Wales v Scotland, 15 March

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Walesv Scotland  

Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
15 March 2014, KO:14:45

Referee: Jérôme Garces (FFR)
First Assistant: Chris Pollock (NZR)
Second Assistant: Greg Garner (RFU)
TMO: Graham Hughes (RFU)

A. Squads

1. Wales

Forwards: Paul James (Bath), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton Capt (Cardiff Blues), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets)

Backs: Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Perpignan), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

2. Scotland

Forwards: John Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant, Jonny Gray (both Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).

Backs: Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont (all Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors).

B. Previous Form

9 March 2013, Murrayfield
18 – 28 to Wales

12 February 2012, Millennium Stadium
27 – 13 to Wales

12 February 2011, Murrayfield
6 – 24 to Wales

13 February 2010, Millennium Stadium
31 – 24 to Wales

8 February 2009, Murrayfield
13 – 26 to Wales

9 February 2008, Millennium Stadium
30 – 15 to Wales

10 February 2007, Murrayfield
21 – 9 to Scotland

12 February 2006, Millennium Stadium
28 – 18 to Wales

13 March 2005, Murrayfield
22 – 46 to Wales

14 February 2004, Millennium Stadium
23 – 10 to Wales

30 August 2003, Millennium Stadium
23 – 9 to Wales (2003 Rugby World Cup preparatory game)

8 March 2003, Murrayfield
30 – 22 to Scotland

6 April 2002, Millennium Stadium
22 – 27 to Scotland

C. Teams

1. Wales

15 Liam Williams (Scarlets)
14 Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues)
13 Jonathan Davies (Scarlets)
12 Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro)
11 George North (Northampton Saints)
10 Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
09 Mike Phillips (Racing Metro)

01 Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues)
02 Ken Owens (Scarlets)
03 Rhodri Jones (Scarlets)
04 Luke Charteris (Perpignan)
05 Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys)
06 Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro)
07 Sam Warburton (CAPT – Cardiff Blues)
08 Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons)

Replacements:
16 Richard Hibbard (Ospreys)
17 Paul James (Bath Rugby)
18 Adam Jones (Ospreys)
19 Jake Ball (Scarlets)
20 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)
21 Rhodri Williams (Scarlets)
22 Rhys Priestland (Scarlets)
23 James Hook (Perpignan)

2. Scotland

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)
14 Dougie Fife(Edinburgh Rugby)
13 Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) 7
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby)
11 Max Evans (Castres)
10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)
9 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) vice-cpt

1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors)
2 Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons)
3 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby)
4 Richie Gray (Castres)
5 Jim Hamilton (Montpellier)
6 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)
7 Kelly Brown (Saracens) captain
8 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby)

Substitutes
16 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby)
17 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby)
18 Euan Murray (Worcester Warriors)
19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors)
20 Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan)
21 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors)
22 Duncan Taylor (Saracens)
23 Jack Cuthbert (Edinburgh Rugby)

Good luck both teams!

Good luck both teams!

Baws - our Backrow is even more off balanced now.

Well, the little smiley next to "Wales" in the original post on this thread sums that up! Should've been a try for Wales there.

Hope Brown is all right. He's being assessed.

HammerofThunor wrote:Is the pitch getting sorted in the summer or is it next year?

Well the sooner the better...it just tripped up Faletau! Why they didn't leave the roof open I don't know...

Big Jim charges down a kick with his face!

Yep, this will hopefully be the last game played on this pitch.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wru-plan-33m-hybrid-pitch-6377046

YEEEAAAAA! Liam Williams over!   

With a dive. Waiting for the outrage...any minute now...

Do you remember the stick Ashton got for diving over like that?

Scotland looking flat, and need to get these guys down earlier

Did Ryan Grant just roll out of the way after a maul went to ground?

Scotland need to stop these stupid offloads

To be fair...that was Williams' first international try...  Hopefully we won't see that if he scores again.

oof.  Hope Biggar's all right.

Hoggy off on a red. Scotland will really miss him!

Was that really a red??

What the hell was Hoggy thinking??

