For the second time in two days a Welsh team lowered the colours of one of England’s world champion rugby teams. On Saturday it was the under-20s at Colwyn Bay and the women’s side followed suit in emphatic style at St Helen’s, Swansea, on Sunday.

Both teams displayed the kind of tenacity and raw power that had been missing from the senior side at the Millennium Stadium on Friday and the fact they were able to stand up to England up front enabled them ultimately to come out on top.

This England women’s team may have changed a little since winning the World Cup in Paris last year but they came into the Six Nations as the outstanding favourites. Wales had beaten them only once before, back in 2009, and were looking to give a better account of themselves than in last year’s 35-3 defeat.

They did that and more as their ferocious tackling and dominant forwards drove England back time after time. They never looked once they edged in front with a penalty from Laurie Harries with the last kick of an even first half.

There was no doubt Wales were good value for their lead and it would have been a bigger advantage had Harries not missed with a kick in front of the posts midway through the half but the goalkicking was poor from both sides.

England arrived with eight World Cup winners and three new caps in their starting line-up for what was being described as the starting point of a new era. With World Cup winning coach Gary Street having given up his role, and the legendary Katy McLean and Maggie Alphonsi having stepped down, it was a chance for a new start.

Wales must have sniffed a degree of uncertainty because they were unafraid to take on the world champions up front and never flinched when the heavy English artillery from the back row and midfield went charging at them. The outstanding home captain, Rachel Taylor, stood head and shoulders above all others in her ball carrying and tackling and the powerful No8, Shona Powell-Hughes, and live-wire flanker, Sioned Harries, met fire with fire in every phase of an absorbing contest.

Wales extended their lead early in the second half. After a winning a lineout they battered away at the England line and finally managed to send the tighthead, Catrin Edwards, over for the game’s first try.

England’s replacements came on to add some much-needed fresh blood and the Saracens hooker, Victoria Fleetwood, and Worcester scrum-half, Bianca Blackwood, were both influential. The No8, Alexandra Matthews, ran hard and always made ground but there was always a red shirt on hand to save the day.

Wales’ winning score came straight off the training ground as the fly-half, Elinor Snowsill, kicked across field into the arms of Harries, who sidestepped the last defender and raced the length of the 22 to score a fantastic try. That was that – and there will be no Triple Crown on offer to the world champions in what promises to be the closest Women’s Six Nations on record.