Wales send red alert to title rivals
Scotland 24 Wales 25
THE RED CARD slam is on for Wales, winning against 14 men again after Zander Fagerson was sent off for Scotland and Louis Rees-Zammit made them pay.
Rees-Lightning struck twice as the 20-year-old winger scored a stupendous double to super- charge Welsh Six Nations hopes.
With nine minutes left he went alone down the flank, chipping, chasing and scoring a classic try worthy of winning any game.
Perhaps with 15 men in the line Scotland might have stopped him, but after Fagerson had flown into Wyn Jones with a shoulder to the face and seen red the extra man was there be exploited.
For Scotland it was one thrown away. They were 14 points up in the first half, all over Wales, who rediscovered their barnacle-like qualities to steal the victory.
It was their second straight win against 14, after Peter O’Mahony was sent off for Ireland last week, and suddenly coach Wayne Pivac is grinning like a Cheshire Cat after his first year brought only frowns.
Rees-Zammit was on hand to set up Liam Williams’ try, and prop Jones took another so Wales even had a bonus point. Scotland, who stunned England last week, scored through Darcy Graham and Stuart Hogg crossed twice but they once again failed to back up a big win.
It was 1996, when Hogg was three, the last time Scotland won the opening two games in this Championship, and after Finn Russell and Leigh Halfpenny swapped early penalties the hosts showed their desire to make more history.
Russell pulled the strings superbly, finding Jonny Gray with a pop pass to put the Exeter Chief in a hole. He lumbered through to break the line and from the next ruck Ali Price sensed a chance.
As the Welsh rushed in he thought quickly to chip over them with a dainty dink and Graham timed his run to perfection to catch and speed in to score. Russell converted but it was his captain whose kicking brought the next try. With teeth bared, Hogg chipped and chased and forced Halfpenny into a rare mistake. The full-back spilled the loose ball and Hogg slid on to it and over the line for his try.
Russell’s conversion left Wales 14 points down and desperate for a response before the break. They got the score they needed, though, when superb passes from Nick Tompkins and Williams gave Rees-Zammit the space to jink in.
Scotland should have scored nine minutes after the restart but were denied by an obstruction on the line. That proved costly as Welsh replacements Kieran Hardy and Callum Sheedy combined with Rees-Zammit to send Williams in. Sheedy converted and suddenly Wales were only two down.
Then came Scotland’s biggest clanger of all as Fagerson slammed into Wyn Jones to earn a red card.
And, cruelly for the Scots, it was Wyn Jones who put Wales ahead. His wriggle for the line saw him score his second Test try. Sheedy missed the kick but Wales led.
But These Scots are battlers. From a scrum under the posts they went through Price and Russell to find Hogg who scored a second which Russell converted for a fresh lead. But then Rees-Zammit sensationally scored as Wales’ Six Nations flashed into life.
SCOTLAND: Hogg (c) 9, D Graham 8 (Nel 57, 7), Harris 7, Lang 6 (Jones 71), Van der Merwe 7, Russell 7, Price 7, Sutherland 7 (Kebble 69,6), Turner 7 (Cherry 69, 6), Z Fagerson 5, Cummings 7, J Gray 8, Thomson 6 (G Graham 13, 6, R Gray 56), Watson 7, M Fagerson 7. Tries: Graham, Hogg (2); Pens: Russell. Cons: Russell (3) WALES: Halfpenny 5 (Halaholo 32, 7), Rees-Zammit 9, Watkin 5.5, Tompkins 5.5, Williams 6, Biggar 3 (Sheedy 48, 6), G Davies 4.5 (Hardy 48, 6.5) , W Jones 8 (R Jones 77), Owens 7.5 (Dee 71), Francis 7 (Brown 62, 7), Beard 7.5, AW Jones (c) 5 (Rowlands 5.5), Wainwright 5 (Botham 62, 7), Tipuric 7.5, Faletau 6. Tries: Rees-Zammit (2), L Williams, W Jones; Pens: Halfpenny; Cons: Sheedy.