WALES 20
SCOTLAND 17
DAN BIGGAR CELEBRTED HIS 100th test with the winning drop goal as Wales got their season moving with a tense three-point win over Scotland.
It was a poor game, Wales taking a 6-0 lead through two penalties from Dan Biggar before the game threatened to come to life when Darcy Graham showed some superb footwork to get across in the corner.
However, Scotland failed to capitalise on that try with Tomas Francis getting across for a Wales try via a maul. Level at the break, we kept waiting for the game to come to life. But it never did, the match spoiled by poor handling, and even worse decisions.
It all turned when a long-range penalty from Biggar rebounded off the post and from the subsequent attack, Wales regained possession and sought to release Cuthbert out wide. Finn Russell read their intentions and deliberately knocked the ball on, thereby earning himself a yellow card.
Up against 14 men, Wales took advantage, Biggar scoring a 70th minute drop-goal to put his side 20-17 ahead.
By the time Russell was back on the park, Wales were celebrating a turnover penalty just inside their own half. Biggar found touch with his final kick on his 100th cap and Wales saw it out, as Scotland desperately tried to find a last-minute winning score. They couldn’t do it and after so much hype in the lead-in to this game, they now have to reflect yet again on their failure to justify all the pre-match praise.
