Scotland retained the Doddie Weir Cup for the third straight year in a proverbial game of two halves at Scottish Gas Murrayfield yesterday.
The visitors took an early lead with a 40m penalty from Gareth Anscombe after Gareth Anscombe Jamie Ritchie was adjudged to have contested illegally at the game’s first line-out.
But moments later the Scots responded with an excellent try from Blair Kinghorn which was converted from the touchline by Finn Russell.
Scotland added a second try in the 12th minute when Tom Jordan scored his first international try after good work from Duhan van der Merwe, and Huw Jones, Russell added the extras.
But the Welsh responded when Anscombe chipped a well-weighted ball over the top of a retreating Scottish defence to give Blair Murray the easiest of tries.
Gregor Townsend’s men responded with a try from the returning Darcy Graham following a superb dummy from Russell who also converted.
Referee Piardi showed Wales’ tighthead WillGriff John a yellow card for a cynical slap-down at the ruck before Scotland added a bonus try when Jordon took advantage of a mistake in the Welsh defence. Russell made it four from four to make the half time score 28-8.
The Scots extended their lead eight minutes after the restart when man of the match Kinghorn touched down for his second try of the day and Russell added the extras.
With the fans looking for a record score Wales responded in style when Ben Thomas scythed his way through for Wales’ second on the hour mark. Jarrod Evans converted.
Teddy Williams scored a third Welsh try to reduce the deficit even further.
Scotland had a try held up before veteran Taulupe Faletau though he had scored only for it to be brought back for Blair Murray having jumped a tackle illegally.
Jordan thought for all the world he was through for his hat-trick try only to be brought down by a super Joe Roberts cover tackle as the clock slipped away from Wales.
In added time Max Llewellyn scored a close-range converted try to add a second bonus point.
Scotland: Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse), Darcy Graham 9Edinburgh Rugby), Huw Jones, Tom Jordan (both Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe (Edinburgh Rugby); Finn Russell (Bath Rugby) (co-captain), Ben White (Toulon); Pierre Schoeman, Dave Cherry (both Edinburgh Rugby), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Jonny Gray (Bordeaux-Bègles), Grant Gilchrist, Jamie Ritchie (both Edinburgh Rugby), Rory Darge (co-captain), Jack Dempsey (both Glasgow Warriors).
Replacements: Ewan Ashman (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Cherry, 55 mins), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors) (for Schoeman, 61 mins), Will Hurd (Leicester Tigers) (for Z. Fagerson, 61 mins), Gregor Brown (Glasgow Warriors) (for Gray, 66 mins), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) (for Darge, 35 mins), George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) (for White, 55 mins), Stafford McDowall (Glasgow Warriors) (for Russell, 61 mins), Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors) (for Graham, 66 mins).
Wales: Blair Murray, Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Ellis Mee, Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee, WillGriff John, Will Rowlands, Dafydd Jenkins, Jac Morgan (captain), Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Falatau.
Replacements: Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas, Keiron Assiratti, Teddy Williams, Aaron Wainwright, Rhodri Williams, Jarrod Eans, Joe Roberts.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
