Ireland vs Wales LIVE: Six Nations rugby final score and result as Andrew Conway strikes twice
Follow all the reaction live from the Aviva Stadium in Dublin
Ireland eased past reigning champions Wales 29-7 in the opening game of the Six Nations championship in Dublin on Saturday, picking up where they left off in November with a comfortable victory.
Ireland looked every inch one of the tournament favourites when they roared out of the blocks in the same manner that toppled New Zealand three months ago but still needed a second half burst to put the injury-hit visitors out of sight.
“It’s never going to be perfect in your first game but we’ve got everything to play for and we know there’s a massive test ahead next week,” captain Johnny Sexton said in a pitchside interview, referring to next week’s trip to France.
It took Sexton’s men just two minutes to take control. An attacking lineout that has proved so lethal of late was the starting point again with Bundee Aki crossing in the corner, aided by a nice looped pass from debutant winger Mack Hansen.
It felt like only a matter of time before the hosts would score again from hand but a couple of sloppy errors - including Sexton uncharacteristically missing two out of three shots at goal - invited Wayne Pivac’s side back into the game
A predictable attack from a side shorn of 680 caps through injuries to the likes of Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, George North and Taulupe Faletau was comfortably contained by Ireland’s choke tackle defence.
While a better side could punish Ireland later in the tournament for not being clinical enough to extend their lead beyond 10-0 at halftime, Andy Farrell’s side returned in a much more ruthless mood after the interval.
Andrew Conway put Ireland out of sight with two tries either side of a yellow card for makeshift Wales centre Josh Adams, first using every millimetre of his 1.8 metre frame to reach for the corner and simply collecting a pass to add another.
Centre Garry Ringrose snaked through the porous Welsh defence on the hour to make sure of the winning bonus point.
Ireland emptied their bench and with that lost a little bit of concentration, allowing Wales flanker Taine Basham in for a late try that ensured the visitors did not add a scoreless outing to an otherwise miserable afternoon.
The win extended Ireland’s winning run to nine games but they will face an altogether more difficult test in Paris if they are to make it 10 in a row.
Scotland 20-17 England, 73 minutes
A brilliant restart from George Ford is chased superbly by Joe Marchant, who appears poised to claim it as he rises high into the sky, but it comes off his fingertips and into Matt Fagerson, who knocks into touch.
The TMO confirms a faint brush of Marchant’s hand as the officials check the right restart. Scotland scrum.
PENALTY! SCOTLAND 20-17 England (Finn Russell penalty, 72 minutes)
Russell exhales deeply as he begins his kicking routine, and sneaks it inside the right-hand post. Scotland lead by three with eight minutes to play. England down to 14 for about half of that.
Scotland 17-17 England, 70 minutes
The Murrayfield crowd produces a rendition of the national anthem as they try to lift their side as we enter the final ten minutes. The scrum is reset, and then England are penalised.
What’s the call? Another scrum to really press for a potentially match-winning try, or take the points to nudge in front for certain? Finn Russell has a chat with Stuart Hogg...
For goal!
Scotland 17-17 England, 68 minutes
Joe Marler will throw in! And it’s predictably malformed, both not straight and short of the required five metres. Scotland free kick just yards from the England line, and the scrum option will force Eddie Jones to send on Jamie George and sacrifice Sam Simmonds from the back row.
Huge chance for Scotland. Can they capitalise?
Scotland 17-17 England, 67 minutes
Murrayfield has begun to stir from its slumber with plenty to cheer after that Scotland score. The home crowd had just gone a little flat as England began to exert their authority on the game but the momentum is firmly with the hosts now, winning a penalty at the lineout, before Finn Russell fizzes a perfect kick down into the England 22.
And England don’t have a hooker!
PENALTY TRY! SCOTLAND 17-17 England, 66 minutes
The officials agree - there is no cover in the picture and but for Cowan-Dickie’s flail, Darcy Graham would have had a leisurely stroll for the line. Ben O’Keeffe trots beneath the posts - penalty try! The scores are level, and England will be down to 14 for the next ten minutes.
Penalty try? Scotland 10-17 England, 66 minutes
Could this be a penalty try? It’s a clear deliberate knock on from Cowan-Dickie, who is left exposed as the last defender against the significantly springier Darcy Graham. There’s no cover. It’ll definitely be yellow...
Scotland 10-17 England, 65 minutes
Superb from Scotland! Finn Russell’s crossfield kick is perfectly flighted for Duhan van der Merwe to claim, and when Russell reverses course and produces another pearler of a crosskick to the opposite wing, Luke Cowan-Dickie’s desperate volleyball spike towards touch could well see the England hooker in trouble...
PENALTY! Scotland 10-17 ENGLAND (Marcus Smith penalty, 63 minutes)
Over it does go. That’ll be that for Marcus Smith - he is replaced by George Ford, in such impressive Premiership form for Leicester and granted a recall after Owen Farrell’s injury.
Also on for England are Will Stuart at tighthead, Joe Marler on the other side of the front row, and Alex Dombdrandt, who replaces Lewis Ludlam on the blindside. An understated but very effective performance from Ludlam.
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