up an 11- point advantage and the visitors saw prop Gethin Jenkins sin-binned for a second successive match.

Referee Romain Poite’s patience with the scrum finally snapped, and prop Gethin Jenkins, who was equalling Stephen Jones’ Wales cap record of 104, received a yellow card at a critical time in the contest.

Halfpenny’s sixth clawed Wales back to 26-18 behind, before Farrell closed the game out with his fifth successful strike.

Burrell was narrowly denied his second try after his foot brushed the touchline following a scintillating England move.