Scotland vs England LIVE: Six Nations rugby score and result from Calcutta Cup today
Follow live reaction as England and Scotland kicked off their Six Nations campaigns in the Calcutta Cup at Murrayfield
Finn Russell slotted a penalty eight minutes from time to earn Scotland a narrow 20-17 win over England on Saturday as they took advantage of a penalty try and a yellow card for the visitors to wrestle back control of an intense Six Nations game.
Scotland, 10-6 up at halftime, were 10-17 down when they were awarded a penalty try after England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie batted away a high cross-field pass. He was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes. It proved the turning-point as with the one-man advantage, Scotland won a late penalty to snatch victory and take the Calcutta Cup for a second successive year.
Ben White scored Scotland’s other try while all England’s points came from young fly-half Marcus Smith, who crossed for a try and was unlucky to end on the losing side.
Follow all the latest reaction in the live blog below:
Bundee Aki opens the scoring
The sole try came through Bundee Aki, latching on to a lofted pass from Mack Hansen on the left touchline. The wing has been utilised regularly on Ireland debut, roaming and reeling off a number of bright touches. A good first 40 minutes in Irish green - Wales have struggled to deal with the threat of Hansen, Johnny Sexton and Garry Ringrose all inter-changing, and have also been guilty of biting on the forward pods.
H/T: Ireland 10-0 Wales
Ireland rather dominated that first 40 minutes and will be disappointed not have made their superiority count. They have offered far greater attacking thrust and but for two Johnny Sexton misses from the tee the margin would be much wider.
To give credit to Wales, they have managed to stall Ireland well inside the 22 since conceding in the opening five minutes, but the visitors have been lacklustre in attack and unsure defensively in the wider channels. A ten-point margin will be relatively pleasing for Wayne Pivac, though the Wales coach will hope for far more out of his players in the second half.
Ireland 10-0 Wales, 40 minutes
Taken down at the lineout and the time ticks by. Wales boot the ball for some fortunate fans by the corner and that’ll do us.
Ireland 10-0 Wales, 39 minutes
A trademark play from Ireland as Johnny Sexton is released on the wraparound, waiting for Garry Ringrose to do the carrying to preserve Sexton’s hands for the next phase.
Good continuity from Ireland, up beyond ten phases and retaining their quick ball. Wales defending well, though, with Aaron Wainwright making a strong chop tackle to stall the home side.
Something different from Jamison Gibson-Park, lifting a pass in the vague direction Mack Hansen after finding the road closed on an exploratory dart from the base of a ruck. Not quite in the right postcode - through Hansen’s hands and into touch and with a minute to go until half-time, that could be that for the serious action of the first 40 minutes.
Ireland 10-0 Wales, 37 minutes
The resulting scrum is more Jackson Pollock than Georges Seurat and Jaco Peyper penalises Wales for causing a rather messy collapse. Ireland kick into Welsh territory.
Ireland 10-0 Wales, 36 minutes
Ireland’s aerial kleptomaniacs strike again as another Ryan Elias throw goes awry, Caelan Doris putting pressure on Aaron Wainwright, who is deemed to have knocked on.
Ireland 10-0 Wales, 35 minutes
More exploitation out wide from Ireland with Hugo Keenan shoving an offload between two tacklers on to a stooping Josh van der Flier. But the ball spills free just as they look to capitalise on the momentum and Wales will clear.
Louis Rees-Zammit kicks long and chases hard after it, forcing Ireland to kick into touch short of halfway. A decent defensive reset from Wales but Ireland look likely to properly unlock them at some stage.
Rees-Zammit is grimacing, by the way, with that heavy strapping still apparent on his ankle. Also hobbled is Johnny Sexton - and more seriously, requiring a visit from the Irish medics. He’ll be fine to continue after some treatment.
Ireland 10-0 Wales, 34 minutes
Mack Hansen has been really sharp so far. He is being brought off his wing regularly to add extra options behind the Johnny Sexton-Garry Ringrose axis and a little shimmy allows him to inject some pace into the Ireland attack, accentuated by a similar step from Sexton in the next phase.
Ireland 10-0 Wales, 32 minutes
Wales still look to be have reasonable speed of ball but are struggling to make significant dents in a well-formed green wall. Josh Adams pounces on an apparent knock-on to make a metre or two along the left touchline but that is the greatest progress the Welsh make in a minute-long meander. A knock-on from Louis Rees-Zammit is spotted, and that’ll be that for the movement. Ireland scrum.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments