2024-02-03 17:34:29
For a long time, there was only one team on the field. Saturday February 3, Scotland, during the first period, martyred a Wales XV in Cardiff. And then, the Welsh revolted. Too late, however, to overthrow the XV du Chardon during this first day of the Six Nations Tournament.
In this crazy match, Warren Gatland’s men, who have been struggling with their rugby since their last title in the Six Nations Tournament, in 2019, failed just a small point behind their opponents, in what would have been a high-class hold-up. . The Scots won their first victory (26-27) in twenty-two years, on Welsh soil. B
The two teams will therefore have presented radically different faces before and after half-time, but the XV du Chardon resisted the brilliant comeback of their host to obtain this historic victory, in view of the past and the scenario.
The Scots first unfolded an almost perfect score under the boot and mischief of Finn Russell, his inspired number 10, in the oven and at the mill to find perfect touches, succeed in his kicks and serve his partners. They led 20-0 at the break, then 27-0 in the 44the minute following Duhan van der Merwe’s second try of the evening.
But the Welsh rebelled in the second half, inflicting a scathing 26-0 – with tries from Botham (47e), Dyer (53e), Wainwright (61e) and Man (68e) – to the Scots who became feverish over the course of the meeting. This is evidenced by the two yellow cards received successively at the 47e minute (Turner) then at 61e (Tuipulotu). Wales can, however, console themselves for this tiny defeat with the point of the offensive bonus (with four tries) and that of the defensive bonus.
Small English victory in Rome
It was definitely a question of one-sided periods on Saturday in these last two matches of the first day of the Six Nations Tournament. A little earlier in the afternoon, a good second period was indeed enough for the English. Manhandled by an Italian team which has never beaten them in an international match, the players of the XV de la Rose won on the lawn of the Olympic stadium in Rome (27-24). A small victory, acquired without an offensive bonus, for the English who must confirm their bronze medal acquired during the Rugby World Cup in October.
The XV de la Rose, still led by its coach Steve Borthwick but regenerated with the arrival of several novices at international level, got off to a bad start, conceding a try from Alessandro Garbisi and ten points in the first ten minutes (11th) . At half-time, despite the try of English winger Elliot Daly (20th), that of Tommaso Allan (26th) allowed the Italians to lead by nine points and dream of a third victory in the Tournament since 2014.
Far from having a great day, the English were still able to take the advantage thanks to Alex Mitchell’s try (45th) before widening the gap thanks to George Ford’s penalties. Without Owen Farrell, the captain of the XV de la Rose during the World Cup, who put his international career on hold, Ford assumed this scoring role with an almost perfect kicking game (85% success against the poles).
A precision ultimately decisive in view of the result because the Italians went to snatch, in the 84th minute, a third try – one more than the English – by winger Monty Ioane. Extra points which allow the Azzurri to snatch the defensive bonus and already have a unit in the ranking in this Tournament. After one match, they have already done as well as in the entire 2023 edition and better than in 2021, 2020 and 2019, when they did not take a single point in five matches.
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