The annual meeting between England and Wales in the 6 Nations is always one of the most highly anticipated in the tournament and with both teams having won and lost one game, the stakes were as high as ever at Twickenham!
Bathed in sunlight on a crisp, bright day, the ‘old cabbage patch’ looked fantastic with conditions perfect for a game of international rugby union. With the weather gods smiling, the stadium ready and Ollie Dabbous already busy in the kitchen, it was time to open the doors of The Green Room for the first time at Twickenham in 2022!
In true Green Room style, Welsh rugby legends Shane Williams and Tom Shanklin were some of the first through the door and immediately got stuck into meeting and greeting guests as the atmosphere began to build before the big game. Completing a celebrated trio of Welsh legends was none other than Jonathan ‘Jiffy’ Davies OBE who took to the stage with Lawrence Dallaglio, Mike Tindall, Will Greenwood and Austin Healey to provide expert insight ahead of the game. We also heard from World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward and our chef for the day, Michelin starred Ollie Dabbous who talked guests through his inspiration behind the stunning dishes created especially for this game.
Completing our star-studded line up of guests were Masterchef’s very own Gregg Wallace, ITV presenter Ben Shephard, SkySports Formula 1 royalty Natalie Pinkham and Johnny Herbert and none other than superstar of rock ‘n’ roll Duran Duran lead singer Simon Le Bon. As guests and celebrities mingled with one another, the Bollinger Champagne flowed freely, and the food – prepared by our wonderful chefs – was gleefully gobbled up by all, with many guests saying it was the best hospitality dining they’d ever experienced. Ollie Dabbous will be back for the game against Ireland, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for guests!
With all guests sufficiently fed and watered and the atmosphere reaching fever pitch, it was time to head out to the big game! The Twickenham crowd was in fine fettle and with palpable excitement filling the air, the game kicked off with England immediately showing their attacking intent. Through the boot of Marcus Smith, England were able to build a 12-0 lead at halftime and then struck with a try immediately after half time through Alex Dombrandt, who collected an overthrown Welsh lineout to charge over in the corner. At this point, England had a commanding 17-0 lead and that is where the Welsh fight back began. Two quick tries from Josh Adams and Nick Tompkins brought the score back to 17-12 but despite the shift in momentum, England were able to kick two more penalties to take the score to 23-12. The game looked as if it were almost over, but Kieran Hardy went over for Wales in the 80th minute which brought the scores back to 23-19! With time still left on the clock, England had to see out a nail biting final few moments but were able to force a Welsh mistake and the game was over!
Post-match revelry continued in The Green Room, as our distinguished panel took to the stage again for analysis of the game. We also had a surprise visit from the two highest wicket takers in England cricket history as both James Anderson and Stuart Broad joined us for the festivities. What better way to end what was a simply brilliant day in The Green Room!? We’re already looking forward to England v Ireland and can’t wait to see you there!
Learn more about our Twickenham hospitality packages and other fantastic events on our website!
