Wales Vs Scotland - SUNDAY 12th FEBRUARY - KO 15:00 Gonna be a classic..!

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Wales Vs Scotland

Date: Sunday, February 12
Kick-off: 15:00
Venue: Millennium Stadium

Coverage: Live on BBC One Wales, BBC Radio Wales & online, S4C and Radio Cymru, plus live text and score updates on the BBC Sport website

Date: Sunday, February 12
Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Kick-off: 15:00 (15:00 GMT)
Expected weather: Cloudy with a few showers likely. High of 5°C, low of 3°C
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
TMO: Giulio De Santis (Italy)



Scotland will encounter a Wales side oozing confidence when round two of the Six Nations concludes at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.

The opening round of the Championship was a weekend of contrasting fortunes for the two sides.
Wales underlined their status as potential Six Nations champions with a rousing 23-21 victory over Ireland in Dublin. It was a wonderful advert for Six Nations rugby with two teams going at it hammer and tongs for a game won in the last 20 seconds.
That win came less than 24 hours after Scotland had started their challenge with a 13-6 loss to England at Murrayfield. The Scots created enough chances to have beaten their visitors last week, however simple errors coupled with a lack of tries led to another disappointing defeat for Andy Robinson's men, who have now lost three on the trot.
Just once in 13 attempts have Scotland won on the opening weekend of the tournament since Italy joined the Five Nations in 2000.
Scotland must now attempt to bounce back and beat the Welsh in their own back yard - something they have failed to achieve in a decade.
They came mighty close though in their last Cardiff contest after leading by ten points with seven minutes remaining, only for the now retired Shane Williams to score a last-gasp try to secure a dramatic 31-24 come-from-behind victory.
Winning away from home has been a wee bit of a problem for the Scots in the Six Nations, where they have won just once on the road since 2006 (23-20 against Ireland at Croke Park in 2010).
But despite Scotland's poor showing last weekend and dismal away record, Wales will do well not to underestimate Sunday's visitors who are expected to come out all guns blazing after asking for the Millennium Stadium roof to be closed.
With wet weather being forecast, Scotland - notwithstanding the apparent lack of abilities to score tries (at least in the past four games) - have backed themselves to take on Wales at their own expansive game.
"We cannot afford to underestimate Scotland, the amount of possession and territory they had against England last weekend meant that they should have won the game and they will come to the Millennium Stadium buoyed by that knowledge," said Wales coach Warren Gatland.
Wales have won the opening two games of a Six Nations campaign on just two previous occasions - in 2005 and 2008 - and each time they went on to win the title and Grand Slam. Three of the World Cup semi-finalists' remaining four games are in Cardiff, starting on Sunday when try-shy Scotland arrive at the Millennium Stadium.
But following Wales' heroics in Dublin, the build-up to Sunday's Test has been blighted by the suspension of Bradley Davies, who will miss the rest of this season's tournament after collecting a seven-week ban for a reckless tip-tackle on Ireland replacement Donnacha Ryan last weekend.
Davies is the second Wales player suspended for that offence this season following Sam Warburton's dismissal and three-week punishment for an incident in the World Cup semi-final against France last October.
Davies now joins his fellow World Cup locks Luke Charteris and Alun-Wyn Jones on the international sidelines. But in a triple boost for Gatland, flanker Dan Lydiate has recovered from an ankle injury to reclaim the number six shirt, prop Gethin Jenkins has recovered from knee trouble to start and skipper Warburton also features after being in doubt with a leg injury.
However, Warburton has been wrapped in cotton wool this whole week and took a very limited part in training while staying clear of any contact work. Whether he actually leads the team out hangs in the balance and probably won't be known until the morning of the match.
In a game where the back-row battle will be absolutely crucial, everyone in the Welsh camp - and in Wales as a whole - will be keeping their fingers crossed that the inspirational skipper can defy the injury odds and help guide his team to back-to-back wins.
Wales are favourites, but nobody should have any illusions how tough this match will be...
Ones to watch:

For Wales: Former Wales captain Ryan Jones will, as expected, fill the second-row void against Scotland caused by Bradley Davies' seven-week suspension. Jones was exceptional at blindside flanker against Ireland in Dublin and his versatility is proving of immeasurable value to Gatland.
For Scotland: With Dan Parks calling it quits from Test rugby this week, Greig Laidlaw inherits the number 10 jersey for Scotland. The Edinburgh skipper won the first two of his three caps as a replacement scrum-half, before coming on at fly-half for Parks in the Calcutta Cup defeat to England. Yet an impressive display during the small amount of time he was on the pitch has been rewarded with his first Test start.
Head to head: Toby Faletau v David Denton. Scotland's Zimbabwean-born number eight Denton was deservedly named man-of-the-match following his Herculean ball-carrying against England last Saturday, and much of the same will be required against the tough as nails Faletau, who will always be found where the battle is at its most ferocious.

