Six Nations LIVE: Wales vs England score and updates from Cardiff

Intriguingly, Mako Vunipola is out doing an extended early warm up for England at half time, with all of Wales’ replacements out on the Principality surface with him. Vunipola is soon joined by his England bench pals – Steve Borthwick stressed this week how disappointed he was with how England faded in the final quarter against Italy, so their involvement may be key.

Wales have plenty of quality among their substitutes, though – you fancy this might be the sort of day for Dan Biggar…

A stat that perhaps explains some of Wales’ struggles in that first half – England have made 12 dominant tackles so far to the hosts’ one. The lack of collision winners up front remains a concern for Warren Gatland.

This score showed the potential of England’s attack – multitudinous threats off first phase causing issues for the Welsh inside defence, and then sweeping around the corner quickly to ensure the chance was taken.

A bitty half that rather summed up where two flawed sides are. England had the better of it, threatening at times in attack with smart, sharp handling, but faded a little and still inaccurate with their basics too often. Wales have stuck in the fight and grew into the action, but you can’t say it is a surprise that the hosts have again missed a handful of chances in the opposition 22. They just look short of carrying punch when required to build on a few cutting breaks.

Five points is no margin at all, though, really – still very much anyone’s game.

Louis Rees-Zammit has roamed a lot so far today, often into the channel outside Mason Grady. Jack van Poortvliet manages to haul him down this time.

But where is Gareth Thomas going? Cutting a line up the centre like his namesake used to! The prop is felled ten metres out.

England scrambling, Wales building…penalty to the visitors! Lewis Ludlam with a timely jackal to force Adam Beard to hold on, and that’s that for the first 40.

England try to run out the remainder of the half by burying the ball in the mass of the maul, but neither gain momentum nor keep control, enabling Wales to stall it and bring it legally to floor to earn a scrum feed.

Penalty to England! “Great job Alex” roars Owen Farrell, saluting the work of Alex Dombrandt, but Ollie Lawrence was right there, too as a Welsh pick-and-goer rather went on his lonesome.

A better sustained attacking effort from Wales, challenging England with ball movement to defeat the visitors line speed.

Louis Rees-Zammit makes a break! He’s hauled back by the elastic of his shorts but Wales are building into the England 22…

Away to the right! A disappointed toss of the tee from Farrell to one of England’s backroom team. That’s four errors from the boot in the first half-hour or so for the fly-half, two missed opportunities for points alongside a charged down clearance and over-cooked cross-kick.