Guts but no glory
Scotland put up a fight but Wales collect the Doddie Weir Cup in Cardiff.
WALES 21 SCOTLAND 10 ON a day of high emotions in Cardiff, Scotland fed off their desire to honour the man who inspired the Doddie Weir Cup but never looked likely to bring the silverware back north.
Just as in February they fell behind early on. Just as in February they conceded 14 points by the interval. And just as in February they endured a scoreless second half.
The difference compared with that 34-7 humbling, however, reflected improved combativeness by a team drawn only from Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors, with the exiles unavailable for this match.
It was a challenging afternoon for Adam Hastings, son and nephew of two of Doddie’s most esteemed former team-mates, but the young stand-off retained his composure well after failing with an early attempt to find touch.
The team collectively looked at their most dangerous after Hastings’ regular club partner, Geroge Horne, was brought on to the pitch. Horne and his brother Peter both looked lively in providing something of a spark late in the game.
However, another of their clubmates, Huw Jones, has some soulsearching to do after a defensive performance that perhaps offered some insight into why Glasgow Warriors head coach Dave Rennie has often seemed reluctant to utilise his undoubted attacking ability.
He was by no means the only man culpable as Scotland again started a Test match slowly, though.
Leigh Halfpenny provided Wales with an early lead after Hamish Watson committed the first of what were far too many Scottish infringements. And it looked as though Wales had scored the opening try, only for the replay to show that Lee Jones had forced George North to put a foot in touch just before doing so.
It had been a free play, however, and Halfpenny duly doubled the lead from the resultant penalty, then a third soon after, before Hastings calmly took his first penalty opportunity after a scrum collapsed just outside the Welsh 22.
When Wales returned to the offensive they did so purpose- fully. While they looked to have been coralled on their left, North’s arrival from his right wing proved decisive this time, Huw Jones falling off him and Alex Dunbar unable to save the situation.
The big winger broke through his attempted cover tackle and got over the line with Blair Kinghorn hanging on to him.
A scoreline of 14-3 looked ominous but, knowing they had to score next, the Scots did so.
A close range line-out drive constructed well enough to split the Welsh defensive effort, allowed skipper Stuart McInally to plunge over.
Hastings added the extra points and, four minutes before the interval, the manner of the try suggested momentum might have shifted.
It continued to look that way as a couple of intelligent kicks by Hastings and Ali Price pinned Wales back early in the second period.
However, as soon as they managed to dig their way out of their own half Wales produced the try that gave them the cushion that let them play a containing game in the closing stages.
Awarded yet another penalty inside the Scotland half, they kicked to touch down the right.
From the line-out just outside the Scotland 22, the ball was shifted to Gareth Anscombe who found himself running at a passive, retreating defence with support from Jonathan Davies, who all too easily brushed Huw Jones aside to open up a clear route to the line.
Halfpenny added what proved to be the last points of the afternoon.
Thereafter the Scots dominated territorially and, after Ryan Wilson was held up over the Welsh line, they maintained the pressure, only for Jonny Gray to be stopped just short and penalised for a double movement.
A clever little dab over the defence by George Horne subsequently looked to have put his big brother in only for the replay evidence to result in another decision going against the Scots, the ball having slipped from Peter’s grasp as he attempted to ground it.
Had either score been awarded it might have asked different questions of the Welsh but, while they retained that 11-point lead, they remained relatively comfortable in holding out.
Knowing that they had to score next, the Scots did so
Scorers, Wales – Tries: North, Davies. Con: Halfpenny. Pens: Halfpenny.
Scotland – Try: McInally. Con: Hastings. Pen: Hastings.