Manu Tuilagi’s late red card for a dangerous tackle on George North was the one blemish for England on an afternoon when they won the triple crown after systematically destroying the defending champions, who went down to a third successive defeat in a Six Nations campaign for the first time since 2007. The scoreline suggested a close contest but two late tries by Wales when England were down to 13 players did not mask the deep divide between the sides.

Wales are in transition after 12 years under the relentless regime of Warren Gatland. If there is a sense of liberation in the way they are playing under Wayne Pivac, they have lost their pragmatism and become careless and disjointed. They were willing but wanting here, not just overpowered by opponents who base their game on forcing opponents into physical submission but outplayed.