England manager Martin Johnson believes his side are finally starting to find a cutting edge after they opened their Six Nations campaign with a 30-17 win over Wales here at Twickenham.

Saturday's success saw England score a trio of tries in their first match since a November series, where they managed just one in three games during defeats by Australia and New Zealand and a lacklustre win over Argentina.

But against Wales, who were gunning for a fourth straight Six Nations win over England, they saw dynamic blindside flanker James Haskell touch down twice either side of a score from Danny Care.

Haskell's second try, five minutes from time, set the seal on the home side's victory in a match marking the 100th anniversary of the first Test at Twickenham, when England beat Wales 11-6.

The Stade Francais forward finished off a 60 metre interception move after an inside flick pass from centre Mathew Tait, who celebrated his 24th birthday with the kind of assured delivery so often missing from England's back play in recent times.

The match though turned on Wales lock Alun Wyn-Jones's yellow card shortly before half-time for a blatant trip on England hooker Dylan Hartley.

In the lock's temporary absence, England scored 17 points to take the score from 3-3 to 20-3 in their favour.

But Johnson told reporters: "Those 17 points were obviously important but we scored them, they didn't give them to us.

"The guys aren't getting carried away. Some things went well, some not so well and we can get better.

"We played a lot of games last year without 15 players but the good thing was (against Wales) that we turned that pressure into points," England's 2003 World Cup winning captain added.

"We showed great patience and execution to score them.

"Two years ago (when Wales won 26-19 at Twickenham) we didn't score in that situation (when the opposition were under pressure) and Wales went on to win the grand slam so these games turn on small issues."

England were 13-3 up at the break and, minutes later, saw recalled scrum-half Care cross for their second try.

"We had a big focus not to start the second half flat. We wanted to raise the tempo, and I thought Danny Care did a tremendous job," Johnson said.

"The disappointing bit was losing our way in the middle period of the second half. They got a bit of pressure on our scrum."

England, soon after going 20-3 ahead, did though concede a try to an overlap off a scrum from Wales prop Adam Jones.

They then had a nervous few minutes when Wales centre James Hook's solo score cut their lead to 20-17 before Haskell's second try and a penalty from fly-half Wilkinson, who kicked all six of his shots at goal for a match haul of 15 points, eased the hosts' concerns.

Johnson added: "They scored two tries and we were under pressure, but ultimately we found a way to win and we took our try at the end very well.

"You have to find a way to win, and we did.

"There was a bit of relief. We got a bit narrow in defence at times and they got round us a few times.

"But our discipline in the contact area was good," insisted Johnson, whose side were plagued by yellow cards in last season's Six Nations.

"There's just some frustration that we know we can do better than that."

Looking ahead to the second round challenge of playing Italy, beaten 29-11 away to Ireland on Saturday, in Rome, Johnson said: "The guys are already talking about next week.

"The massive game now is the one right in front of you."

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