76 min Liam Williams is named man of the match.
73 min Wonderful try for Wales! Davies runs an arc, offoads to Hook who
boots ahead and Rhodri Williams outsprints the covering Scottish defence to
leap onto the ball and bounce over the line. The referee checks for offside
and the grounding… and it’s given. Hook converts.
72 min What a tackle by Taylor as Tipuric bursts down the flank, passes
inside to Priestland and the Wales No 10 is crunched by Taylor.
69 min There have been no points scored for almost 15 minutes now as
the Scottish forwards continue to make yards, if only a few, as they creap
into the Welsh 22.
66 min Alun-Wyn Jones steals possession with a mighty paw and,
one-handed, flips the ball to Davies who kicks ahead for North… this could
be on, but Fife is fastest to the egg and the danger is averted.
63 min Scotland are camped on the Welsh line. The forwards pound away.
Ford is held just short. It’s advantage Scotland but they want a try. The
ball goes wide, the overlap could be there but Weir kicks and it’s over the
head of Fife! Why? Why? Why kick? The referee, though, brings play back to
where he gave the initial penalty.
61 min Denton bursts through the middle and eats up the yards, he
offloads to Dunbar who has his shirt ripped off in the tackle. Scotland
retain possession, though, and fling the ball wide, but Scott is bundled
into touch.
59 min Scotland’s forwards pile into contact, there’s another penalty
to the visitors so Laidlaw boots the ball into the air… and it’s taken by
Williams. Still, the referee was playing advantage – Laidlaw knew it – and
Weir kicks to touch for a Scottish line-out. Denton climbs well to take it
one-handed, but then there’s a knock-on and it’s a Welsh scrum this time.
57 min Wales ring the changes as Jenkins and Rhodri Jones come off to
huge applause and Adam Jones, along with James, comes on.
56 min If you’re looking for crumbs Scotland fans, you’re scrum is
functioning much better. But it’s only a crumb. Still, penalty to Scotland.
And they take another scrum right in front of the Welsh posts.
51 min It’s wave after wave of Welsh attack on the Scottish line… and
it’s reigning tries as Faletau scores in the far right corner. Charteris
offloads, Warburton offloads, the overlap is on and Alun-Wyn Jones flings
wide to the No 8 to score unopposed. Biggar misses the conversion.
Wales 44 Scotland 3 (Toby Faletau 51 min)
47 min The break is on from a Scottish mistake at the line-out.
Warburton charges up. The ball is spread wide, Williams offoads inside to
Davies who finds Faletau. The big No 8 takes the ball into contact, offloads
to Roberts and the centre touches down under the posts. Biggar converts.
46 min Penalty to Scotland for not rolling away. It’s perfecty kickable
but Weir goes for touch. No point bagging three points when you’re this far
behind. Ford throws… and it goes over the top straight into Welsh hands.
44 min The Scottish forwards have a lot of work to do as they try to
keep possession of the ball. Eighteen phases pass and only a few metres made
but it’s what they have to do. It’s energy sapping for both teams.
42 min Worst start possible for Scotland as they concede a penalty.
Wales decide to run it, Scotland don’t number up quickly enough, the ball is
spread wide with a wonderful pass by Jenkins to Davies who runs on, passes
out to North and the big man swats aside Fife to touch down in the corner.
Biggar tugs his conversion wide but they won’t mind. This could be a
thrashing.
41 min Play is underway in the second half. Can Scotland stop the
floodgates from opening?
HALF-TIME ANALYSIS The score may look like Wales have bossed this game
but, before being reduced to 14 men – only the third time a Scottish player
has been red carded – the visitors were well in the match. However, after
Hogg’s dismissal, space opened up and Wales took advantage.
38 min A Scottish line-out is lost – that was overthrown, very poor –
and Wales claim possession. Roberts spreads a brilliant cut-out pass wide
and Davies bursts down the flanks, he beats two tacklers before, in
mid-tackle, manages to loop a pass over to Roberts who runs unchallenged
over the line to touch down. Biggar converts off the post.
