Following Scotland's dramatic 27-26 victory over Wales at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, here are five takeaways from the Six Nations clash.
Surrender
Wales have had a tough run in the Six Nations since the 2019 Rugby World Cup, but the first 40 minutes they played on Saturday was their worst result since the dark days of the early 2000s. Scotland, who weren't even at their best, regained a 20-0 advantage at the interval and they were absolutely miserable.
Nothing went well for Wales. The lineout was in complete disrepair and the kicking game was consistently inviting pressure. There were also far too many mistakes made in open play, allowing Scotland to build up the pressure throughout the first half.
The visiting team took advantage of that and took advantage of the home team's confusion to comfortably advance through some very simple play. That theme continued at the start of the second period when Duane van der Merwe scored his second touchdown and Wales' fate seemed sealed…
surrender part 2
The young Welsh team should be credited with showing great spirit and skill to get back into the contest, but it was unclear what the Scots were trying to do in the final half-hour. Their discipline hit a pot and they conceded a series of penalties, which resulted in two yellow cards and multiple try chances for the hosts.
When Alex Mann scored a touchdown with 12 minutes left, we thought there was only one outcome. Warren Gatland's side had a lot of momentum and were constantly cutting through the opposition defence, raising questions as to whether Scotland could win again in Cardiff.
However, despite appearing to be on the back foot, the backline managed to bounce back and Gregor Townsend's side denied Wales any chance of taking the lead. In the end, the away team finished off the stronger side and launched a final attack in search of a try bonus point, but in the end it was not to be.
Scotland have to be praised for finishing the game with 10 minutes left in a situation where many teams would have cringed under the pressure, but there are some concerns for Townsend ahead of next weekend's encounter. there will be.
Messi to Messi
Finn Russell's sarcastic comments on Netflix full contact The documentary series has caused a bit of buzz, with the first half showing the fly-half living up to the comparisons he made to the Argentine maestro.
Much like Lionel Messi, Russell could sometimes look a bit listless in assessing what was in front of him, but don't get me wrong, he was no slacker, as he was clearly behind the Welsh defence. They have planned the best route to enter and have had incredible success in doing so.
Scotland were relentless once Wales got into the last 22, but a lot of that has to do with their playmaker's decision-making and overall game management. It wasn't just his attacking brilliance, of which there was plenty, but also his world-class kicking as he and Ben White tactically exploited the Welsh backfield.
But everything changed in the second period. Some of it was not his fault, as his teammates conceded penalty after penalty, but his words clearly did not have the desired effect as the violations continued.
Russell was in a bad position with referee Ben O'Keeffe, who did not like Scotland's behavior at mauls and breakdowns, and also failed to control the game with his boot. It was certainly a steep learning curve for the new vice-captain.
That sums it up nicely, Finn 😂#WALvSCO #Guinness Six Nations pic.twitter.com/Gb26oFhZZ3
— Guinness Men's Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 3, 2024
possessed men
Scotland could have easily racked up a half-century in Cardiff, but hats have to go to the Welsh team for almost making a remarkable comeback. Two players in particular led the comeback. It was back-row duo Tommy Leffell and Aaron Wainwright.
Refffell can probably be forgiven for any criticism as he was the only player to have an impact in the first half, but he was even more influential in the second half. It was also helped by the efforts of teammates like Wainwright, who was surprisingly good at No. 8.
The Dragons' athletic back-row performed really well with the ball in their hands, consistently creating ground and giving the back-line an attacking platform.
Now to France
We have commented that this is Scotland's best chance of winning their first Six Nations title and we support that, but we need to make a big improvement next weekend. France's performance on Friday certainly gave them hopes of an upset and, combined with the Scotland international's performance in the first 42 minutes in Cardiff, they were already on course for a home win at Murrayfield next week.
But this final half-hour certainly caused Townsend's team to re-evaluate the situation they are in, especially when put under sustained pressure.
Still, it must be remembered that this was the first Scottish player to win in Cardiff since 2002, but that in itself is just a piece of history. And if they win against France, fans will naturally start dreaming of ending their 25-year championship drought.
read more: Scotland survive Six Nations scare against Wales, end Cardiff cheating
