Plenty of positives and bright prospects as young Scots fall to dynamic Welsh side

of Ben Muncaster, Josh King and Harri Morris particularly impressive in carrying ball.

But, too often, Scotland’s efforts were undone by faulty line-out work resulting in missed opportunities in the opposition red zone.

“There were a few mistakes that allowed Wales to put pressure on us,” conceded head coach Ross Miller, adding: “The Wales backline played with width and used layers in attack. But we got on top of that in the second half. We got caught a little cold in the first half.”

Scotland were 10-21 down at the end of a first half in which the Wales backs scored three quality tries. It was Scotland who opened the scoring with a Harry Patterson penalty goal but the young Scots were immediately under pressure, and only an excellent trysaving tackle by Jamie Dobie and then a knock-on prevented Welsh scores. The Welsh threat did then morph into points, with two tries by the pacy Gloucester wing Louis Rees-zammit both converted by stand-off Ioan Lloyd, who then converted his own try.

Just before half-time, however, Marr prop Jamie Drummond finished off a driving maul to score his side’s first try, converted by Patterson.

Just after the break Lloyd showed his side-stepping skills as he left the Scots flatfooted in scoring his second try and conversion. But the Scots regrouped and began to win territory with strong ball-carrying from the likes of Muncaster and King.

And when Wales collected a second yellow card in the second half, Scotland struck clinically, moving the ball slickly from a set-scrum for replacement Scott King to give Patterson room to dive over for the Scots’ second try, the full-back again converting from wide out to complete the scoring.