LONDON: Wales defied an early battering up front and a slew of second-half injuries to rally to a 28-25 win over England at the Rugby World Cup on Saturday, leaving the tournament host in real danger of early elimination.

In a physically brutal match at Twickenham, England built up a 22-12 lead by the 53rd minute through big defense and set-piece domination, before Wales fought back courageously through flawless kicking from Dan Biggar and a try from scrumhalf Gareth Davies.

Wales lost three backs in four minutes — adding to an extensive injury list — but the English had lost their way, although they earned a penalty with three minutes left.

A successful kick at goal would have tied the game, but England went for an attacking lineout and Wales snuffed out the danger. The final whistle was met by disbelief from the majority at Twickenham.

England now likely has to beat Australia next Saturday, back at Twickenham, to avoid elimination from the toughest ever pool at a World Cup. After naming a contentious lineup — including rookie center Sam Burgess — based on pragmatism over attacking flair, England coach Stuart Lancaster told critics to judge him on the result.

After early dominance, England caved in under the pressure, and Lancaster has some questions to answer.

For Wales, the priority is to find enough fit players to take the field against Fiji on Thursday. Center Scott Williams, winger Hallam Amos, and fullback Liam Williams all went off injured between the 63rd and 67th minutes, leaving the Welsh with a makeshift backline containing two scrumhalves and two fly-halves. They had already been ravaged by injury before the tournament.

Somehow Wales came through. And what proved to be the crucial try in the 71st came when Lloyd Williams — a reserve scrumhalf playing on the wing — made a break down the left and kicked the ball across field. Davies scampered onto it, collected the ball, and grounded under the crossbar.

Biggar converted and then knocked over a gutsy kick from halfway in the 75th to give Wales the lead for the first time since midway through the first half. There was to be no way back for the English.

This match turned into a classic and was also some occasion, played out before 81,129 including British princes William and Harry — vice patrons of Welsh and English Rugby, respectively, who were sitting side by side. The noise before kickoff was extraordinary, and the anthems sang with gusto in the 127th meeting between the old foes.

Ireland eases past Romania

In London, wingers Keith Earls and Tommy Bowe each touched down twice for a much-changed Ireland side, who continued their serene progress by overpowering Romania 44-10 on Sunday.

Ireland followed up their clinical victory over Canada with a six-try salvo to secure the bonus-point win that puts them top of Pool D after two games, a point ahead of France.

Having eased into the tournament with victories over the group’s lesser lights, the Irish now face sterner tests. Italy are up next in a week’s time, followed by a likely decider against the French in Cardiff on Oct. 11.

While securing a place in the knockout stage is the first priority, progressing as group winners would avoid a likely quarterfinal against holders New Zealand, favorites to top Pool C.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt made 12 changes from the side that helped themselves to a half-century of points against Canada, but there was no lack of cohesion as the Six Nations champions always looked to stretch Romania across the Wembley pitch.

No one made more of an impression than Earls, one of three players retained from the starting side against Canada.

Earls was particularly dangerous in the first half, scoring a fine try and acting as the catalyst for a wave of Irish attacks.

Scotland recovers to beat US

In Leeds, the Scots are saving their best for the second half at this Rugby World Cup.

For the second straight game, Scotland was in a sticky predicament at halftime but recovered to score five tries for a bonus-point win in Pool B. This time it was the United States that was dispatched, 39-16, in Leeds on Sunday.

“It was a banana skin that we dodged today,” Scotland coach Vern Cotter said.

Using a swarming defense and a strong scrum, the Eagles were on course for only their fourth — and easily most stunning — World Cup win after taking a 13-6 lead at halftime on prop Titi Lamositele’s try.

After a four-day turnaround from the 45-10 win over Japan, Scotland was being pushed around up front, its passing was off and its discipline poor.

Not so in the second half.

Just like the Japan game, there was an immediate cutting edge to Scotland’s play as wingers Tim Visser and Sean Maitland, hooker WP Nel, and center Matt Scott scored tries in a 23-minute spell to clinch the bonus point by the 65th. Duncan Weir crossed for the fifth try on virtually the last play of the game as the Americans faded.

Wallabies crushes Uruguay

In Birmingham, Sean McMahon led Australia to the top of their group on Sunday with a comprehensive 65-3 victory over minnows Uruguay ahead of crunch matches with archrivals England and Wales.

Australia ran in 11 tries — two each from McMahon, returning exile Drew Mitchell and Ben McCalman — but largely appeared to do the minimum necessary for victory in the Pool A match at Villa Park.

Henry Speight got one of the tries of the tournament at the end of a 65 meter run. Joe Tomane, Dean Mumm, Matt Toomua and Tevita Kuridrani got the others.

With the starting XV boasting 14 changes from the side that labored to an opening 28-13 victory over Fiji, Australia were by far the superior team.

Victory left the Wallabies in first place in the “pool of death” on nine points with a points difference of +77.

Wales are second, also on nine points (+48pts) and England third on six (+21). Australia plays England and Wales over the next two weekends.

McMahon, who played a vintage game at openside flanker against an outpowered and outpaced opposition, opened the scoring, peeling off from a driving maul for an easy run-in.