TWICKENHAM itself summed up this firecracker perfectly.

They chose to play the theme tune from The Great Escape as the teams left the field on Saturday. For England, indeed, had escaped for the second time in a row against Wales, though the music was probably as predetermined as Wales coach Steve Hansen's substitutions appeared to be.

The old enemies had tugged at the heartstrings again, and for Brisbane on a warm, passionate night in November read Twickenham on a cold, blustery March day just four months later.

The ancient rivals slugged it out again, and once more Wales stole into the lead by playing some breathtaking rugby as the wheels threatened to fall off England's chariot.

In Australia the lead was 10-3, at Twickenham it was 21-16 as the heroic underdogs gave it their all against the superior weight of opposition.

It wasn't quite enough on either occasion as England showed the power which made them world champions. The story was the same - to England the victory, but to Wales the glory.

A mediocre first half on Saturday dominated by the wind and the boot exploded into action in the second half as Wales played the same exhilarating rugby that rocked England in their World Cup quarter-final.

The match was taking its expected route with England proving too strong up front, though they had only one try to show for their first- half efforts when Ben Cohen blasted over despite the effort of the two Thomases, Gareth and Jonathan.

Olly Barkley showed few nerves after his late call-up by converting and kicking three penalties, not bad for England's fourth choice behind Jonny Wilkinson, Charlie Hodgson and Paul Grayson.

Wales kept in the hunt through Stephen Jones, unfairly maligned by many fans, who landed three penalties, one a monster effort.

More of the same was expected after the interval, but Wales had other ideas as they went for the jugular, they rediscovered the boldness of Brisbane and they took the game to the world champions.

Not by challenging England up front and even winning that battle, as Ireland managed two weeks earlier, but with the kind of flair, imagination, trickery and brilliance which is the hallmark of Welsh rugby at its best.

That is something England and every other nation in the world, apart from France, cannot aspire to, for it is a skill which is born in the very best Welsh players.

Jason Robinson comes close to matching it, as he proved with one stunning break, again, a carbon copy of Brisbane.

But the magical running of Shane and Rhys Williams, supported by the ever-present Gareth Thomas, the dash of Mark Taylor and Tom Shanklin and the skill of Gareth Cooper (why was he taken off?), set Twickenham alight and brought the crowd, or at least the Welsh element in it, plus the few neutrals present, to their feet in sheer delight.

The Welsh underdog took on the English favourite, and for around 20 minutes of utter joy shook it like a rag doll as they played some sublime rugby.

Two tries resulted, and it could have been more as the red devils took the game by the scruff of the neck. We all caught our breath again as the unlikely loomed. Hansen was visibly caught up in it, though no doubt the bitter and twisted, the cynics won't accept his part in it.

Hansen got lucky in Brisbane, so they said. What happened this time? A black cat crossed his path outside Twickenham, I suppose, as he was thinking more of returning to New Zealand than the immediate job at hand, no doubt.

The utter futility, stupidity even, of such a view was illustrated again as, glory be, the players went for it after half-time encouragement.

Just two minutes had gone when Taylor, enjoying an Indian summer, broke clear down the left, only to delay a possible try-scoring pass.

But no matter, as the Welsh forwards took it on and produced handling to match their backs with Gethin Jenkins, Dafydd Jones and Duncan Jones all catching and giving passes superbly to enable Gareth Thomas to squeeze over near the corner.

And, even better, Thomas had equalled Ieuan Evans' record of 33 as the leading Welsh try-scorer. It was topped off by a majestic Jones conversion to put the sides level. Could Wales manage a repeat and really put the frighteners on the world champions?

Of course they could. A delightful reverse pass by number eight Dafydd Jones and more good hands by Robin McBryde released the electric Shane Williams, who gave one final pass for Taylor to make it to the line. Hansen almost fell over himself in his urgency to get down the steps after that effort, and for 14 more minutes Wales held the lead as they stooped to conquer on the home patch of the champions of the world.

It was rugby in the raw and the imagination ran wild. Twickenham would be in mourning, Sir Clive Woodward would probably top himself.

But it couldn't last as the English juggernaut geared up for a mighty effort to slay the dragon.

And slay it they did, almost with an inevitability, as the power play which took them to the world crown in Australia re-surfaced at Twickenham.

It nearly didn't happen, for replacement Gareth Llewellyn made probably the best break of his life as he stormed through in midfield, but Shanklin failed to get the ball to Taylor and Shane Williams outside him.

A try then could well have slain the giant, but the big bad wolf had its day again as it came roaring back.

Wales started to take a battering with the second coming, and that man Cohen just made it to the line for a second time as he swept Jonathan Thomas and replacement Dwayne Peel out of his way.

Barkley converted to regain the lead, then added a penalty, and England still had one more in their locker after Julian White came on at tight head for England to give flagging Wales an even more uncomfortable time in the scrums.

Just two minutes of normal time were left as England captain Lawrence Dallaglio drove hard, White helped England crucify Wales at a scrum, and Matt Dawson linked with Cohen (who else?) for substitute blindside Joe Worsley to put England out of sight with their third try.

It was the killer blow for Wales, and once again a good big 'un had beaten a good little 'un.

But it was so heartening for Wales and it made their performance in Dublin a month earlier all the more mystifying.

But by common consent, if Wales can get their set pieces right, and become more competitive, then a real revival is on the cards and glorious failures will become deserved victories.

If anyone can achieve that final piece in the jigsaw after the foundations laid by Hansen and his back-up team, new coach Mike Ruddock is the man.

But that is for the future. For now it has to be enough that Wales are close, that they have shaken the world's top team to its foundations for the second time in a row.

Twickenham's top brass may not have realised it, but they knew a thing or two when they decided to finish a memorable day with that music from The Great Escape.