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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Tom Sunderland

Six Nations titleholders Wales edge Scotland in Cardiff to keep defence alive

Wales' faint hope of a successful Six Nations title defence lives on after they edged Scotland 20-17 at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.

The boys in blue looked on course to win their opening two Six Nations fixtures for the first time, but Wales were only too happy to disappoint as they snagged their first victory of the tournament.

A pair of first-half tries from Darcy Graham and Tomas Francis ensured the two teams went in level on 14 points apiece at the break, and a late Finn Russell sin bin was the break Wales needed to pull clear.

Biggar kicked four penalties from the tee and slotted a match-winning drop goal to give Wayne Pivac's titleholders the slightest sliver of hope that they might yet hold onto the Six Nations.

Dan Biggar put in a heroic display as Wales beat Scotland in his 100th Test appearance (REUTERS/Rebecca Naden)

The Principality Stadium showdown was always expected to be a back and forth affair, and the teams lived up to expectations from the first whistle as Scotland enjoyed some early forays into Welsh territory.

That possession proved futile, however, as the hosts pilfered the ball and proceeded to convert two penalties in quick succession, the first for a collapsed scrum and a second given at the breakdown.

Dan Biggar—who earned his 100th Test cap on Saturday (97 for Wales, three for the British and Irish Lions)—stepped up for the early scoring opportunities and was unerring on both occasions.

Scotland were fortunatecaptain Stuart Hogg wasn't ordered to the sin bin early on for an intentional knock-on, with referee Nic Berry seemingly missing his pat down just as Wales were threatening.

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Darcy Graham showed superb skill to dot down for the game's opening try in Cardiff (Reuters/Jason Cairnduff)

That oversight hurt all the more after Edinburgh winger Graham was put in to dot down in the right corner, beating opposite man Louis Rees-Zammit to the flag just in time.

Russell missed the resulting conversion but kept the pendulum kept swinging in favour of the guests with a pair of penalties, with he and Biggar trading kicks until Scotland led 14-9 at the half-hour mark.

Wales had the last laugh of the half, however, when another Scottish infringement at the breakdown gave the hosts another key sight of the line.

Francis made no mistakes from short range and powered over off the resulting line-out maul, with Biggar unable to add the extras as the teams went in at the whistle level-pegging.

It was perhaps to be expected that the second period proved tetchier after such a frantic first 40 minutes, with points-scoring opportunities few and far between early on.

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend sent in his 'Bomb Squad' only a few minutes after the restart, recalling the front row that started in last week's triumph over England.

Worcester prop Rory Sutherland—a Lions tourist in South Africa last summer—lasted only 15 minutes or so before an arm injury meant loosehead Pierre Schoeman was called back off the bench, however.

A chorus of 'Bread of Heaven' serenaded the home players as Russell kicked his fourth penalty of the afternoon on 49 minutes, but Scotland appeared undaunted despite Biggar returning the favour not long after.

Both teams were guilty of ill discipline and committing avoidable errors as the Principality Stadium turned into a pressure cooker, where the slightest slip could have led to a very damaging defeat.

Wales full-back Liam Williams was a constant aerial threat for Wales against Scotland (REUTERS/Rebecca Naden)

Winger Alex Cuthbert came close to scoring what might have been the deciding try in the corner after a Biggar penalty pinged off the post and back into Welsh possession.

Russell's yellow card for a deliberate knock-on in the resulting phase was a happy consolation, however, and although Wales couldn't cross over after kicking to touch, Biggar's drop goal put the hosts 20-17 ahead.

Wales' No. 10 was clearly struggling with injury but remained on for one final kick to touch before Callum Sheedy replaced him in the 79th minute and Russell re-entered the fray.

Taine Basham was perhaps lucky to escape a last-minute yellow card of his own for a high hit with a prominent shoulder, leaving Wales able to see out the win with 15 men on the pitch.

Dan Biggar was hugely impressive for Wales on his 100th Test appearance (REUTERS/Rebecca Naden)

And Biggar limped off the bench to celebrate a hard-earned win with the rest of his team-mates following a war of attrition in the Welsh capital.

The two teams have a week's break until they're due back in Six Nations action on February 26 when Scotland are due to host France in Edinburgh.

Townsend's men beat Les Bleus 27-23 in Paris last year and have in fact won three of their last four meetings with the Six Nations favourites.

Wales, meanwhile, travel to Twickenham in the hopes of keeping alive their title defence, although they haven't won at Headquarters since the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

It's even longer since Wales beat nemeses England on their own turf in the Six Nations, however, and their Round 3 clash falls a decade and a day after they last triumphed at Twickenham in this competition.

WALES- Tries: Francis. Pens: Biggar 4. Drop goal: Biggar.

SCOTLAND- Tries: Graham. Pens: Russell 4.

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