Biggar seals victory in nip-and-tuck battle
Out-half marks his century with winning drop-goal
WITH a minute to go and the Principality Stadium rocking, Dan Biggar departed from the stage to a raucous reception. The Wales captain’s work was done.
On the occasion of his 100th cap, Biggar kicked his country back to winning ways with a typically combative display. A drop goal in the 70th minute was the difference between the sides.
Humbled by Ireland last week, this was much more like it from Wales. ‘It’s one of the toughest and best victories I’ve had in a Welsh shirt,’ Biggar said. ‘We knew we were coming into the game under pressure having not performed last week. We’d taken a fair bit of flak, but I absolutely love that. I’d almost rather people were slagging me than praising me because it brings out a different side of me and maybe more of a focus.’
Scotland have not won in Cardiff since 2002, but this looked like a golden opportunity for Gregor Townsend’s men to build on their Calcutta Cup victory over England. Finn Russell’s late yellow card was a crucial moment. Russell mixed moments of brilliance with several errors while Biggar, his opposite number, played despite a knee injury to almost go the distance.
Wales were smashed to bits by Ireland’s giant forwards in Dublin. Here, they responded impressively, with hooker Ryan Elias outstanding. Elias was the official man of the match, but he and Biggar both excelled.
Scotland warmed up for the game with a morning run through in a Cardiff car park, but Wales started quickly with a pair of penalties from Biggar. Russell put a restart out on the full, but his passing is sublime and a long ball from the Scotland playmaker sent Darcy Graham over for the pening try.
Russell kicked two more penalties to one from Biggar as Wales, initially, struggled with their discipline. Their forwards, however, were at the races.
Just before the break, full-back Liam Williams produced a sublime 50:22 kick, although his facial expression suggested his effort was more luck than judgement.
Wales used their own line-out ball and the field position to drive prop Tomas Francis over for what was only his second Test try. It showed the huge improvement in the Welsh pack.
Significant drizzle had arrived in Cardiff for kick-off and it continued intermittently throughout the game. It made the second half a much tighter, tactical battle.
The game swung Wales’ way in the final quarter. Biggar lined up a long-range penalty attempt which, from the moment he struck it, always looked short.
The ball rebounded off the angle of post and crossbar. Wales picked up and went straight on the attack, led by Alex Cuthbert. Red attackers poured forward. Tomos Williams’ pass was then knocked forward by Russell. It didn’t stop Cuthbert reaching for the corner.
Referee Nic Berry and TMO Brett Cronan ruled Cuthbert had been in touch in the act of trying to score, but when the play was pulled back, the officials yellow carded Russell.
Now, with 68 minutes played, Wales pushed for a try against 14 men, with Jonathan Davies on as a replacement to also win his 100th cap. With a penalty advantage, Biggar stepped back into the pocket and nailed a simple drop goal.
‘It wasn’t good enough,’ said Townsend, Scotland’s head coach. ‘There is big disappointment within our group. We played better against England, but we didn’t play badly here. There were big moments in the second half where we didn’t execute well enough.’
‘You only get five games in the Six Nations, so it’s going to have a negative effect on your chances of winning the tournament.We gave penalties to the opposition so we did not control that second half.’
A successful title defence remains a tall order, but Wales have at least put themselves back in the mix.
Head coach Wayen Pivac said: ‘The disappointment was evident from every single person in the squad last week.
‘We won’t be getting too far ahead of ourselves except to say we were pleased with the performance and certainly improved in the areas we wanted to.’
WALES: L Williams; Cuthbert, Watkin, Tompkins (J Davies 68), Rees-Zammit; Biggar (capt) (Sheedy 79), T Williams; Jones (Thomas 65), Elias (Lake 65), Francis (Lewis 60), Rowlands (S Davies 73), Beard, Basham, Morgan, Moriarty (Wainwright 58).
ScorErS - Try: Francis. Pens: Biggar (4). DG: Biggar.
ScoTLAND: Hogg (capt); Graham, Harris, Tuipulotu (Kinghorn 71), Van der Merwe (Redpath 79); Russell, Price (White 63); Schoeman (Sutherland 45) (Schoeman 63), McInally (Turner 45), Nel (Z Fagerson 45), Gray (Darge 63), Gilchrist, Skinner, Watson, M Fagerson (Bradbury 32). yELLoW cArD: Russell 67.
ScorErS - Try: Graham. Pens: Russell (4).
rEfErEE: Nic Berry (Australia).