By Dewi Hughes BBC Sport at the Millennium Stadium

Wales failed to match England's ruthlessness near the try-line

Despite watching Wales succumb to a fourth successive home defeat to England, there was a distinct sense of relief and even a tinge of satisfaction among the Welsh fans in Cardiff.

All week, talk had been on the likely margin of another England victory.

Clive Woodward's men were no less than 25-1 favourites to win.

Welsh fans were merely hoping to avoid the utter humiliation of a 50-plus points defeat.

After reaching the depths of despair with a shock defeat in Rome last week, coach Steve Hansen had promised the players would put the fight back into Welsh rugby.

But not even the most optimistic Welsh fan would have hoped for such a transformation in performance.

And had Mark Taylor passed to one of two supporting team-mates as he raced towards the try-line in the closing stages of the first-half, Wales could in fact be celebrating a famous win.

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But despite the pride, passion and total commitment to the cause, the record books will show another Welsh defeat against their bitter rivals.

England coach Clive Woodward admitted he dare not to contemplate returning over the Severn Bridge with anything else but a victory under his belt.

He got his victory; but England's largely lacklustre and undisciplined and performance will not have pleased a man who demands total professionalism from his side.

Again Jonny Wilkinson came to his country's rescue. His majestic kicking ensured England always enjoyed a semblance of control.

Mark Taylor blew a golden try scoring opportunity for Wales

But any examples of meaningful intensity and penetration were few and far between.

The Welsh forwards must take credit for not allowing England any time or space, but we have come to expect far better from a side touted as the best in the world.

When England did finally manage to put together a period of sustained pressure, England scored two clinical tries.

But those can be largely attributed to a tired Welsh defence rather than any incisive running.

So apart from the two points - and let's be honest that is essentially what they came for - England will struggle to find many positives from this performance.

And although Wales have lost again, they did demonstrate true character and pride in the Welsh jersey.

Hansen can also rightly feel vindicated and satisfied.

His team selection was ridiculed as a "nightmare" by a former Wales coach this week.

The Kiwi has shown he can keep his cool under the most severe pressure and has the stomach for a scrap.

To say Wales actually let England off the hook, as Robert Sidoli suggested, needs to be taken with a little more than a pinch of salt.

But Wales must learn to find that composure and killer instinct to punish their opponents to the maximum.

As well as providing Welsh rugby with a much needed boost, the result was also a shot in the arm for the Six Nations championship itself.

A two tier competition - with England, France and Ireland separated from Wales, Scotland and Italy - has already been suggested.

Thankfully, encounters like these prove that such a move is wholly unnecessary and would be downright stupid.