Recent results:
2011: Wales won 24-6, Edinburgh
2010: Wales won 31-24, Cardiff
2009: Wales won 26-13, Edinburgh
2008: Wales won 30-15, Cardiff
2007: Scotland won 21-9, Edinburgh
2006: Wales won 28-18, Cardiff
2005: Wales won 46-22, Edinburgh
2004: Wales won 23-10, Cardiff
2003: Wales won 23-9, Cardiff
2003: Scotland won 30-22, Edinburgh
Prediction: Neither history or form is with Scotland heading into this match, and while we're sure they'll give it a good crack - we just can't see Wales letting this one slip. Wales to win by nine points!
Rugby Union betting odds

The teams:

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Jamie Roberts, 11 George North, 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Toby Faletau, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Ian Evans, 4 Ryan Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Huw Bennett, 1 Gethin Jenkins.

Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Paul James, 18 Lou Reed, 19 Andy Powell, 20 Lloyd Williams, 21 James Hook, 22 Scott Williams.

Scotland: 15 Rory Lamont, 14 Lee Jones, 13 Nick De Luca, 12 Sean Lamont, 11 Max Evans, 10 Greig Laidlaw, 9 Chris Cusiter, 8 David Denton, 7 Ross Rennie, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Geoff Cross, 2 Ross Ford (c), 1 Allan Jacobsen.

Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Ed Kalman, 18 Alastair Kellock, 19 John Barclay, 20 Mike Blair, 21 Duncan Weir, 22 Stuart Hogg.

Lineout is unbelievable. 2 lost in good places

Missing Warburton (or Tipuric?) IMO

Poite is clueless about the scrums

Jebus, Poite would give you a heartache with his scrum penalties. Scotland had the ball, let them bloody play it.

Welsh line out doesnt seem to have improved since last game

Our line outs are a shambles a lot worse than I thought.

0-0 ermm

You're scrum-halves! Pass the effing ball faster!

Scotland getting next to nothing from the ref

That said, penalty

Good play Scotland

Lots of Welsh slowing down of ball and Pote ignoring pleas from Scots. But finally they get one. Rennie and Denton really catch the eye for Scotland.

That number 4 for Scotland as well Pot Hale

More forward passes from Laidlaw

Silly from Wales, 3 man overlap on the right missed by Phillips.

Phillips took the wrong decision there

Stupid silly errors are killing Wales at the moment, going forward is easy, we just have no control.

I agree with Jiffy, great play Rennie. Great break by Cuthbert too

The Welsh backs are making more hard yards in contact than their forwards - astonishing power and leg drive from Cuthbert, Davies and North.

I dont like the purposly running into a player or passing into a player for a penalty.

Phillips, pretty cheeky that

Cheeky from mike philips, reminds me of a certain morgan parra

That is pathetic play there. Number 6 gets two knocks on the head whilst trying to get out of the scrum, Phillips sees an opportunity and milks the penalty. Geez, we are starting to play soccer now.

Mike Phillips reminds me of England's Matt Dawson. Quick, and narky.

No support, what was the point in that? Backs, support him, it's called rucking, you need to do it too

both scrum halves looking slow today.....scot no. 7's a bit tasty...he's everywhere!!

Scottish back row all over them

Scotland need Cusiter to be much sharper in his distribution, not to mention sorting out his box kicks.

Some good play from Scotland here.

Phillips has been poor today

Dirty bit of play there from Wales. Don't deserve those points.

Jeepers this is a frustrating game to watch...

Forward pass anyone?

eirebilly wrote:Forward pass anyone?

I'm not sure Laidlaw has passed backwards yet tbh

this is one hellova game of rugby

Wales is getting away with murder at the rucks. They never let go, whether on their feet or not, even sometimes whe they counter ruck, they have their hands on the ball. Scotland must wake up and double up in the contact area.

WALES ARE SO OFFSIDE!

Wales may be infringing at the rucks but Scotland are getting away with forward pass after forward pass.

I think mentioned last week when england were getting lambasted for their display....this scottish side isn't bad!!

Aghhh...too many with the donkeys!!

Knock on

Hope that's not too serious

That looks bad for North... Scotlands chance improving by the minute

Yeah they are far from rubbish.

Relief for Wales there. Great pressure from the Scots.

The Scottish open back play has been a bit telegraphed so far, they've looked a lot better off the cuff, offloading in congested ground.

Ooh so sad for scotland... Deserved more after so many phases...

The only thing that can injure North is himself!

tight game

Blah Blah Wales are doing this. Pathetic comments. Poite is handing Scotland a lifeline and yet wales are getting away with murder. 606 is back.