Dan Biggar the Wales inspiration as Scotland lose again in Cardiff
Wales burst the Scotland Guinness Six Nations bubble and put themselves back in title contention with a 20-17 victory at the Principality Stadium. Scotland suffered an eleventh successive defeat against Wales in Cardiff – a sequence that stretches back 20 years – as they failed to build on last weekend’s stirring Calcutta Cup win over England.
But Wales recovered impressively from a 29-7 loss to Ireland as captain Dan Biggar, on his 100th Test match appearance for Wales and the British and Irish Lions, inspired the victory. Biggar, who battled on after taking a blow to his knee, kicked four penalties and a 70th-minute drop-goal after his opposite number Finn Russell was yellow-carded by referee Nic Berry for a deliberate knock-on.
Prop Tomas Francis scored a first-half try for Wales, while Scotland wing Darcy Graham touched down and Russell slotted four penalties, but with Russell off between the 68th and 78th minutes, they lost their talisman figure.
Scotland remain in the title hunt ahead of hosting France in two weeks – when Wales tackle England at Twickenham – yet there will be a huge sense of frustration that Gregor Townsend’s team could not get the job done.
There will be an anxious wait for Wales, though, surrounding flanker Taine Basham, who escaped sanction for a shoulder-led challenge on Scotland’s Sam Skinner, but could yet attract the citing commissioner’s attention.
Just look at what it means to Dan Biggar! ??????? #WALvSCO #GuinnessSixNations pic.twitter.com/tUNwE9sWZT
— Guinness Six Nations (@SixNationsRugby) February 12, 2022
Wales showed four changes from their Dublin defeat, including a Test debut for Ospreys flanker Jac Morgan and wing Alex Cuthbert making his first Six Nations appearance since 2017. Scotland had five switches of personnel, with Exeter’s Skinner replacing an injured Jamie Ritchie at blindside flanker, while Townsend also fielded a new front-row and lock Grant Gilchrist won his 50th cap.
The visitors made a bright start, with number eight Matt Fagerson and hooker Stuart McInally prominent, but Wales counter-attacked from their own 22 through a thrilling Owen Watkin break and then Biggar kicked a fifth-minute penalty from 40 metres.
Biggar doubled Wales’ advantage three minutes later, booting a second penalty following more impressive Wales phase-play, and Scotland were rocked back on their heels. But they responded impressively, helped by a strong Duhan van der Merwe run, then Russell floated a pinpoint long pass to Graham, who finished in the corner for an outstanding try.
Russell missed the conversion before landing a short-range penalty, and it looked as if Scotland had weathered an early storm as they moved 8-6 ahead. Another successful Russell penalty gave Wales further food for thought as rain fell steadily, only for Biggar to complete his penalty hat-trick and put his team back to two points adrift.
Russell followed suit through his own penalty treble, yet Scotland then experienced a testing few minutes as number eight Matt Fagerson went off injured then Wales hit them with a try. Biggar opted to kick a penalty to the corner rather than for goal and Wales drove the resulting lineout to impressive effect, allowing Francis a simple touchdown that levelled things up at 14-14.
Townsend sent on a trio of front-row replacements just five minutes into the second period, and Russell’s fourth penalty put Scotland back in front with 30 minutes left. Biggar and impressive full-back Liam Williams gave Wales injury scares, but they both continued after treatment and Cuthbert went close to scoring a try before another Biggar penalty levelled the game again.
Scotland suffered a second injury blow midway through the half when substitute prop Rory Sutherland departed, then Russell was sin-binned after Cuthbert was inches away from a corner touchdown.
Before the Scots could regroup, Biggar rewarded a spell of pressure with a drop-goal, before he was joined on the pitch by substitute Jonathan Davies, who also clocked up a century of Wales and Lions Tests. Scotland threw everything at Wales during the closing minutes, but the hosts were not to be denied.
Comments on RugbyPass
This is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
2 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
4 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to commentsWhat remorse? She claimed that her dangerous tackle wasn’t worthy of a red! She should be compensating the injured player for loss of earnings at the minimum. Her ban should include the recovery time of the injured player as well as the paltry 3 match ban.
5 Go to commentsArdie is a legend. Finished and klaar. Two things: “Yeah, yeah, I have had a few conversations with Razor just around feedback on my game and what I am doing well, what I need to improve on or work-ons. It’s kind of been minimal, mate, but it’s all that I need over here in terms of how to be better, how to get better and what I am doing well.” I hope he’s downplaying it - and that it’s not that “minimal”. The amount of communication and behind the scenes preparation the Bok coaches put into players - Rassie and co would be all over Ardie and being clear on what is expected of him. This stands out for me as something teams should really be looking at in terms of the boks success from a coaching point of view. And was surprised by the comment - “minimal”. In terms of the “debate” around Ireland and South Africa. Nice one Ardie. Indeed. There’s no debate.
2 Go to comments