Wales v Scotland 6 Nations Championship Saturday 12 February 2022

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Wales v Scotland
6 nations Championship

Principality Stadium
Cardiff

Saturday 12 February
KO 14.15


Well round 2 comes around quickly enough.

On the basis of the first round matches this is a match for Scotland to push on and prove that they are genuine contenders and not just a team that can beat any team on their day. For wales, who did not have such a good start to the tournament, it is a chance to salvage their season and gain some kind of redemption, their fixtures don't get any easier in the next couple of rounds and they may really be up against things if they lose this one.

On paper this could/should be a win for Scotland but we still don't really know how well this team will cope with the mantle of being favourites, especially in a stadium that has been a grave yard for them for a long long time and where we have fallen short on expectations on many a previous visit.

We will certainly see a different Welsh team this weekend as well. They won't have found that performance and result against Ireland, albeit was an extremely professional performance from the men in green, in any shape or form. The players and the public will demand a lot better at home.

So, as usual, another intriguing encounter coming up, which may well define the seasons of both teams.

I think we will see a Scotland team something like this:


1, Schoeman - probably the better of our 2 LHs against England
2. Turner
3. Fagerson Z
4. Gilchrist
5. Skinner
6. Bradbury
7. Watson
8. Fagerson M
9. Price
10. Russell
11. DVDM
12, Redpath - time to bring him in
13. Harris
14. Graham
15. Hogg


Subs:

Sutherland
McInally
Nel
Gray
Darge
White
Kinghorn
Tuipolotu

6-0 Wales

Does not look like they have read the script!

Heaf wrote:I thought he'd retired from internationals?

Ha. Not Nigel.

I know but I thought they both had?

No. There was a rumour he had announced it after the WC. But it was just made up.

Darcy Graham, what a try!

What a finish from Darcy

Wales giving away the penalties now

Finn on target 8-6 Scotland

So how can they spot that offside while missing the more blatant one after Hogg knocked on? Inconsistencies already ...

Heaf wrote:So how can they spot that offside while missing the more blatant one after Hogg knocked on?  Inconsistencies already ...

I mean there were about 12 men advancing after the kick!

True but the other one was easily as obvious ...

Wales leaking them massively now though ... they need to sort themselves out

After a jittery start, Scotland look settled now

11-6 Scotland

I think Barnes would have retired if England hadn't have beaten NZ in the semi-finals, which prevented him refereeing a WC Final.

Professional from Scotland so far, they're starting to dominate the breakdown.

Interesting there - ref stopped Wales from throwing in to allow Scotland to put more men in to balance numbers - what's the difference to last week - now I'm just confused?

Home director trying to influence the ref at all?

Was a penalty a most and was further away from the posts than the one already given. Take the 3 points and move on

You'd hope the TMO at least looked at it in the background though ...

I thought tip tackles were an automatic yellow at least these days due to player safety?

Surely should still be a yellow too?

Matt Fagerson off, replaced by Bradbury

Apparently he meant its a yellow the penalty after the next penalty.

Biggar misses

14 all

How on earth did Francis get 62 caps?

That's about 3 potential yellows not given now ... ref needs to get a grip

Wales certainly playing better this week than they did last week. Nice try for Wales.

Scotland lucky not to loose a man to the bin what with the penalties they are giving away.

Graham tackled by the hair. How’s that not a high tackle?

Too unstructured from Scotland so far, they're lucky to be level thanks to Wales mistakes.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Surely should still be a yellow too?

Yep - think it was the Tigers v Saints match last night - yellow warning given and then card issued despite Tigers scoring anyway following another infringement - that's how it should be, like when it's a penalty try - makes no sense not to give a yellow just because a team score anyway as it sort of penalises the offended against team for scoring.

So does that mean wales should have a man in the bin also given that they’ve committed more penalties????

Well scores even at HT and hard to argue with that

Wales have definitely turned up but Scotland maybe looking the more dangerous when they get going

All to play for

Heaf wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Surely should still be a yellow too?

Yep - think it was the Tigers v Saints match last night - yellow warning given and then card issued despite Tigers scoring anyway following another infringement - that's how it should be, like when it's a penalty try - makes no sense not to give a yellow just because a team score anyway as it sort of penalises the offended against team for scoring.

Nigel Owens said on the commentary that he's not a fan of how that law is applied - he thinks it should always be a yellow card anyway. If I was Hogg, when I got the referee's warning I would have said straight away to my forwards that conceding in the first half is probably better than a sin binning.

tigertattie wrote:So does that mean wales should have a man in the bin also given that they’ve committed more penalties????

Don't think they've been warned. Could be mistaken.

George Carlin wrote:

Heaf wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:Surely should still be a yellow too?

Yep - think it was the Tigers v Saints match last night - yellow warning given and then card issued despite Tigers scoring anyway following another infringement - that's how it should be, like when it's a penalty try - makes no sense not to give a yellow just because a team score anyway as it sort of penalises the offended against team for scoring.

Nigel Owens said on the commentary that he's not a fan of how that law is applied - he thinks it should always be a yellow card anyway. If I was Hogg, when I got the referee's warning I would have said straight away to my forwards that conceding in the first half is probably better than a sin binning.

He said he would have given a yellow too. It's down to the ref whether they do or not.

tigertattie wrote:So does that mean wales should have a man in the bin also given that they’ve committed more penalties????

Possibly yes - they should probably have had a warning too for multiples if there were lots in the red zone ... but Hogg should have had one for sure and also the tip I've seen given as yellows by default recently too although I'm not sure if's that's the recognised 'protocol'

Personally I think the ref has been absolutely spot on. He's communicating well and being incredibly fair at the breakdown. Both sides have excellent poachers and they were all on fire in that first half. Going to be a very exciting second half, looking forward to Fagerson, Turner and Sutherland entering the fray.

Our kicking game is a bit rotten.

I hate the reffing of mauls. No refs bothers with offsides when the ball carrier let's go and rejoins.

Only been watching bits and pieces, and I know they seem to have given up on feeding in the scrum, but the Wales put in on half time went straight to the no.8.

Great carry from Tuipolotu, that what he is in the side for

I was thinking at half time who ever score first in the second half will win this game.

After the first few minutes I was worried this was going to be a one-sided disappointment but it's shaped up nicely into a good match so far

Scotland winning the kicking battle and thus winning the game. Surprised more teams don't try to exploit the new goal-line drop out.

Biggar out of the game. Mammoth loss in this type of contest. He's fine!

We need to keep hold of the ball more.

Is it just me or is Dancer not 100%? He seems slightly off in his decision making.

Biggar needs to be in the ear of the ref reminding him of that yellow card warning.

jimbopip wrote:Is it just me or is Dancer not 100%? He seems slightly off in his decision making.

More execution.

No 7&1/2 wrote:Biggar needs to be in the ear of the ref reminding him of that yellow card warning.

not like him to be shy

jimbopip wrote:Is it just me or is Dancer not 100%? He seems slightly off in his decision making.

I think he’s too relaxed today. He’s not focused and is just ambling around thinking he doesn’t need to try

The commentators keep saying we’re winning the kicking game but our kicks are too long or too short and are going out on the full or easily fielded by wales and kicked back with interest.

I really think dancer and Hogg need to say the forwards are to bash up and keep hold of the ball for a while.

We’re really not playing well today at all.