NEVER has there been a Wales victory as brave – Warren Gatland’s walking wounded struck a crushing blow against World Cup hosts England to move to within touching distance of the quarter-finals.

Wales, with a scrum-half on the wing, fly-half at full-back and winger in midfield, came back from 25-18 down with 10 minutes left to stun England on their own turf.

They saw centre Scott Williams, full-back Liam Williams and wing Hallam Amos forced from the field in a brutal encounter yet never contemplated waving the white flag.

They were under the pump at the set piece and had to contend with a raucous home crowd but their fitness and sheer bloody-mindedness shone through.

Dan Biggar was superb at fly-half while Newport Gwent Dragons number eight Taulupe Faletau wasn’t far behind the man-of-the-match but every single player that took to the field had to play their part.

South Wales Argus:

Wales will have to be strapped up for another physical humdinger on Thursday when they lock horns with Fiji in Cardiff and then do the job against Australia in the group finale, so it’s not job done.

But it’s Stuart Lancaster’s England who no longer have a safety net and they will wonder how they lost... Wales won't care a jot about that.

They have done themselves proud to inch towards a last-eight spot from a nightmare group. Their show of character would leave them fearing nobody... as long as they can cobble together a 23.

Wales made a fine start with two penalties by the hosts enabling fly-half Dan Biggar to first pin Wales inside the 22 and then bisect the uprights for a 3-0 lead.

England struck back through their scrum with a second offence enabling Owen Farrell to reward a good spell of pressure with three points after 11 minutes.

Straight back came the visitors – Dan Cole’s illegal attempt at a jackal resulting in another fine Biggar strike.

Straight back came the hosts – Farrell banging over a drop goal from slow ball in the 18th minute.

It was breathless stuff and England were in front 9-6 after 23 minutes thanks another dominant scrum that had followed a melee in which Harlequins Mike Brown, a man who could start a fight at a Quakers barn dance, took exception to the placid Sam Warburton.

Stuart Lancaster’s side were dominating possess and sharper of mind and deed. Their reward came approaching the half hour.

They applied the pressure inside the 22 with a super attack featuring decoy runners galore helping scrum-half Ben Youngs to put speedster Jonny May over down the left after a burst by Brown.

Farrell converted but thankfully Wales responded with their best spell of the game.

A searing break by centre Scott Williams may not have resulted in a seven-pointer but an offence by that man Brown saw Biggar make it 16-9 at the break, a scoreline that Gatland’s men would probably have settled for after a half hindered by a faltering set piece.

But they made a sloppy start to the second half with Biggar, whose handling is usually so secure, fumbling a high ball into touch before a penalty allowed Farrell to slot over a three-pointer.

South Wales Argus:

Both teams were being incredibly indisciplined – daft offences rather than cynical – and a Biggar brace to one penalty by his opposite number made it 22-15 after 54 minutes.

Wales had barely fired a shot but were still in with a shout approaching the hour; one moment of magic could set off English jitters.

Instead they had to settle for the unerring right boot of Biggar, who slotted to make it 22-18 in the 59th minute with the hosts in danger of a costly sin-binning.

Wales suffered wretched luck with Williams stretchered off, forcing wing George North to move to midfield, but kept the pressure on with Taulupe Faletau having a monstrous second half.

But the curse then saw Williams and Amos forced from the field after a passage of play that also saw Biggar treated.

Farrell restored the seven-point advantage after hammering away in the 22 but from nowhere the visitors, with players out of position, were back level.

A fantastic break saw makeshift wing Lloyd Williams break down the left and produce a sublime kick for fellow scrum-half Gareth Davies to cross under the sticks.

Biggar’s simple conversion levelled it up at 25-25 with nine minutes left then Wales were in dreamland when a holding on penalty on halfway allowed the fly-half to bang over a cracker with six minutes left.

England roared back and a not releasing the tackler call on Sam Warburton saw England go for the corner rather than the sticks with three minutes left but Wales piled on the power and drove them into touch.

They safely saw out the final few minutes to spark wild red celebrations, with the hosts getting little consolation from their bonus point.

England: M Brown, A Watson, B Barritt, S Burgess (G Ford 69), J May, O Farrell, B Youngs (R Wigglesworth 48), J Marler (M Vunipola 60), T Youngs (R Webber 66), D Cole, G Parling, C Lawes (J Launchbury 40), T Wood, C Robshaw (captain), B Vunipola (J Haskell 62).

Scorers: try – J May; conversion – O Farrell; penalties – O Farrell (5); drop goal – O Farrell

Wales: L Williams (R Priestland 62), G North, S Williams (A Cuthbert 62), J Roberts, H Amos (L Williams 66), D Biggar, G Davies, G Jenkins, S Baldwin (K Owens 48), T Francis (S Lee 48), B Davies (L Charteris 69), A W Jones, D Lydiate (J Tipuric 69), S Warburton (captain), T Faletau.

Scorers: try – G Davies; conversion – D Biggar; penalties – D Biggar (7)

Referee: Jerome Garces (France)

Attendance: 81,129