Scotland end a decade of heartache with 29-13 victory over Wales to keep Six Nations hopes alive

A roller-coaster, error-strewn, breathless afternoon at Murrayfield brought a first Scottish win over Wales in a decade, as any such encounter always threatened to do. This was predicted to be a battle between Welsh might and breakdown predominance versus Scotland’s freer approach. The first half went Wales’s way in just that manner, and the second went Scotland’s in even more resounding fashion with 20 unanswered points. It was a deserved win for Scotland. They will travel to Twickenham chasing a Triple Crown in greater heart than for close to two decades, while Wales go home and really do need to think again.

Gregor Townsend will owe Vern Cotter a debt when he takes over this rapidly improving Scotland team after the Six Nations, but on his way out the Kiwi should also be minded to leave an effusive thank-you letter to his successor. Scotland overturned a seven point deficit, scoring 26 points while Wales managed one penalty, in no small part to the harum-scarum rugby Townsend has been fostering at Glasgow, and those Glasgow players have brought that who-dares-win approach across the country.

Stuart Hogg’s quick hands set up both tries for the two Scottish wings, and inside them Finn Russell had possibly his best game in blue. Credit also to the home side’s forwards, who clawed their way back into the contest and ended with the upper hand. There will be plenty to keep Vern Cotter and his coaching team – never mind Rob Howley – chuntering over the next week from an occasionally muddled encounter but never mind the mistakes just sit back and enjoy the ride.

“We believe we can do something as a group,” said John Barclay, Scotland’s captain. “We have beaten Ireland, who are a very good team, and we have beaten Wales, who are a very good team. We believe we can beat anyone."

A first win at Twickenham since 1983 remains a huge ask, but whatever the result Cotter is set to leave Scotland in a good place. The match was erratic, a mish-mash of seat of the pants rugby, thrills and spills and the more that became so the more that suited Scotland.

There is at times a devil-may-care approach by the men in blue – Fraser Brown’s extraordinary long lineout throw on his own line to Barclay for one – and that does mean errors, Alex Dunbar kicked backwards over his own head at one point. But if at first you don’t succeed..

There was plenty to interest the watching Warren Gatland with his Lions hat on – he must have been glad his Welsh one is tucked away in his pocket. This defeat should worry Wales far more than their painful loss to England. Then they were one mangled exit from a deserved victory. Here they fell away alarmingly, tumbling into every trap Scotland set them. Their greater experience counted for nothing. And the clamour for Sam Davies to oust Dan Biggar, outshone by the effervescent Russell, will grow.

Yet at halftime there seemed one winner. The match was in Wales’ grip, Sam Warburton and Jason Tipuric had Scotland in a hold they had been unable to loosen. It was Rhys Webb, a darting irritant all afternoon – he appeared to even be irritating referee John Lacey by the end, who created the opening try. His quick tap from a free-kick deep in Scotland’s 22 caught the defence flatfooted and from there it was too simple. Halfpenny straightened and put Liam Williams over in the corner.

Webb was at the heart of everything. Scotland were far below the level of their previous games, Warburton and Tipuric consistently disrupting their possession, and were grateful for the three-point fillip of Russell’s second penalty. Halfpenny promptly restored Wales’s seven-point lead and the Toulon full-back, who has scored more international points than Scotland’s entire matchday 23, should have extended it to double figures but missed a straightforward kick. It was a sign of things to come. Warburton denied Huw Jones a try with a magnificent tackle but Russell cut Wales’s advantage to four on the stroke of halftime. And then it all changed. Halfpenny’s fumble of a simple box-kick in the opening minutes of the second half sparked Scotland. At last they had territory and after the Grays and Co earned the hard yards the back three did the rest. Hogg’s neat hands found Tim Visser, popping up on the wrong wing, and he put Tommy Seymour, his fellow wide man, over in the corner.

open image in gallery

At last the game was alive. Jonathan Davies ran a perfect line only for Ali Price and Hogg to stop him five metres out. Wales were rattled and lost composure. They butchered a lineout five metres from Scotland’s line after signalling a shot at goal and changing their minds. Russell was firm in his decision and execution to widen Scotland’s lead to six points. The marginal moments were now going Scotland’s way – Webb was denied a second try by Visser’s desperate last-ditch tackle.

open image in gallery

Scotland controlled the final quarter and crowned their win with a deserved try for Visser, a better player for his time at Harlequins. Hogg flicked on Russell’s long pass in the blink of an eye and Visser plunged over. Howley’s complaints that Wales gifted Scotland “easy” tries fell on deaf ears in the home dressing room. The monkey, as Barclay later put it, is well and truly off Scotland’s backs.

Scotland: Hogg; Seymour, Jones, Dunbar, Visser; Russell, Price (Pyrgos 56); Reid (Dell 52), Brown (Ford 70), Fagerson, R Gray, J Gray, Barclay, Hardie (Watson 25), Wilson.

Scorers: Tries Seymour, Hogg. Cons Russell (2) Pens Russell (5)

Wales: Halfpenny; North, Davies, S Williams (Roberts 63), L Williams; Biggar (S Davies 68), Webb; Evans (Smith 69), Owens (Baldwin 69), Francis (Lee 58), Ball (Charteris 57), Jones, Warburton, Tipuric, Moriarty (Faletau 63).

Scorers: Try L Williams Con Halfpenny Pens Halfpenny (2)