Aw, really disappointed with Hogg there. Thats very unsportsmanlike, very dirty play- game is probably ruined now as well. Bad form Stuart Hogg. He doesn't have a track record of that sort of thing which makes it additionally disappointing. I guess he just had a moment o madness which he will probably regret for a very long time.

Dirty bar steward.No need for that.

Hogg is better than that, madness

RDW_Scotland wrote:Was that really a red??

No, regardless of what that Tinkywinky Jiffy says.

My was very foolish certainly.

Fair play to the ref. I don't think he's allowed to do that. It it happened in Sarries v Bath game as well (ref seeing something on the big screens and changing his mind)

RDW_Scotland wrote:Was that really a red??

Looked like he went in with the shoulder unfortunately. Not sure if he intended to do it.

Deserved red card. What a fool.

Never seen it revised like that from the video though.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Was that really a red??

Get real.

That's odd to issue a yellow then then call him back for red... Deserved red though.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Was that really a red??

yes it definitely was.

Cari wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Was that really a red??

Looked like he went in with the shoulder unfortunately.  Not sure if he intended to do it.

Dont think he was a shoulder, looked to be the side of his body. Hogg was running sideways and Biggar forwards - was always going to have a nasty collision. Biggar did go down like a sack of spuds.

I'm assuming the ref can do that?

Hogg isn't a dirty player and I'd be surprised if he was intentionally aiming to hit him on the head

That's going to put a bummer on the match though isn't it? I hope Scotland can manage without him.

In boxing they would describe Biggar as having a granite chin, his head almost twisted off.

i wish that was only a yellow . really wanted to watch a good game

Just like to point out that Denton just successfully offloaded....

RDW_Scotland wrote:I'm assuming the ref can do that?

Hogg isn't a dirty player and I'd be surprised if he was intentionally aiming to hit him on the head

Don't think he can either - But it's been done now.

Really wish the ref would crack down on players throwing the ball away.

Kelly Brown's staying off too. He's got concussion.

You see those kind of clashes all the time, but the main difference being he hit him on the head!

Shame to have the match killed so early. I'd go and do the lawns if I hadn't already cut them.

Trying to work out why on earth Hogg tried that, there was simply no advantage to doing so. He is an experienced rugby player albeit a young one, furthermore he is one of Scotland's few Lions and quality players. He's let himself down and he's let his country down, and there is simply no one else to blame.

I was just going to say that Laidlaw's boot could keep Scotland going...then he missed...but Wales are giving away enough penalties.   

It looked like his shoulder caught Biggar's chin.

During the AP game the ref saw a tackle on the big screen and called for the TMO to review it, giving a yellow. He didn't see it live, nor did the AR. Healey said at the time they weren't supposed to do that.

Disappointed with Hogg, that's the game gone.
14 men, can't kick goals. Going to be carnage come the second half.

trebellbobaggins wrote:Shame to have the match killed so early.  I'd go and do the lawns if I hadn't already cut them.

You can come and do mine if you are at a loose end!

I've got a bet on Scotland to win with a 19 point head start - thought it was a sure bet, not so sure now!

HammerofThunor wrote:It looked like his shoulder caught Biggar's chin.

During the AP game the ref saw a tackle on the big screen and called for the TMO to review it, giving a yellow. He didn't see it live, nor did the AR. Healey said at the time they weren't supposed to do that.

Regardless of whether or not the referee should have done it what Hogg did was pathetic and inexplicable.

See, the pitch fluffs it again...Lawson slips, he could've gone on.

I would Taff but Eastbourne is a heck of a trip from Lanner, I'd miss the Ireland game.

Oh what slick hands

Good take from Williams, great finish by North.

Good stuff. Cricket score incoming,

So, anyone want to go and play tennis or something? This is depressing

It's a red all day. But even if it wasn't, it's lunacy for him to even put himself in that position. It's a shoulder charge that whether he meant to or not (and I fail to see how he doesn't tbh) hits Biggar on the head.

Whether the ref should've changed his mind is moot too. It would've been a huge injustice for Hogg to return to the pitch.