Scotland vs Wales LIVE rugby: Result and reaction from Six Nations as hosts hold on after Welsh fightback
Scotland 35-29 Wales: The hosts looked to be streaking away to a big win before a frantic second half turnaround
Scotland survived a fierce Welsh comeback to get back to winning ways in the Six Nations with a 35-29 success at Murrayfield.
Showcasing their vibrant, varied attacking game, the hosts surged to a first-half bonus point and looked to be on their way to a sizeable scoreline when Blair Kinghorn continued the rout with his second try early in the second half. But Wales, enduring a tough evening defensively, found new life thereafter, scoring twice to narrow the margin, and would have come closer still had Taulupe Faletau’s try in the final minutes not been disallowed. As it was, Max Llewellyn’s try, the centre’s first for Wales, in the throes snatched two bonus points.
The contest bore striking similarities to last year’s clash in Cardiff, when Wales roared back from the same deficit to within a point of a remarkable comeback. But while there was plenty to encourage Matt Sherratt again the long losing run extends to 16 matches for the Welsh as they prepare to host England on the final weekend. Scotland, meanwhile, will hope to deny France the title in Paris in the denouement to Super Saturday.
Re-live all of the action from Murrayfield in our live blog below:
Scotland 28-8 Wales, 44 minutes
Wow, that was a crazy bit of play, Scotland gain possession, but as they try to move it wide, Van der Merwe is forced into touch.
Wales win a penalty after Fagerson is penalised for hands on the ground. Scotland regain the ball just past halfway, with Jordan feeding it to Jones.
Graham assesses his options before Murray confidently claims the high ball. Williams launches a box kick, and Kinghorn does brilliantly to collect it. Scotland then opt for another box kick, which Anscombe safely gathers.
Kick-off Scotland 28-8 Wales, 41 minutes
We’re underway again!
Scotland have scored four tries already securing their bonus point.
Kinghorn kicks things off in Murrayfield.
HALF TIME: Scotland 28-8 Wales
“Matt Sherratt, welcome to the real international world,” Jonathan Davies remarks on the BBC, putting it more succinctly than I ever could. Yes, after the optimism of the first half against Ireland, Wales have bashed back down to earth with quite the bump with Scotland cantering towards a big win.
A bonus point already in the bag, Scotland have showed off their vibrant, varied attacking game, with Wales unable to combat it when their strategy to go hard at the breakdown has failed to get hands on ball.
All may not be lost for Wales - remember, they roared back to within a point from the same 20-point deficit in Cardiff last year, though one suspects Scotland will be rather more ready for a comeback here...
Scotland 28-8 Wales, 42 minutes
Scotland ride the helter-skelter: Blair Kinghorn and Duhan van der Merwe throw their arms in the air as they are lifted towards the touchline, offloading to no-one in particular. Wales gather Van der Merwe’s eventually and chance a length-of-the-field attempt - briefly, that is. Sense prevails and Tomos Williams brings the half to a close by kicking the ball out.
Scotland 28-8 Wales, 40 minutes
Wales can’t work consistently into their attacking shape, with the extra Scottish man making a difference. They’ll have the last attack of the half after Finn Russell thunders the latest penalty down into the visitors’ 22.
Scotland 28-8 Wales, 39 minutes
A frantic couple of minutes with the two teams trading passes to ghosts, the ball twice hitting the deck in relatively quick succession. Jamie Ritchie goes off his feet to bail Wales out of a bit of bother.
Scotland 28-8 Wales, 37 minutes
Wales sacrifice Tommy Reffell to get Keiron Assiratti on, as they must with tighthead WillGriff John in the bin.
Scotland’s change is also forced, but sadly not temporary - Rory Darge has hurt himself, so Matt Fagerson is brought on. A real shame for Darge - let’s hope that isn’t too serious for the flanker.
Scotland 28-8 Wales, 36 minutes
A Jamie Ritchie jackal earns Scotland a penalty, and another entry into the Welsh 22 via Finn Russell’s punt. This feels ominous again for Wales’s 14 men.
Relief. A knock-on from home hands. Wales survive...for now.
TRY! SCOTLAND 28-8 Wales (Tom Jordan, 33 minutes)
A gift!
Oh, Wales, this is bad. Their initial defence is excellent but you’ve just got to clear your lines in this situation. Ben Thomas’s cross-kick is ambitious, and rubbish, forcing Blair Murray to hurl the ball back into play as he desperately retrieves it from the touchline.
Tom Jordan is sharpest to the loose ball, and can’t believe his luck. He scampers after his hack ahead like a dependable gun dog to collect his second, and Scotland’s fourth, securing a first-half bonus point.
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