Scotland v Wales LIVE rugby: Six Nations 2023 score and result as Finn Russell masterclass leads to record win

The players are readying themselves in the dressing rooms, applying those last bits of strapping and fixing their focus with kick off fast approaching. Following Ireland and France is no mean feat, but this could be a lot of fun - the youth in the Welsh side, and the freedom they would seem to have coming north with few expectations, could give them a degree of adventure, and Scotland showed all of their free-running qualities at Twickenham last week.

But it is up front this will be won, you’d think. Wales bossed Scotland in that regard last year, allowing Dan Biggar to take total command and control of the contest.

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend has kept faith with the majority of his Calcutta Cup heroes but warned them they will need to improve for their second Guinness Six Nations match at home to Wales this weekend.

There will be just one change to the XV that won 29-23 away to England on Saturday, with Glasgow prop Zander Fagerson replacing 36-year-old WP Nel after more than two months out with a hamstring injury.

Despite the intoxicating nature of last weekend’s win, Townsend explained that his team selection for the visit of the Welsh was not straightforward.

“No, it wasn’t,” he said, when asked if it was an easy decision to pick 14 of the 15 who started at Twickenham.

“We actually delayed the (internal) team announcement because we had a few selections that we had to sleep on. I believe they’ve earned the right to get a second opportunity to build on that win but the performance wasn’t at our best level.

“We’ve got players on the bench and outwith the 23 who are quality players that have played very well for us in the past or are itching for that opportunity, so it wasn’t an easy decision, but these guys now have the opportunity to build on last week.”

Rarely afraid of a little pre-match fun and games, Dan Biggar had some fun with the press on match eve, positioning Wales squarely as the underdogs and (perhaps) piling a little more pressure on this Scottish side.

“Scotland played well last week against England, but according to you guys they are the best team around aren’t they?” Wales fly-half Biggar said.

“We will have to see how they go on Saturday, see if they can back it up. The pressure is all on them.

“They are red-hot favourites, best team in the tournament, so we will see how they go (on) Saturday.

“We don’t seem to get any credit and other teams seem to get a lot of praise for probably not quite the success we’ve had, but that’s how it goes.”

Well, Warren Gatland – welcome back. A punchy second selection from the returning Wales coach, making sweeping changes to his forward pack with the axe wielded on a handful of his most experienced players. From the starting forwards a week ago, Gareth Thomas, Tomas Francis (who has a calf injury), Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau drop out.

Out with the old, in with the new, with uber-talented Exeter Chiefs pair Christ Tshiunza and Daffyd Jenkins taking up duties at six and in the second row respectively. Jac Morgan moves to number eight, with Tommy Reffell preferred on the openside. Ospreys second row Rhys Davies is set to make his debut from the bench.

Behind the scrum, the starters are safe (for now) and will hope to build on some promise showed last week. Rhys Patchell does make an appearance among the substitutes, with Owen Williams cut from the 23.

Wales XV: Wyn Jones, Ken Owens (capt.), Dillon Lewis; Daffyd Jenkins, Adam Beard; Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Jac Morgan; Tomos Williams, Dan Biggar; Rio Dyer, Joe Hawkins, George North, Josh Adams; Liam Williams.

Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Rhys Carre, Leon Brown, Rhys Davies, Taulupe Faletau; Rhys Webb, Rhys Patchell, Alex Cuthbert.

Just a single change for Scotland from the win over England, with Zander Fagerson back to full fitness and back in the starting side. That displaces WP Nel to the bench.

Hamish Watson is another back in contention in training this week but Gregor Townsend has resisted the urge to bring the openside back into the matchday squad, backing Luke Crosbie (quietly impressive in the Twickenham win) to start again and noting Jack Dempsey’s positive impact from the bench.

Scotland XV: Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson; Richie Gray, Grant Gilchrist; Jamie Ritchie (capt.), Luke Crosbie, Matt Fagerson; Ben White, Finn Russell; Duhan van der Merwe, Sione Tuipulotu, Huw Jones, Kyle Steyn, Stuart Hogg.

Replacements: Fraser Brown, Jamie Bhatti, WP Nel, Jonny Gray, Jack Dempsey; George Horne, Blair Kinghorn, Chris Harris.

Right, we’ll have a load more reaction to a significant win for Ireland tonight and over the remainder of the weekend, but kick off is swiftly approaching at Murrayfield, where Scotland are hoping they can make their own statement and start this championship with back-to-back wins for the first time since 1996.

Let’s take a look at the two teams in depth...

Here’s the try that sealed it - given the circumstances, and given the fatigue he must have been feeling, this is a supreme moment of skill from Caelan Doris to free Garry Ringrose.

“It’s hard to sum it up. The French are an incredible side. We know how tough it was going to be today. We had to work for that whole 80 minutes to break them down and get the win.

“A fast start was key. Against French sides like this, if you give them a glimmer of hope the crowd is going to get behind them. The bench came on and had a real impact.

“It was a long time coming, we’ve had a few tough losses but learned from those. It was the one we were focussing on.”

Both sides are dealing with injuries, of course, but that should be a vital day in the development of some of those on the fringes for Ireland - I thought both Craig Casey and Ross Byrne were excellent in controlling roles off the bench, Casey adding a little dynamism to test a fatigued French defence and Byrne kicking intelligently.

France’s Grand Slam defence is over - Ireland take pole position in the championship and confirm their place at the top of the rugby world. For the first time under Andy Farrell, they have beaten the French, producing an outstanding performance to emerge victorious from a game that more than delivered.

The second half was tighter than the first, but Ireland always stayed in control, and produced a moment of real quality when it counted to push to a significant victory.