Gritty Scotland win to hand Wales title glory
Les Bleus unable to get their hands on crown
WALES were crowned Guinness Six Nations champions as Duhan van der Merwe’s last-minute try earned Scotland their first win in France this century.
France needed to score four tries and beat Scotland by 21 points to deny Wales the title but the visitors stunned their hosts with a 27-23 victory.
Two tries from Van Der Merwe and one from replacement hooker Dave Cherry secured Scotland’s first win in Paris since 1999 despite seeing cards for Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell.
Brice Dulin, Damian Penaud and Swan Rebbadj crossed for the hosts but they never looked like building up the head of steam needed to deliver a double blow to Wales after dramatically denying Wayne Pivac’s side the Grand Slam six days earlier.
France exerted pressure but all they had to show for it was Romain Ntamack’s ninth-minute penalty.
Scotland soon gained the ascendancy and twice elected to kick two penalties into touch inside the French ‘22’. Hooker George Turner was held up just short of the line each time, but Van Der Merwe forced himself over in the 15th minute.
There were suspicions of double movement but referee Wayne Barnes gave the try.
Russell added the two points and produced another brilliant long kick which was held up a metre short of the try line. The Scots descended upon their opponents and Jamie Ritchie forced the penalty from Dulin, which Russell kicked over.
The hosts reduced the deficit when Ntamack kicked a longrange penalty.
More pressure told when Van Der Merwe sold himself too early following a long throw out wide from Antoine Dupont. Penaud passed inside for Dulin to cross in the 36th minute and Ntamack brilliantly converted.
Hogg paid the price for conceding Scotland’s 11th first-half penalty in the final minute but Nick Haining stole the five-metre lineout throw to keep France’s half-time lead at three.
Scotland restricted France’s scoring to five points during Hogg’s spell in the sin bin, when Penaud collected Virimi Vakatawa’s offload, lobbed the ball over Ali Price and touched down.
Scotland regained control after the numbers were evened up and Russell kicked a close-range penalty. Cherry scooped up a loose ball before nipping through a gap. Russell converted.
Rebbadj went over five minutes later.
Russell was sent off in the 71st minute after catching Dulin near the throat with his elbow.
Any hopes of another stunning finish from France were undone when Baptiste Serin was yellow-carded and Scotland got over when they found winger Van Der Merwe on the left. Adam Hastings added the points.
Wales coach Wayne Pivac said: “What a tournament it has been and, from a Welsh point of view, we are over the moon. We are very happy to have won the Championship.”
‘From a Welsh point of view, we are over the moon’