Wales 25 Scotland 3 (Jamie Roberts 38 min)
37 min Wales centre Davies has a try ruled out for offside. So unlucky
as the soon-to-be Clermont star boots upfield, Faletau claims and passes to
the onrushing Davies who receives the pass and saunters over the line.
However, the referee checks for offside and replays show that Faletau was in
front of the ball when Davies kicked ahead.
33 min Weir boots high and chases after his own kick, but Williams is
under it and claims well…. and he’s off, one man beaten, two, he offloads
off the ground to Phillips who in turn finds North who only has one man to
beat… it’s Denton… and he’s beaten. Great try! And it’s converted.
30 min Good play from the 14 men of Scotland as Hamilton takes the ball
into contact 10 metres out. The men in blue retain possession, it’s spread
wide to Scott… but he’s bundled into touch.
28 min Penalty to Scotland as the ball is illegally scooped back by
Warburton off his feet…. and… oh dear! Laidlaw’s missed and that was
pretty straight. At this level you can’t miss those.
27 min Sensational kick deep into the Wales half by Weir takes the
pressure off his team and gives the Scots a line-out in a promising
position, 10 metres out.
25 min Scotland have got to be careful this doesn’t get embarrassing
now that they’re down to 14 men. With Hogg off there’s so much space behind
and Wales know it as Phillips kicks over the top, runs after it but the ball
bounces into touch.
23 min Oooooooof! Late hit by Hogg on Biggar, chasing his own kick.
Yellow card to the Scottish full-back and he is very lucky not to have been
red carded. That was a clear, late shoulder. But wait… it’s red!!! Hogg is
sent off after the referee sees the replay on the big screen and changes his
card colour. Penalty to Wales… and Biggar converts. That’s what you like
to see. Sparked out one minute, on his feet the next and bagging the points.
20 min Two scums so far and both have resulted in penalties to Wales.
Jenkins is having a much better time of it than against the English. And
Biggar boots the ball deep into the Scottish half for a line-out.
18 min Scotland are looking to hit back quickly and Lawson pops a
lovely infield pass to Scott. Hogg tries to hit the line at pace but is
brought down well by Cuthbert. This Wesh line of defence is proving hard to
break. Evans darts wide and flings to Fife… but it’s slightly forward and
the ball is handed over to Wales.
15 min Wales on the attack, five metres from the Scottish line. The
fowards take the ball onwards, they’re now just three metres out. Quick and
left and the try is on… and there it goes, out to Williams and the
full-back swan dives over the line in the left corner. Converted brilliantly
from out wide by Biggar.
13 min There’s a small gap in the Millennium Stadium roof and you can
see the sun beaming through. Why oh why have they closed the roof when the
weather is so gorgeous outside??
10 min Penalty to Scotland as Wales hold on again, and Laidlaw signals
that he will go for goal. It’s a toughie, from a tight angle… and he’s
missed!
9 min Substitution for Scotland as Brown comes off injured and on comes
Strokosch.
8 min Wales’ line-out funcions well and the ball is spread quickly.
Roberts takes it up the middle, Wales recycle, there’s space out wide but
Williams tries a long, looping pass to North and it sails over the big
winger’s head and into touch. Still, it’s a pen to Wales…
6 min Penalty Wales as the Scottish is scrum is penalised for “knee
on the ground”. Biggar kicks to touch rather than attempt a long-range
pop at goal… and it’s a good touch finder.
5 min Strong drive by Warburton sees Wales eat up yards but Phillips is
given no time at all to get the ball away as Hamilton surges forwards and
crunches the Wales No 9. Scotland have been impressive so far.
3 min Promising pressure from the Scots as Evans offloads to Hogg after
good driving play by Grant… but the ball is loose and Williams is able to
boot upfield. Scotland start again and attack with ball in hand… the
referee signals advantage to the men in blue… and it’s a penalty for
offside against Faletau.
