Double blow for Scotland
Scotland’s Six Nations win in Wales yesterday looks to have come at a cost.
First-choice fly-half Finn Russell, recalled to the colours for his first start after healing his rift with coach Gregor Townsend, limped off after just half-anhour of the 14-10 win at Llanelli’s Parc Y Scarlets.
And his understudy Adam Hastings had to be led from the field in the second half, leaving skipper Stuart Hogg filling in at stand-off.
Both could be missing for the rest of the Autumn Nations Cup series.
England won the Six Nations after Ireland lost in Paris.
Scotland sealed their first win in Wales for 18 years – and there was no one in the stands to see it.
Coach Gregor Townsend admitted the Covid-enforced empty stadium made it difficult to assess how the win compared to others in his time I charge, saying: “It’s hard to equate when there’s no crowd here but you see what it means to the players to finally get that win and they’re delighted with the effort they put in.
“But it doesn’t feel as massive as a win with a full crowd.”
Whether Scotland would have won in the bearpit that is the Principality Stadium – this game was played in Llanelli’s Parc Y Scarlets as the Cardiff ground is being used as a Nightingale hospital – will be argued long after the final whistle.
But full credit is due for the way in which they shrugged off the disappointment of going behind after dominating the opening stages, especially as Wales’ try came from Scottish errors.
On Wales’ first visit to their 22, not only did the Scots inexplicably choose to throw to the tail at the defensive lineout in blustery conditions, Fraser Brown overthrew and the ball dropped into eager Welsh hands, prop Rhys Carre the man who finished off a series of drives at the visitors’ whitewash and Dan Biggar converting.
And there was a double blow for Scotland as Finn Russell – who’d opened the scoring with an early penalty – limped off having hurt himself in trying to prevent the score.
Previous Dark Blue teams would have crumbled, especially away from home, but although this incarnation wobbled they steadied the ship.
And adding fuel to the debate is the fact Russell’s understudy Adam Hastings joined him on the sidelines with 10 minutes to go, meaning skipper Stuart Hogg had to steer his side home from stand-off with replacement scrum-half Scott Steele coming on for his debut in an unfamiliar role on the right wing.
The win sees the Scots finish the elongated Six Nations with a decent three wins from five, and the most miserly defence, while Wales slumped to their first single-win championship in over a decade.
To me, too many in red – in the back division in particular – looked as if their best days were behind them.
The dark-blue pack had the
Welsh eight going backwards for much of the match but the Scots struggled to create openings in the Wales line thanks to the lightning-quick line speed of the home side’s blitz defence.
Also, the swirling wind made the lineout a lottery so Scotland weren’t able to get the maul
– so effective as a source of tries against Georgia last week – working.
That was until the hour mark – the sides had switched ends with Wales a point ahead thanks to Hastings narrowing the gap by nailing a penalty with the last kick of the first 40 – when replacement hooker Stuart
Mcinally threw in perfectly at an attacking lineout and finished off the move as a mass of Scots rumbled over the line at some speed.
When Liam Halfpenny banged over a penalty we were back to a one-point game and the final stretch was nailbiting stuff as Scotland tried to see the game out.
At one point they strung 22 phases together to eat up time until – fittingly – man-of-thematch Jamie Ritchie forced the penalty that sealed the win, Hogg goaling the last kick of the match.