It was an improved performance from the Scots after a stuttering 15-9 loss to England in their opening match.
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After all the accusations of negative style and safety-first rugby levelled at Warren Gatland’s Wales team, it took a high-risk gamble to break the battling Scots in Cardiff.
Scotland faces a tough ask in the second round of the Six Nations as they travel to Principality Stadium to take on tournament favourites Wales.
“The World Cup was a positive for us though”. That showed the players have maturity.
“We’re obviously upset not to win but there will be no excuses from us”.
“Bryan Habana (of South Africa) was offside at the ruck that created the last scrum (against Wales), which they scored off”.
“Internally we know we’re on the right track”.
Gatland said: “Dan had to get through today’s (Thursday) training to be in the frame for selection, and he did that and looked sharp”. If we can beat France, then we could potentially be playing England for the championship.
“They (Phillips’ former club Bayonne) aren’t the best team in the world, are they? That type of thing, it’s important to spend time together”. The weather has been kinder to us.
We flew back to Cardiff on Sunday night in what was the early onset of Storm Imogen.
Instead it was frightfully familiar at Murrayfield as an uninspired England triumphed, so much so that a BBC Scotland journalist wrote an amusing and spot-on “Five things we already knew”. We train intensely, we put pressure on players, and that’s where we feel they improve. “They are fully aware of that”.
Vern Cotter’s side arrived in the Welsh capital as heavy underdogs and few pundits gave them any chance of claiming their first win in Wales since 2002, but when the dust settles and the post-match reviews are held, Scotland’s management will be privately fuming that they let this one get away. Brendan Laney converted the latter and then added a penalty and Scotland were 15-9 up at the interval. “Emotionally, we have to start better and need to be fired up at home, because Scotland will come at us”.
“I thought the scrum was going well”.
“But within the team there is a real desire – and I think the players have said we’re fed up with bits and pieces that have been thrown at the team”.
He was cut a lot of slack last season as it was his first Six Nations but we can’t have a situation where the coach keeps telling us we are getting better when we ultimately can’t get a victory. The atmosphere is going to be brilliant, with a sell-out crowd, and we are excited about it.
Just as Scotland were beginning to look confident however, they lost influential fullback Stuart Hogg after 20 minutes due to a back spasm.
It was a blow for Vern Cotter’s team but their disappointment was soothed a little as Laidlaw nailed a 40-metre penalty as Scotland nudged in front.
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Biggar added the extras for 27-16 and Scottish shoulders slumped, although they did have the final say at the death with a neat finish by centre Duncan Taylor past a turnstyle tackle by full-back Gareth Anscombe. The optimism that had built up north of the border a week ago had evaporated and been replaced by a familiar despair before an encounter against opponents who have won the last eight meetings between the sides.
