England condemns winless Wales to record 68-14 loss and finishes second in Six Nations

CARDIFF, Wales (AP) — England consigned ailing rival Wales to a 17th straight loss with a record 10-try 68-14 drubbing to finish the Six Nations on Saturday.

England ended up second, its highest finish since it was the 2020 champion. The English were a point behind France — which beat Scotland 35-16 in the finale in Paris — and a point ahead of defending two-time champion Ireland.

“We did our job," England captain Maro Itoje said.

England exited the tournament on a high with four wins from five — including over France — and its status as a leading rugby power restored after some tough narrow losses for coach Steve Borthwick last year.

Wales' biggest ever loss in Cardiff began with a third-minute score for Itoje, one of five tries in the first half for the visitors as Tom Roebuck, Tommy Freeman, replacement Chandler Cunningham-South and Will Stuart also went over.

Freeman scored a try in each game in this Six Nations, a first for an English player.

Tries by Alex Mitchell, replacements Henry Pollock (twice) and Joe Heyes, and then Cunningham-South again completed the rout and a record margin of victory by England over Wales. Pollock's tries came on his debut.

“Even when results weren't going our way, and there was outside noise, we kept on being consistent. The challenge for our team is to continue to grow, continue to get better,” Itoje said.

Wales' only response was two tries by center Ben Thomas, one in each half, and this was another humiliating match for a proud rugby nation whose last win came way back in October 2023 and finished outright last — thereby picking up the wooden spoon — for the second straight season for the first time in the tournament's 142-year history.

Seventeen straight defeats is a record losing run for a tier one nation in the professional era and equals Scotland's run from 1951-55. It is only one behind France's losing streak from 1911-20.

The Welsh have lost all of their matches for two straight campaigns and are in a dark place as they continue their search for a full-time coach to replace Warren Gatland, who left mid-tournament. Cardiff coach Matt Sherratt took over for the final three rounds.

Of the other records to tumble, this was the most points Wales has conceded in Cardiff and the country's heaviest Six Nations loss.

“It's tough — all the boys are gutted but you can't knock the boys, the commitment, the effort in training, how hard we've worked,” Wales co-captain Jac Morgan said. “It'll come hopefully.”

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England's Tommy Freeman touches down for a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Wales' Taulupe Faletau, right, tips the balls England's Maro Itoje, left, and England's Tommy Freeman try to gather during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Alex Mitchell kicks the ball forward before scoring a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Wales' Blair Murray dives over to score a try that was disallowed during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Chandler Cunningham-South, center, is caught in a maul during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Chandler Cunningham-South catches the ball during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England's Henry Pollock celebrates after England's Joe Heyes scored a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

England players celebrate as Joe Heyes touches down to score a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Wales and England at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

ROME (AP) — Dozens of children toting yellow and white balloons gathered outside Rome’s Gemelli hospital to greet Pope Francis on his fifth Sunday hospitalized with double pneumonia. While the pope did not appear from the 10th-floor suite of windows, he acknowledged their presence in the traditional Sunday blessing.

“I know that many children are praying for me; some of them came here today to Gemelli as a sign of closeness,’’ the pontiff said in the Angelus text prepared for the traditional prayer but not delivered live again.

“Thank you, dearest children! The pope loves you and is always waiting to meet you,’’ Francis said.

The Rev. Fortunato, the president of the pontifical committee for World Children's Day who organized the event, said that the gathering of children with their parents was as a form of spiritual medicine for the 88-year-old pontiff, calling it ‘’the most beautiful caress.’’

“The children represent a symbolic medicine for Pope Francis,’’ Fortunato said. ‘’Letting him know that so many children are here for him cheers the heart.’’

They included 20 children accompanied by the St. Egidio charity and 50 children accompanied by UNICEF.

The pope typically delivers the Angelus from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square to the gathered faithful, who have grown more numerous due to the Jubilee year that Francis inaugurated in December.

In the written text, Francis said he was thinking of others, who like him, are in a fragile state. “Our bodies are weak, but even like this, nothing can prevent us from loving, praying, giving ourselves, being for each other, in faith, shining signs of hope,’’ the pope said.

Along with a stop at St. Peter’s to seek indulgences by walking through the basilica’s Holy Door, pilgrims are now also adding a stop at Gemelli, a 15-minute train ride from the Vatican.

Doctors this week said the pontiff was no longer in critical, life-threatening condition, but they have continued to emphasize that his condition remained complex due to his age, lack of mobility and the loss of part of a lung as a young man.

Still, they are issuing fewer medical bulletins as the pontiff has been on an upward trajectory. An X-ray this week confirmed that the infection was clearing.

Francis has not been seen publicly since he was admitted to the hospital Feb. 14 after a bout of bronchitis that made it difficult for him to speak. Doctors soon added a diagnosis of double pneumonia and a polymicrobial (bacterial, viral and fungal) infection.

The first three weeks of his hospitalization were marked by a rollercoaster of setbacks, including respiratory crises, mild kidney failure and a severe coughing fit.

Doctors in the most recent medical update on Saturday said they were working to reduce the pope’s nighttime reliance on the non-invasive ventilation mask, which will allow his lungs to work more.

Doctors underlined that while the pope’s condition is stable, he still requires hospitalization for treatment along with physical and respiratory therapy, which are “showing further gradual improvements,” the Vatican said Saturday in the first medical update in three days.

The next update won’t be issued until the middle of next week, the Vatican said.

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Associated Press writer Francesca Primavilla contributed to this report.

People pray for Pope Francis in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, March 15, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Feb. 14. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)