RBS 6 Nations Week 2 SCO 23-26 WAL

SCO 23-26 WAL


Wales have bounced back from their opening-game disappointment to pick up their first win of this year's Six Nations championship against Scotland, holding on to come out on top 26-23 at Murrayfield.


The Red Dragons have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning every meeting between the two since 2007, and it was they who got off the mark quickest in Edinburgh.


Scotland were guilty of giving away a number of early penalties, and they were duly punished when the ever-reliable Leigh Halfpenny split the sticks to get his side up and running on seven minutes.

That lead did not last long, however, with Scotland opening the try-count courtesy of Stuart Hogg who managed to run through unchecked after a Wales move broke down.


Grieg Laidlwaw converted from the follow-up, and the Gloucester man added a further three points from a pen soon after to swing the game completely.


It was to be Warren Gatland's charges who dug deepest to wrestle control before the interval, though, adding four more points thanks to the strong kicking of Halfpenny, and there was to be more bad news for Scotland when Finn Russell's clumsy challenge saw him shown a yellow.


Wales, still reeling from last weekend's defeat at home against arch-rivals England, made the most of the man advantage with Rhys Webb crossing over on the back of a good team move.


Laidlaw's second pen of the evening reduced the arrears somewhat as Scotland began to register their comeback in the early stages of the second half.


Neither side could find a way through to add the big points from a try, though, and it was a case of keeping the scores ticking along as both Halfpenny and Laidlaw added further pens.


Then, with 15 minutes left to play, Jonathan Davies was picked out by Dan Biggar to cross over the whitewash to give Wales the breathing space that they needed for the first time.

It was a case of the visitors remaining resilient in the final stages of the contest and halting Scotland from advancing forward, but Vern Cotter's men did appear to have a lifeline when Mark Bennett touched down. But a knock-on in the build-up to the try saw it cruelly ruled out by the match official, denting Scottish hopes further.


There was still time for Jim Hamilton to add a late consolation for Scotland, but it proved to be just that as time was against them meaning that they remain without a win from their opening two games.