Scotland v Wales LIVE rugby: Six Nations 2023 score and result as Finn Russell masterclass leads to record win
Scotland 35-7 Wales: Finn Russell’s inspirational performance leads Scotland to a record home win over Wales
Finn Russell ran the show as Scotland blitzed Wales 35-7 at Murrayfield to kick off a Six Nations campaign with back-to-back victories for the first time.
The Racing 92 stand-off was at his magnificent best as he laid three of his side’s five tries on a plate for his team-mates and was also heavily involved in another.
Wales, who had won on six of their previous seven visits to Edinburgh, made things tough for Gregor Townsend’s team in the first half, but it was one-way traffic after the break as the hosts notched 22 points without reply to back up their Calcutta Cup victory in style and claim the Doddie Weir Cup.
Relive the Six Nations clash below:
Ireland 22-16 France, 43 minutes
Ireland have looked really, really fluid in attack today, the hands working efficienctly and the width created easily. James Lowe hurries up the left to add more to a swelling personal tally of metres, and then he’s off again from a lovely offload to get into the 22.
Apparent crossing from the two Irish props goes unspotted as Andrew Porter is eventually felled.
Ireland 22-16 France, 42 minutes
Rob Herring, by the way, will not be rejoining affairs - he has failed his HIA and Ronan Kelleher will see things out.
Ireland 22-16 France, 41 minutes
Ireland possession to start the second 40. They work their patterns on halfway, Peter O’Mahony forced to turn to take a slightly errrant pass from Johnny Sexton but still managing to pirouette and win his collision. Mack Hansen nearly wins back Conor Murray’s box kick, but Antoine Dupont is eventually able to answer with a long box of his own.
Second half
Right, the players have dragged themselves back out there for another 40 minutes of carnage and chaos. Hope you’ve refreshed yourselves appropriately - here we go again...
H/T: Ireland 22-16 France
And, then, there’s this from James Lowe, given by Wayne Barnes after an extended consultation with the TMO but absent of a review of what appeared to be a telling, conclusive angle shown by the broadcasters after the conversion had been safely taken. Lowe’s boot appeared to be most certainly in touch before he touched down - but it’s a try on the scoresheet, and Irish fans will argue that France got the rub of the green with Uini Atonio shown yellow rather than red after his collision with Rob Herring.
H/T: Ireland 22-16 France
But France answered with their own work of art, finished by Damian Penaud and painted more in the abstract.
H/T: Ireland 22-16 France
Phew. Breathless, barmy, brilliant - one of the finest halves of sport you could ever hope to see. To be honest, I feared some of the pre-match buildup ahead of this contest might have strayed towards hyperbolic. If anything, we undersold it.
Where to even begin after 40 minutes of ceaseless action? How about this beautifully sculpted Irish score from Hugo Keenan?
PENALTY! IRELAND 22-16 France (Johnny Sexton penalty, 40 minutes)
Johnny Sexton chips between the uprights and off 30 exhausted men trot for a much, much needed interval.
No try! Ireland 19-16 France, 40 minutes
Murray is denied again! Ireland have a penalty advantage and Murray spots a sniping space outside Cyril Baille. The loosehead does very well to grab a handful of the Irish nine’s shirt, allowing Antoine Dupont and Charles Ollivon to lend their input and force a knock on.
But Ireland will extend their lead from the tee...
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