Match Report: Wales 23-26 Scotland

It was engrossing from the off, Scotland’s collective defensive wind required within a minute as Wales worked through nine attacking phases, only to be called for going off feet at the next juncture by referee Matt Carley.

From their first venture into Welsh territory, Scotland bristled with intent, Gregor Brown marauding into Joe Hawkins before the ball went wide to Huw Jones who was bundled into touch. However, Hawkins’ initial tackle was deemed high on Brown and an early yellow card was brandished for Wales’ inside centre.

From their attacking line-out, Scotland could not have gone much closer, Finn Russell delaying his pass to put Kyle Steyn in, but the winger’s desire to get to the line with a couple of blue shirts outside proved costly as the hosts scrambled their way to gain the ball and thwart an early try.

The Principality crowd, galvanised by their side’s attitude, helped carry Wales the length from that point with Tomos Williams and Eddie James careering behind Scottish lines, before Rhys Carre went over for the game’s opening try, converted by Sam Costelow (7-0, 9 mins).

Wales’ reward for repelling Scotland’s response, which included another 12 energy-depleting attacking phases, of which Jones and Brown were at the heart, was the news that Hawkins’ yellow was to remain so.

Momentary joy was wiped, however, when Russell found a galloping Blair Kinghorn in acres of space, the full-back then putting in Kyle Steyn with a similarly accurate pass for the winger’s 16^th international try (7-5, 13 mins).

A desperation to improve on their recent Six Nations showings lent Wales the opportunity to get their second soon after, this time Josh Adams finishing in the left corner with Costelow adding the extras after more multi-phase action in as open a first 20 minutes as you’ll see in international rugby. (14-5, 19 mins).

All 30 players were out on their feet come the half hour mark, with each period of possession bringing with it the physical and mental demands required to complete over the ball at each and every ruck, and it was Wales who enjoyed respite next with Costelow clipping over a penalty after an offside (17-5, 30 mins).

Scotland reacted with a couple of tactical substitutions, with Pierre Schoeman replacing Nathan McBeth and Josh Bayliss taking to the field in place of Max Williamson, as Brown moved into the second row.

The latter took the next line-out and after Sione Tuipulotu was hauled down in midfield, Steyn spotted a gap through which he darted and jinked almost all the way to the line, only for his hauling down to precede a Wales penalty for not releasing on the deck.

Scotland threatened again when Tuipulotu, Kinghorn and Ben White launched a three-pronged attack up the right touchline, but again Welsh cover defence was on the money as they closed out the half with a 12-point advantage.

Half-time: Wales 17-5 Scotland

Scotland’s defence had to immediately go to the well upon the game’s restart, once more having to deal with more than 10 phases of Welsh fire and it was Bayliss who won his side an early jackal penalty from which the visitors built the foundations of an attack.

However, Wales were as hungry as their opponents were deemed to have been last week and countered with their own breakdown penalty soon after in their quest for a first Six Nations win in three years.

When Costelow hoofed a high ball up, Hawkins won the aerial knock-down and a penalty immediately after for not releasing in the tackle. The Welsh 10 added three more from the tee (20-5, 47 mins).

If it looked like it wasn’t going to be Scotland’s day, such fears were writ large when the ever-dependable Jones dropped the ball when Duhan van der Merwe looked to have put his centre in for a try.

The breakthrough did come after nearly 30 phases of close combat at the Welsh line, with Russell afforded the space to show and go, then converting, to haul his side back into contention (20-12, 54 mins).

It was a dent into Wales’ lead but one which was slightly negated a couple of minutes later when Jarrod Evans landed a penalty for not releasing (23-12, 56 mins).

Then came the game’s seminal moment. From that very restart Russell decided, in the way that only he can, to punt a speculative ball behind the Wales defence. In what looked like a reactive yet planned move, substitute Darcy Graham motored in time to the kick to bamboozle the home defence and catch them unawares to fly over for a try that most of Cardiff missed. Russell’s fine touchline conversion brought Scotland to within four (23-19, 58 mins).

They had the bit between their teeth in a fragmented affair that represented a far cry from the heaving beasts having dominated the opening hour, with George Horne in particular adding zip and direction to a side that had regained belief.

A croc roll on Rory Darge by Tomos Williams reversed a penalty that referee Carley had awarded to Wales in another moment that swung momentum Scotland’s way, but in a game of ‘anything you can do’, Tuipulotu was then penalised for a neck roll of his own on the Welsh 22.

The skipper made instant amends in winning a penalty in the tackle as the game entered its final 10 minutes, but the line-out was butchered after Scotland opted for the potentially lead-gaining try.

Wales gave away no fewer than three quickfire penalties in one passage of play and again Scotland went for bold, broke bravery to the corner.

And their ploy came good, with George Turner holding on to his rolling maul for dear life before plunging over for Scotland’s fourth try, converted with aplomb by Russell (23-26, 75 mins).

Although the restart was fumbled, the pack in dark blue delivered a shuddering scrum to win a penalty with only two minutes left on the clock, the forwards’ jubilation an apt descriptor of the scene.

And it was the same pack who then nervelessly saw out the clock with a penalty advantage, Russell’s last-gasp penalty miss academic as Scotland made it two wins from three ahead of hosting France at Scottish Gas Murrayfield in two weeks’ time.

Full-time: Wales 23-26 Scotland

Wales: Louis Rees-Zammit, Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Eddie James, Joe Hawkins, Josh Adams; Sam Costelow, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carre, Dewi Lake, Tomas Francis, Dafydd Jenkins, Ben Carter, Taine Plumtree, Alex Mann, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Freddie Thomas, James Botham, Kieran Hardy, Jarrod Evans, Blair Murray.

Scotland: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu (captain) (all Glasgow Warriors) Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby); Finn Rusell (Bath Rugby), Ben White (Toulon); Nathan McBeth (Glasgow Warriors), Dave Cherry (Vannes), Zander Fagerson, Max Williamson, Scott Cummings, Gregor Brown (all Glasgow Warriors), Rory Darge, Matt Fagerson (both Glasgow Warriors).

Replacements: George Turner (Harlequins) (for Cherry, 54 mins), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh Rugby) (for McBeth, 34 mins), Elliot Millar Mills (Northampton Saints) (for Z Fagerson, 54 mins) Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Cummings, 66 mins), Josh Bayliss (Bath Rugby) (for Williamson, 34 mins), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) (for White , 54 mins), Tom Jordan (Bristol Bears) (for Jones, 66 mins), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby) (for van der Merwe, 54 mins).

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson and Adam Leal (both RFU)
TMO: Ian Tempest (RFU)
FPRO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)

Attendance: 70, 649

Guinness Player of the Match: Rory Darge (Scotland)