Personal England v Wales battle unfolded as two worlds collided amid sledging

Dewi Lake’s first game as a hooker was for Skewen in the WRU National Championship against Trebanos.

It wasn't an afternoon for faint hearts.

“There was a bit of rivalry there and there were a few head butts and punches flying around to begin with,” Lake later said.

“It was a bit different, a baptism of fire I suppose, but I’m glad I did it.”

The thing is with the young Ospreys and Wales hooker, he doesn’t back down.

While he is only 22 and very much a new kid on the block in Test rugby, he is competitive to the point where it sometimes looks as if might be prepared to take on the opposition on his own.

At Twickenham on Saturday, two worlds collided when Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd product Lake, with just three Wales caps and 20 regional outings in his backstory, went head to head with Haileybury-educated Jamie George, Lions hooker in all three Tests in 2017 with 64 England caps and close on 250 Saracens appearances in his locker.

Some young players might have been intimidated by the experience factor.

If Lake was, he made a good job of disguising it.

Indeed, he and George fought a battle within a battle at one stage as the match headed for its business end.

It started when England won a scrum penalty. Words had clearly been exchanged during the set-piece and when the two packs broke up there were more verbals with England's replacement hooker appearing to take the lead.

Lake responded in kind and the pair went nose to nose, appearing ready to kick off until Jack Nowell came dashing across in a peacemaking role. The Welsh deputy hooker hooker was smiling wryly as his vice-captain Adam Beard guided him away.

A micro-win for George, then?

Well, England won the scrum penalty.

But a chance to settle the score wasn’t long