By making only three changes to the team that lost 33-19 to England at Twickenham last Sunday, Gatland said he was giving his players the chance to “redeem” themselves in Cardiff.
And while this Wales side is still evidently a work in progress where the World Cup is concerned, this was a marked improvement.
Whereas they were 14 points down in as many minutes at Twickenham, Wales wrestled their way into a position of strength at the Principality Stadium.
Their scrum may have still creaked a little against a powerful England pack, but in Biggar they had a fly-half made for these tight encounters – and perhaps with a point to prove after former British and Irish Lions wing JJ Williams claimed Wales would not win the World Cup with the Northampton man at 10.
Biggar was starting as a result of fellow fly-half Gareth Anscombe’s tournament-ending knee injury and he peppered England’s back three with an early bombardment of high balls that was a taste of things to come.
