Six Nations Match Report | A 53-point Thriller in Cardiff

It was not the final result I wanted, but I'm glad I can say, "I was there." It was the quintessential Six Nations drama at the Principality. In this blog, I'm going to try and unpack everything I witnessed over the weekend and also discuss the outlook for Wales for the rest of the tournament.

My view at the Principality Stadium

Match Review

Going into this match, Scotland was considered the overriding favourite, despite not having beaten Wales in Cardiff for a staggering 22 years. History has proven that the Scots seem to fumble when they visit Wales, and Saturday's game was inches away from a repeat.

But that's not what you would have even remotely considered a possibility at half-time as Scotland led at the break by 20-0. Scotland was ruthless, but Wales was shocking.

Gatland said it was probably the worst half of Rugby he has witnessed in his international career, and I would categorically say it was the worst I have seen Wales play. Knock-ons, a lack of tempo, aimless kicking all led to an armchair ride for Finn Russell and the Scots.

Take no credit away, Scotland was composed and ready to play from the off. They caused the Welsh defence all sorts of drama, and Finn Russell's link play with Duhan van der Merwe extended their lead to 27 points shortly after the second-half restart. Wales needed 4 converted tries in the space of 30 minutes while denying Scotland a single point. It was an impossible task.

But, it has to be said, and I'm sure Scottish fans would admit, when you play the Scots, there's always a chance. They are often criticised for not being able to play a complete 80-minute performance, and when they do win, they often halt momentum by losing the following match. This was an opportunity for Scotland to make a statement against an albeit young and weakened Welsh squad.

After van der Merwe breezed past Tomos Williams to take a 27-0 lead, I genuinely feared we would lose by 40 or 50 points to 0. We did not even look like scoring. It was a scary moment. But, you can never write off the Welsh at home, and what took place subsequently was nothing short of spectacular.

Wales fought back with tries from James Botham, Rio Dyer, Aaron Wainwright, and Alex Mann, closing the gap to just one point! Can you believe it?! The tide changed, and the feeling was palpable in the stadium. Wainwright led the comeback with scintillating power and pace, noticeably spurred on by the Welsh crowd. Scotland capitulated in many ways.

Discipline cost them with over a dozen consecutive penalties and a sin bin. At 27-26 with 5 minutes to go, it felt as if Wales were going to repeat the classic of 2010 and complete the ultimate comeback against Scotland. Wales won a penalty and had a chance at a line-out into the Scottish half. But sadly, Wales' Achilles heel in the first half and seemingly for as long as I can remember, the line-out didn't function, and they lost the ball. It felt like the balloon had been popped in the stadium as the Welsh fans had carried the boys up until this moment. The chance felt as if it had gone. And it was correct.

Despite Wales' efforts and a dynamic second-half performance, Scotland managed to secure the win, ending their long losing streak in Cardiff. This match also highlighted a shift towards a younger Welsh squad and marked Scotland's fourth consecutive Six Nations opening match win, contrasting with Wales' recent struggles in the tournament.

Was it a Welsh Explosion or a Scottish Implosion?

The overriding sentiment from Welsh supporters is of pride in the way they never gave up. There really were fears Wales were going to be slaughtered in the second half by a commanding Scottish side. But, they didn't give up; they threw caution to the wind, eradicated the game plan, and played some running rugby.

Wales improved tenfold and, at times, looked really effective; Lloyd at fly-half was creative, and it really suited his style of play. The speed at the breakdown sped up significantly after Tomos Williams came on at scrum-half. The line-out started to function once Elliot Dee came on, also at half-time. Rio Dyer showed off his excellent footwork and ability. Winnett, making his Wales debut, proved his worth in the second half and has now given Wales a platform for the rest of the tournament. No one expected us to beat Scotland before the game, and therefore the defeat isn't the end of the world. In fact, Wales could have and potentially should have had a kickable penalty after what appeared to be a seatbelt high-tackle as the picture below shows. Had this have been given, Lloyd, who has been striking the ball cleanly, would have a had at winning the match for Wales!

Contentious moment

Nevertheless, Wales is in transition with a young team. What was important was the manner of defeat and an identity for them to improve going forward. I think most Welsh supporters will be optimistic going forward after witnessing the grit displayed in the second half, albeit with striking errors, inaccuracies, and petulance, with Josh Adams singled out by a stern Warren Gatland.

With that said, Scotland will be scratching their heads, thinking how they nearly blew the biggest opportunity to finally get a win in Cardiff for over two decades. Russell and his team were in complete control at half-time. What went wrong?

