DRAGONS DESTROY HYPE
Reality check for Scots as Wales bring us back to earth with a bump
A STUNNING two-try salvo from Wales in the opening 11 minutes brought Scotland crashing to earth at the start of the Six Nations Championship and ensured the wait for a victory in Cardiff will run on to at least 18 years.
It is a familiar story for the Scots in Wales, but this clash was not meant to be this way, and so came complete with its own fresh pain. After the excitement of Scotland’s near-thing with the All Blacks and eight-try thrashing of Australia — capping home and away defeats of the Wallabies — the excited talk before yesterday’s kick-off was of Gregor Townsend’s confident, clinical side potentially rising to the dizzying heights of third in the world, should they end the Cardiff hoodoo and France overcome Ireland in Paris.
It was unfamiliar territory, granted, but defeat of Wales in a 2017 that improved with each passing month sparked Scottish dreams. Even Welsh fans spoke before the match of expecting a very close game and fearing Scotland’s attacking threats.
Yet the day finished with Wales coach Warren Gatland wreathed in smiles — no doubt feeling vindicated at the poor Scottish representation in his British and Irish Lions squad last summer — and Scottish rugby enveloped in that all-toofamiliar Cardiff gloom after what was a second-worst defeat to the men in red. The worst was just four years ago, but considering the ability of this side this was a poorer performance.
Jonny Gray led the early charge with a terrific break deep into the home half but the turnover that followed was a sign of things to come.
Gareth Davies, the scrum-half, launched Wales in front after five minutes with an interception of a hesitant pass from his opposite number Ali Price on halfway. That Scottish inaccuracy was to dog Price’s and Scotland’s performance.
Unbelievably, the margin of defeat could have been worse as Scotland’s defence was left in tatters by a bizarre early see-saw of attacks, but wing Steff Evans messed up the finish of a scintillating Wales break from halfway, involving forwards and backs, dropping a pass metres from the line. Several second-half chances also went abegging.
The second Welsh try, just 11 minutes in, stemmed from a crooked feed being awarded against Price, though Scotland’s narrow defence in the 22 handed the terrific Leigh Halfpenny — who would finish the day with 24 points — an inviting three-on-one overlap close in to dive over.
With Scotland’s new attacking arsenal 14 points never looked unassailable, but a combination of naivety, panic and poor decision-making ensured it would be.
Ignoring the past 16 years of difficulty for Scotland in the Welsh capital, this was a game, judged on the respective strengths of the sides, that Scotland were right to believe they could win.
They had concerns about the weakness in the front row, where various capped players were unavailable, but Gordon Reid and Jon Welsh returned to scrummage well beside Stuart McInally. That was not the source of Scotland’s problems.
Wales, however, were missing a core of their best players from skipper Sam Warburton, Toby Faletau, Dan Lydiate and Jake Ball in the pack to virtually a whole back line in Rhys Webb, Dan Biggar, Jonathan Davies, George North, Liam Williams, Hallam Amos and Rhys Priestland.
What might have happened had they been fit?
Scotland did not lack for ball, particularly in the first half, but their inability to control it was of criminal proportions. The Welsh flurry rattled them, pushing playmakers Price and Finn Russell into chasing the game early, and
Wales duly waited for the errors to emerge.
As poor as Scotland were, the Welsh defence was a key factor that should not be underestimated. They put pressure on the Scottish backs from the first whistle, shutting down the playmakers’ options, and forcing ball-carriers to try to create momentum on the back foot.
A shaky lineout — with three lost balls — exacerbated the problem of finding a platform, and so attacks became lateral with the ball-carrier struggling to make the gain-line, far less threaten.
Hooker McInally was Scotland’s most productive with possession, but he lacked support, and even he could not take a reverse pass from Russell as they attacked the right side, which was one of several instances of inaccuracy, rushed passes and, generally, frantic rugby from the Scots.
Their desire to play fast comes with a risk but the lack of control of the ball and territory meant the attack was a lot less threatening than in the autumn. If there was an exposing of naivety on the park, however, Townsend, the youngest Six Nations coach, in his first tournament, may have also been outfoxed by wily veteran Gatland.
Scotland expected a direct challenge through the 10/12 channel — Wales actually varied their attack well up the middle and wide with Rhys Patchell enjoying a decent game. And so, missing Alex Dunbar to injury, Huw Jones was shifted to inside centre and Chris Harris, the Newcastle centre and Premiership’s top tackler, was handed a first start, at 13. By leaving out Peter Horne, Townsend broke up the Glasgow three-quarter line, but Harris never looked to be on the same wavelength, in defence and attack, before being replaced early in the second half.
Russell skied a Garryowen on his 22 with his first act after the interval. Halfpenny slotted another three points with his. Scotland ran from deep and the fly-half handed ball back to Wales with a wayward off-load, and a ruck penalty let Halfpenny strike again.
The frustrated Townsend changed tack and sent on Greig Laidlaw, Ryan Wilson and Jamie Bhatti for Price, the almost invisible Cornell du Preez and Reid, respectively, and followed just over five minutes later with another triple substitution, releasing Sean Maitland, Horne and Grant Gilchrist for Byron McGuigan, Harris and Ben Toolis.
The performance tightened up, but by now Wales were in confident mode. McGuigan’s final act had been a try-saving tackle on Josh Adams, Stuart Hogg had to be strong to hold up Tomas Francis as the Welsh drove their prop over the Scottish line and though Patchell was denied by scrambling Scottish defence an overlap beckoned and when the ball came back Scott Williams’ flick-on gave Halfpenny an easy dive in for his second try.
Scotland did well, of sorts, to limit Wales to just one more try, from Evans, before finally removing the big zero from the scoreboard when Horne darted out of a close-range ruck to score. It was of no consolaion to the visitors, but it perhaps allowed the Glasgow centre to make a point about the midfield selection.
SCORERS; WALES — Tries: G Davies, Halfpenny (2), S Evans; Conversions: Halfpenny (4); Penalties: Halfpenny (2). SCOTLAND — Try: Horne; Conversion: Russell.