Six Nations 2024 LIVE rugby: Italy v England result and reaction as England hold on to win

Scotland ended 22 years of damage in Cardiff after they thwarted a spectacular Wales fightback to win a unprecedented Six Nations conflict 27-26.

But Wales made them struggle each inch of the way in which after the Scots had breezed right into a 27-point lead after 42 minutes, with wing Duhan van der Merwe scoring two tries together with a virtuoso long-range effort whereas prop Pierre Schoeman additionally touched down.

Captain Finn Russell kicked three conversions and two penalties, but it surely solely instructed half the story.

Wales head coach Warren Gatland on S4C: “I feel I can apologise for the primary half, it’s in all probability the worst first 40 efficiency in my entire rugby profession as a coach.

“We have been horrible, stunning. Discipline was poor, didn’t nail some issues, so the message at half-time was to do what we wished to do within the first, carry some tempo, play with a little bit of depth and play some rugby, nothing flashy.

“I feel some guys got here off the bench and had some impression, we have been so sluggish within the first half, issues like alternatives for fast faucets to get us again within the recreation.

“When you don’t nail some lineouts and give away silly penalties, the Josh Adams one was dumb and when you consider it, that’s the distinction between successful and shedding the sport.

“The gamers must be dissatisfied with the primary half however proud for the second half that they didn’t throw the towel in and might have received the sport.”

Scotland captain Finn Russell tells BBC One: “Probably somewhat bit dissatisfied to be trustworthy. The win is good however that second half was nowhere close to the place it wanted to be.

“We performed very well first half and managed the sport; second half our self-discipline was poor and two yellow playing cards allowed Wales again into the sport.

“As glad as we’re to win, that’s not a efficiency that we want, particularly the second half. When we scored that strive firstly of the second half we in all probability received a bit complacent to be trustworthy and thought the sport was completed.

“Fair play to Wales, they got here again and put us underneath quite a lot of stress. The pleasing factor was that on the finish of the sport we managed to hold them out. A variety of positives however we want to be rather a lot higher.”

Here’s what Aaron Wainwright had to say after the defeat.

Player of the match Aaron Wainwright tells BBC One: “We in all probability wished the sport to go on one other 5 minutes.

“We left ourselves an excessive amount of to do, and have been in all probability not correct sufficient within the first half. A variety of their ball got here from our errors.

“As the scoreboard saved ticking down the assumption grew, however first-half inaccuracies price us.”

Wow – what a recreation. The Six Nations at its greatest and Wales have been one rating away from the largest comeback in championship historical past however as an alternative Scotland cling on for a primary win in Cardiff for 22 years. Here are a few of the highlights:

And it’s over. Phew! What a recreation. What a second half.

Wales have been 27-0 down. 27-0! But they got here roaring again to 27-26, solely to come up agonisingly brief. Scotland hold on and safe a primary win in Cardiff for 22 years however boy they’d to work for that!

80 minutes: Van der Merwe stretches out however places the ball down on the leg of a Welsh defender, not the bottom. Does any a part of the ball contact the bottom? The referee and TMO decide no.

80 minutes: Scotland by way of the phases kind 5 metres. One-up carries from the forwards however Wales hold agency.

Hepburn goes on the 10th part. Still brief. Acres of house out huge left if they need it. Horne dummies and goes himself. Van der Merwe tries with a dart to the best.

Has he received it down? I feel he’s brief. We’ll go to the TMO to examine.

79 minutes: Scotland win the scrum and get the penalty! They run it to the left and the long-striding Steyn roars into the 22. Dempsey takes it up to 5 metres out. Scotland going for the road.

78 minutes: The scrum on midway resets. Huge moments. Another reset. We’re into the final 90 seconds…