Scotland has always been labelled to have a soft underbelly, and after that second half, it's hard to disagree with that. Scotland choked and had no answer to the Welsh running rugby. Steve Tandy in defence and coach Gregor Townsend will undoubtedly question the mental resilience of his squad. Additionally, Russell made a point in the post-match interview to state that some of the Scottish players ignored specific instructions which led to penalties such as contesting in the breakdown. These are basic instructions, and if ignored or simply forgotten, it's not good enough at this level.

With all that said, Scotland did win, and that was the sole objective before the game. A lot of teams are praised for not always playing well but getting the job done. Scotland did that and should, therefore, be commended as such. They were also magnificent in the first half and displayed their true strengths with the ball in hand, the power in the pack, and the finesse of Russell linking with the strength and power of van der Merwe.

Scotland will need to take that first half into next week's home game against a French side that got truly thumped at home by Ireland. If Scotland can play a full 80-minute performance, then they will be favourites to get the victory in round 2.

What Next for Wales?

In round 2, we face our biggest rivals, England, away at Twickenham. This will be a tough game for an inexperienced side, and they will be playing an England team off the back of a semi-final in the World Cup and an opening game victory away in Rome. Italy played very well, and England only just went away winners by three points.

England had holes in their game that Wales can try and exploit IF, and it's a big if, they go with the same intensity and caution-to-the-wind spirit they showed in the second half against Scotland. There is a very good chance a free-flowing game with a nothing-to-lose approach could rattle the English at home and work to the Welsh's advantage.

That said, England has a lot more strength in depth with more experienced players. It will be a fascinating one to watch as both teams are far from their best.

Selection will be interesting. I expect almost the exact same team in the second half to start against England this week. Gatland tends to be ruthless with players that do not perform, and therefore the likes of Elias at hooker, Davies at scrum-half, and Josh Adams on the wing will likely be dropped to the bench. To match the free-flowing expansive game they may want to replicate, it will make the most sense to start Lloyd at fly-half as his attacking game in the second half was great to see. George North and Will Rowlands should now be available, and if so, should come into the team which will severely boost our team's experience. Mason Grady has been electric for Cardiff this season, and Josh Adams' costly penalty could be the perfect excuse for this change.

Sam Costelow is unlikely to feature on the bench because of failing his HIA assessment at the interval. For this reason, we could see no out-and-out fly-half on the Welsh bench, and Tomos Williams could be the stand-in 10 if required.

My Wales Team to Play England on the Weekend

1. Domachowski

2. Dee

3. Assiratti

4. Jenkins (C)

5. Rowlands

6. Mann

7. Reffell

8. Wainwright

9. Williams

10. Lloyd

11. Grady

12. Tompkins

13. North

14. Dyer

15. Winnett
    

16. Thomas

17. Elias

18. Beard

19. Williams

20. Basham

21. Davies

22. Watkin

23. Adams
    

Score Prediction

Wales need to be brave and throw caution to the wind against England just as they did against Scotland. We know we can't beat teams physically, and we must be different. The kicking game failed against Scotland, and England will have no issues counter-attacking if they give Steward easy wins just as Russell had. Run with the ball, look to attack, find spaces, and create, and Wales have a shot at rattling England's cage.

England is a hard team to play at home and will be the overriding favourite for the match, but that is something that Wales can use to their advantage. There is no point going to the game expecting to lose and being easy to play against. Be unpredictable, throw the ball about, and make England question what this fresh-faced young squad will do next. Go out there and play like you have nothing to lose, because that's exactly what it is. England is expected to beat Wales, and therefore the pressure is on them to deliver.

Moreover, I expect England to come through a Wales chargeback just as they did in the World Cup warm-up game last year. I see England doing just enough to diffuse the Welsh sting and ultimately see them taking the victory in a close encounter with a 30-20 score line.

Round 1 Round-up

The Six Nations was back with a bang.

A surprising stat: No nation has won back-to-back grand slams in the Six Nations era.

But, that is very potentially going to end this time out with last year's champions, Ireland, looking very ominous. They completely dismantled France in Marseilles and showed no signs of missing Johnny Sexton. Ireland has a favourable fixture run now with a Friday to Sunday gap as they play Italy at home followed by a weekend off before returning to the Aviva to play a heavily inexperienced Welsh side. Ireland is expecting to wipe both teams away, which will leave them just two wins away from a back-to-back grand slam.

As far as it goes for France, it was extremely underwhelming. France was without key players such as Dupont, Ntamack, Jelonch, but even so, they had enough to do far better.

Of course, they were hammered a big blow when Willemse was deservedly yellowed followed by a red card. This 10-minute spell followed by the remainder of the second half killed off the game despite a brief resurgence from the French. Amazingly, France sits at the bottom of the table after round 1 and faces a mammoth task against Scotland up in Murrayfield. Round 2 is set up to be another classic, that's for sure.

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