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Gregor Townsend feared one other dramatic Cardiff collapse would value Scotland their first win over Wales on the Principality Stadium for 22 years.
Head coach Townsend was an assistant to Andy Robinson in 2010 when Wales scored 17 factors within the remaining couple of minutes in Cardiff to extremely flip a 14-24 deficit in to a 31-24 victory.
However this time Scotland – who had been 27-0 forward a couple of minutes into the second half – withstood a Welsh onslaught to win 27-26 and get their Guinness Six Nations marketing campaign off to a optimistic begin.
“It was a bit like 2010 and it went into my ideas because the second half went on,” mentioned Townsend after Scotland had ended a run of 11 straight defeats in Cardiff stretching again to 2002.
“I bear in mind the ambiance that day when Wales had the momentum behind them and got here again on the scoreboard.
“The identical occurred right now, thankfully we stayed forward and we had been in a position to play properly within the remaining 5 minutes.
“A whole lot of effort went into that final 5 minutes – we should always have scored a attempt to we felt there have been a few penalties that would have gone our approach within the final passage – however it was previous 80 minutes and we received the win.”
Wing Duhan Van Der Merwe scored two tries and prop Pierre Schoeman additionally touched down, whereas skipper Finn Russell was flawless with the boot in touchdown 12 factors.
After Van Der Merwe sliced by way of for a shocking second attempt simply after the restart, Scotland had been on track to eclipse final yr’s report win over Wales.
However that was to not be and Townsend was grateful to see Scotland dangle on whereas cursing important accidents to forwards Richie Grey and Luke Crosbie.
“Each are in loads of ache,” Townsend mentioned. “Richie and the medics knew immediately it was a bicep damage. In order that doesn’t look good for this Championship.
“Luke was a shoulder damage. It’s a painful one and that may settle.
“Not for subsequent week (towards France at Murrayfield), however let’s hope he’s not achieved any important injury there. It’s a blow to lose two gamers from our beginning staff.”
On the nail-biting victory, Townsend added: “We had been correct and put Wales underneath stress within the first half.
“These two tries had been actually good reward and to have that cushion ought to have made it a extra snug second half.
“The truth that it didn’t is a priority for us, however loads of that was because of the penalty depend (16 to 4 towards Scotland) and the numerical benefit Wales had for 20 minutes.”
Wales made essentially the most of second-half yellow playing cards for George Turner and Sione Tuipulotu to show the competition on its head.
James Botham, Rio Dyer, Aaron Wainwright and debutant Alex Mann crossed, with Ioan Lloyd kicking three conversions, as Wales secured two dropping bonus factors.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland, whose younger facet head to Twickenham subsequent Saturday to play England, mentioned: Did we give Scotland an excessive amount of respect in that first half?
“They had been absolutely loaded and we’re a younger staff. To do what we did, be 27-0 down, different groups may need proven much less character and begin fascinated by subsequent week, even throw within the towel.
“We didn’t try this. They stored preventing and put themselves able to win. That confirmed actual character and we’ve simply received to play like we did within the second half.
“You may’t coach expertise. Whenever you’re on the market in entrance of 75,000 individuals making that a lot noise and the tempo is faster than membership rugby, typically that takes time for gamers to get used to.
“We’ll want just a little little bit of leeway, however it’s nonetheless Take a look at rugby and it’s about profitable. That’s what we’ve received to give attention to.”
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