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:
YELLOW CARD! WillGriff John is sent to the sin bin (Scotland 21-8 Wales, 31 minutes)
Oh dear. That’s about as cynical as it comes from WillGriff John, a royal mile offside and thrusting out a leg to block Ben White’s pass with Scotland metres from the Welsh line. To the naughty step he is deservedly sent.
Scotland 21-8 Wales, 29 minutes
Blair Kinghorn is furious with the officials after a tug on his arm from Blair Murray in the air goes unspotted...at least temporarily. “Come on,” the full-back cries as referee Andrea Piardi reverses his decision and awards a penalty on advice of his TMO. The right call reached.
TRY! SCOTLAND 21-8 Wales (Darcy Graham, 27 minutes)
An immediate retort! Scotland re-establish their advantage!
Wales just can’t get a handle on the hosts’ attacking game when they can’t get hands on breakdown ball. Ben White exploits spaces on the fringes and keeps the ball alive, ensuring that his sharp snipe is capitalised upon. Finn Russell and Darcy Graham’s connection is rather more favourable for them on this occasion than that horrible moment here against Ireland - a lovely dummy, dart and flat fling from the fly half to the wing, who marks his return from head injury with a try.
TRY! Scotland 14-8 WALES (Blair Murray, 25 minutes)
And that’s a lovely finish, too!
Gareth Anscombe provides the ingenuity and accuracy required to make the momentum count, a delicate little sand wedge pitched up on to the putting surface and leaving Blair Murray with a gimmie. Murray gathers and grounds, with only a poor miss from the tee from Anscombe taking the shine off a score that Wales rather needed.
Scotland 14-3 Wales, 23 minutes
The Welsh attack has looked so much better since Matt Sherratt’s installation, throwing much more variety in their shape than they did in two pretty poor showings to start this campaign. Taulupe Faletau neatly transfers at the line to create a half-break before ploughing it up himself to force another...
Scotland 14-3 Wales, 21 minutes
There’s been some good aerial work in this game so far. Darcy Graham tumbles as he takes but somehow holds on, setting a platform for Scotland nearly halfway.
But another Welsh turnover! And guess who? Captain Jac is at it again...
Scotland 14-3 Wales, 21 minutes
God, Jac Morgan is so, so good. Another well-timed ruck intervention halts the Scottish charge as the hosts build momentum again.
Scotland 14-3 Wales, 19 minutes
Wales’s scrum went so well against Ireland, so that will be a disappointment - an immediate penalty against Nicky Smith and WillGriff John. Scotland out of their own end and on the attack once more.
Scotland 14-3 Wales, 18 minutes
Here’s a (relatively) helpful image of that incident:
Scotland 14-3 Wales, 18 minutes
“We don’t think it is foul play at all,” referee Andrea Piardi declares. “I don’t think he put on purpose his hand in the eyes.”
Fair enough, you’d say - I don’t think it was intentional from Thomas, but TMO Eric Gauzins seemed very keen on a sanction. Strong refereeing from Piardi to ignore the Frenchman’s urgings - on we go with a Scottish scrum.
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