1 min Wales No 10 Biggar kicks off and it’s well claimed by Fife before
Hogg boots the ball upfield. Williams claims and runs it back… and is
penalised for holding on. Penalty Scotland. Weir kicks to touch to peg the
Welsh back.
14.44 While we wait for the anthems to finish, here’s Stuart
Lancaster speaking about England’s win against Italy…
many teams have done that, in fact very, very few. There were some errors in
the first half, but I’m just proud of the boys. It’s a great squad we’ve got
developing and the bigger picture is important
“The match against France was frustrating, but then look at the
performance against Scotland, the Ireland performance, the Wales
performance, and I don’t think anyone has come here and scored as many as we
have today. So you’ve got to be proud of the boys really”
14.42 Whoa! Listen to that roar as the Wales players enter the arena…
and there go the fireworks. Now for the anthems.
14.40 The Scots are running out onto the pitch. The roof’s on, the
music is blasting out, shards of flame are shooting out around the pitch….
the atmosphere is electric.
14.30 Welsh supporters who haven’t got tickets for the Millennium
Stadium are flocking to Cardiff’s bars and pubs, and even watching England
on the TV… but of course supporting the Italians?
14.20 Here’s how the Six Nations table looks as things stand…
14.15 It’s all over in Rome and England have won comfortably, 52-11.
But will it be enough? Points difference between England and Ireland is a
paltry eight. Oliver Pickup will be bringing you all the live action
later today from Paris but, in the mean time, put your feet up and enjoy
today’s second helping of Six Nations rugby. Who’s your money on, Wales or
Scotland?
13.45 Having fallen foul of a French referee last week against
England… Wales have got another one today. Bonjour Jerome Garces!
One man in particular got on the wrong side of ref Romain Poite – Gethin
Jenkins – but, unlike his prop in arms Adam Jones, Jenkins hasn’t been
dropped and is set to earn his 105th cap and thereby overtake former
fly-half Stephen Jones at the top of Wales’ all-time appearance chart
Shaun Edwards has paid a glowing tribute to Jenkins ahead of
today’s game…
in the history of the game. He is an all-round rugby player, not just a prop
forward who scrummages, but one of the first players I go to at half-time
and have a chat about anything he thinks we need to be concentrating on. I
totally respect his opinion”
13.35 Dan Biggar, Wales’ starting fly-half, has admitted it’s “a
strange feeling” for Wales to enter the final weekend with no
silverware at stake.
for on the last weekend. I suppose we are playing for a top three position
and a bit of pride and to give our supporters something to shout about. It
is an international Test match at the end of the day, and we won’t need any
pumping up”
13.30 Dead rubber? Don’t you believe it! This is Wales
v Scotland
and no quarter will be given. Yes, neither of these teams can win the Six
Nations, but there’s pride at stake and frustration to be taken out on
whoever dares stand in their way. And on a dry, belter of a track in Cardiff
– and with the likes of North, Cuthbert, Hogg and Scott in action, we could
be in for a treat!
First things first, the teams…
Wales XV: Liam Williams; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts,
George North; Dan Biggar, Mike Phillips; Taulupe Faletau, Sam Warburton
(capt), Dan Lydiate; Alun Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris; Rhodri Jones, Ken
Owens, Gethin Jenkins
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Paul James, Adam Jones, Jake Ball,
Justin Tipuric, Rhodri Williams, Rhys Priestland, James Hook
Scotland XV: Stuart Hogg; Dougie Fife, Alex Dunbar, Matt Scott, Max
Evans; Duncan Weir, Greig Laidlaw; David Denton, Kelly Brown (capt), Ryan
Wilson; Jim Hamilton, Richie Gray; Geoff Cross, Scott Lawson, Ryan Grant
Replacements: Ross Ford, Alasdair Dickinson, Euan Murray, Tim Swinson,
Alasdair Strokosch, Chris Cusiter, Duncan Taylor, Jack Cuthbert
Article source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/kumari-tilakawardane-future-mike-phillips-6704084
Wales v Scotland, Six Nations 2014: live
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