Wales (7) 10 v 14 (6) Scotland
2020 Six Nations, Rnd 5
31/10/20
Scotland won their final Six Nations campaign 14-10 against Wales in Wales.
A solitary try from Stuart McInally and penalties from Finn Russell, Adam Hastings and Stuart Hogg got the Scots over the line as Russell limped off injured in the first half.
Wales scored through Carre (try), Biggar and Halfpenny as they succumbed to their fifth loss in a row.
Ballpoints dripped with contextual points as Wales and Scotland met to finally conclude their 2020 Six Nations.
Scotland had a real chance to steal a first win in Wales in eighteen years with the absence of the roar of the Welsh fans.
Wales needed a win having lost their last three Six Nations matches and having not lost four in a row in the competition in thirteen years.
-Analysis of Six Nations and preview of Autumn Nations Cup
History was prominent in all areas of the fixture including the coaches’ boxes where a masked Gregor Townsend was on the field of play the last time Scotland overcame Wales on Welsh soil.
In the end a combination of the weather and schedule chaos led to a turgid affair at the sad looking Parc y Scarlets.
Special mention goes to Welsh captain Alun Wyn Jones breaking the record for most test appearances, getting his 149th cap for Wales today, putting him ahead of former All Black captain Richie McCaw in the all-time standings.
Cagey first half not aided by blustery conditions
They might have avoided the baulk of the rain but the players would have to contend with the wind which caused havoc in all areas of the match.
The first points scored came through the assistance of the swirl blowing around the empty stands of Parc y Scarlets.
So bad was the breeze that line-outs were becoming unplayable as every time the ball was tossed up it would drift one way or another having to be called not straight by Irish referee Andrew Brace.
Hogg didn’t see the negative impact of the wind but the advantage of it.
Tossing a kick high into the breeze, the Exeter full-back scampered after it then slammed on the brakes as the ball held up, causing chaos to the Welsh pack.
Will Rowlands could do nothing but take the ball in front of his own man and the first penalty of the match was converted by the returning Finn Russell.
Russell had an earlier chance to get Scotland’s first points on the board after Liam Williams came in from the side, but his kick from the left wing drifted wide of the posts.
Wales were making mistakes and Scotland looked sharp.
Two penalties for Scotland, one given away by one-four-nine man Alun Wyn Jones because of a high tackle on Hamish Watson, were kicked to touch. Both line-outs were adjudged not straight.
As the match wore on Scotland were dominating, and the day started to look like a chance for the Scots to make history.
By mid-way through the first half Scotland had made four times as many metres as Wales.
Biggar, Halfpenny, Williams all on the pitch, Wales looked like they could be deadly but every time they tried to go up a gear the Welsh pack would make an error.
A bizarre kicking contest concluded with Russell slicing the ball out in his own half. From the line out Taulupe Faletau chipped the ball into touch five yards in front of the Scottish try line. Half an hour into the match and it was the first time the Scots were under pressure.
That pressure told as the Welsh forwards wore the Scottish defence down with eight phases of play under the Scottish posts and eventually Rhys Carre bundled over the line.
Scotland’s problems quickly compounded as Finn Russell limped off injured and was replaced by Adam Hastings just over the half hour mark.
The Welsh dragon was starting to awaken after being stubborn to come out its lair with the conditions as they were.
Welsh forwards began to dominate the ball in the centre of the pitch and, aided by a penalty for a no-arms tackle by Fraser Brown on Rowlands, and Hastings kicking out on the full, Wales found themselves in potent field position late in the half
But, like everything in the world at the moment, Pivac’s side were out of whack and not only could they not convert, they let the Scots back in right at the death.
Blair Kinghorn broke forward after the final line-out of the half. The Edinburgh winger was swamped by red jerseys and Davis was adjudged to have come in from the side. Hastings converted the penalty.
Second half Scotland snatch it to lay history to rest
With the nature of everything around the game there would be no fireworks in today’s contest, and that was all the more obvious when the other great playmaker of the match, Wales’ Dan Biggar, went off injured three minutes into the restart.
It looked as though there was a curse on fly-halves today as moments later Scotland substitute stand-off Adam Hastings instantly called for the medical team whilst clutching his shoulder after a tackle on Owen Watkin.
Hastings was ok to continue and minutes later was jinking his way through the Welsh lines. But his run, like every attack on the day, broke down due to forward errors and dominant defences.
It wasn’t until the hour mark that an attack came to fruition and it was through a superb driving maul finished by Stuart McInally, which put Scotland four points ahead with twenty minutes to go.
Hogg kicked to touch within the Welsh twenty-two, McInally threw a line-out that was finally successful as Jonny Gray plucked it out the air, and the Scottish pack drove at the Welsh line for McInally to score.
From brilliance to stupidity, McInally gave a penalty away minutes later.
Wales had territory and chipped it forward. Hogg cleared up but was adjudged not to have released when he went to ground.
Andrew Brace had to deal with a red faced and fuming Hogg when he got back up as Halfpenny converted the penalty to bring the score to within one with just over ten minutes to go.
Scotland’s forwards carried the team over the finish line.
The dark blues put together nineteen phases in the closing seven minutes to extinguish the fire in the Welsh before Hogg kicked the decisive penalty to end the match.
Woes of the playmakers
Three world-class playmakers on the park, three injured players.
Russell was the first to fall, injured just before Wales’ try.
The returning Racing playmaker looked in the mood and was firing his no look passes that are so dangerous, both for his team and the opposition.
A much quieter Dan Biggar went off three minutes into the restart.
Biggar was more controlled focus than flair. The conditions made it difficult for the Northampton Saints fly-half to show his qualities
Adam Hastings was the third fly-off to go off injured. He played on after initially seeming to injure his shoulder in a challenge with Owen Watkin early in the second half, and eventually succumbed, leaving the field of play with ten minutes to go.
Wales: 1. Carre, 2. Elias, 3. Francis, 4. Rowlands, 5. Jones (c), 6. Lewis-Hughes, 7. Tipuric, 8. Faletau, 9. Davis, 10. Biggar, 11. Adams, 12. Watkin, 13. Davies, 14, Williams, 15. Halfpenny
Replacements: 16. Parry, 17. Jones, 18. Lewis, 19. Hill, 20. Davis, 21. Williams, 22. Patchell, 23. Tompkins
Tries: Carre 32’
Cons: Biggar 32’
Pens: Halfpenny 66’
Scotland: 1. Sutherland, 2. Brown, 3. Fagerson, 4. Cummings, 5. J Gray, 6. J Ritchie, 7. Watson, 8. Thompson, 9. Price, 10. Russell, 11. Kinghorn, 12. Lang, 13. Harris, 14. Graham, 15. Hogg (c)
Replacements: 16. McInally, 17. Kebble, 18. Berghan, 19. Toolis, 20. Du Preez, 21. Steele, 22. Hastings, 23. Van Der Merwe
Tries: McInally 61’
Cons:
Pens: Russell 10’, Hastings 40’, Hogg 80’
Up next for Scotland
Scotland start their ‘Autumn Nations Cup’ campaign against Italy, slated in for Saturday 14th November, KO 12:45pm, venue TBC.
Harry Jamshid Reporter Sports Pages 