Scotland earn their third win in the 2020 Six Nations
Scotland win in Wales for the first time since 2002
It was not the prettiest, but Scotland ended 18 years of pain to win in Wales for the first time since 2002.
Before the match, Scotland captain Stuart Hogg said: “Eighteen years, that’s long enough for us now.” And it was Hogg – ending the game at ten – who had the last kick of the ball, sending through a penalty kick to finish the match 14-10 in the Scots’ favour.
In swirling wind around Parc y Scarlets, lineouts went awry, kicks got caught in the gust and Scotland could not do much with incredible amounts of ball… But they did enough to consign Wales to five Test losses in a row.
— Russ Petty (@rpetty80) October 31, 2020
There were only two tries in this, with one for Wales loosehead Rhys Carré in the first half and then a lineout drive on fast-forward from the Scots, with replacement hooker Stuart McInally going over from the back of it.
It wasn’t a game for fly-halves, with Scotland losing Finn Russell early and then Adam Hastings in the second half, while Rhys Patchell had to come on for Dan Biggar too. But it was a match won up front, with Scotland winning the battle of the breakdown and coming out on the right side of the referee.
Five defeats in a row for Wales. Penalty count was Wales 16-6 Scotland.
— Ben Coles (@bencoles_) October 31, 2020
Russell, Hastings and Hogg all scored penalties, with Biggar getting a conversion and Leigh Halfpenny slotting one penalty.
Man of the match Jamie Ritchie said after the contest: “We’ve been waiting a long time for this game. We knew it would have to be a big defensive performance and that was the difference today.
“The boys controlled the game a lot better in the second half.”
Great result for Scotland! Only their 2nd away win in Wales in #SixNations history ?? #AsOne
— ugo monye (@ugomonye) October 31, 2020
Wales’ defence struggled at times in the second half, while Scotland showed great character to see out the result, with Hogg at ten and replacement scrum-half Scott Steale earning his first cap by filling in on the wing.
Jamie Ritchie contested (hard) at three of the final six rucks of Wales' long attacking sequence at the end of the game. Rewarded with the penalty at the last one. An excellent, incessant nuisance of a player. pic.twitter.com/vqYERJoAAJ
— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) October 31, 2020
At the end of the game tributes were paid to Alun Wyn Jones who earned his 149th cap – a record in the men’s game – though the result was certainly not one to celebrate.
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