Sport
Scotland and Wales serve up a thriller
Scotland 24 – Wales 25
NEVER-DAY-DIE Wales fought back from 17-3 down against a quality Scotland team to gain their second win of this year’s Six Nations.
In the first round game, Wales got dragged into a knock-down-drag-out scrap against Ireland which left them with a long injury list and the need to draw extra players into the squad. With so many key players out injured, the side travelled to Murrayfield bearing the weight of fans hopes rather than expectations.
And what a game those fans got!
A Scottish side full of flair and confidence and a Welsh side with pace at the back and renewed physical presence up front served up a heart-stopping thriller in arctic conditions in Edinburgh.
Scotland were on a high after beating England at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years in the last round. Their pack took England to the cleaners in the Calcutta Cup match and the Scots skilful backline looked sharp with ball in hand.
However, a lack of ruthlessness in their opponent’s twenty-two made the English game closer than it should’ve been and the home side were similarly wasteful with their territorial and possession advantages against Wales.
Too many times the Scots got into Wales’ danger zone only to overplay or misplay the advantage.
With markedly less ball and even less territory, Wales were much more ruthless than the hosts at converting presence in the opposition’s twenty-two into points.
Seeking to win their fifth Six Nations game in a row, Darcy Graham scored Scotland’s first try. Gathering a clever chip over the top by scrum-half Ali Price, Graham shook of Leigh Halfpenny’s desperate tackle and scored under the posts.
Scotland’s second try owed something to luck – both good and bad – Stuart Hogg kicked ahead and gave chase. For all the world. Halfpenny looked to have the ball covered only for it to wriggle free on the greasy surface and he went to ground. Hogg, who is the form fullback in the northern hemisphere, gathered the ball and touched down.
At 17-3 down, Wales were under the cosh but still competitive.
A driving maul from a short lineout saw Wales plough their way up-field in a series of short drives to near the Scottish line. The ball worked across the backline before Nick Tompkins fine pass found Louis Rees-Zammitt lurking with try-scoring intent. From close range, the winger made no mistake and scored the try which sent Wales in at the half 17-8 down.
Wales coach Wayne Pivac changed his half-backs on 51 minutes and was rewarded with an immediate return. Another brilliant driving line-out carved deep into the Scottish 22. Swift ball across the three-quarters released Liam Williams, whose sparkling try was converted by Callum Sheedy to bring Wales within two points.
Shortly afterwards came the moment which left Scots feeling aggrieved. As Wyn Jones challenged for the ball at the breakdown, opposite number Zander Fagerson ploughed into the ruck. Leading with his should he made direct contact with the Welsh prop’s head.
The rules on head contact are clear. Fagerson’s illegal attempt at a clear-out was given a straight red.
As former England prop David Flatman explained after the game: “Zander Fagerson’s red card was a red card. Rugby is changing and, as much as it all seems to be about the elite end of the game, the reality is the exact opposite.
“While the elite game is the most visible, it is rightly being used as a vehicle to make safer all those games of rugby that are played on muddy, isolated fields, away from specialist medical care and high definition cameras.
“Red cards like Fagerson’s are literally designed to make children safer on Sunday mornings.”
To add insult to injury, Wales’ capitalised on their one-man advantage with Wyn Jones touching down after more good close driving work by the Welsh forwards near the Scottish line.
Back came Scotland. Spurning two easy shots at goal, they created space for the ever-dangerous Stuart Hogg to turn on the pace and score a try, which Russell’s touchline conversion made into a four-point lead.
A moment of individual skill by Louis Rees-Zammitt was the standout moment of Wales’ performance. Travelling at full pelt, the Gloucester flyer latched on to Willy Halaholo’s perfectly weighted pass. Without breaking stride, the winger chipped it over the Scottish defence, outpaced Stuart Hogg (no mean feat) and gathered his own kick in Murrayfield’s deep in goal area to touch down.
Still Scotland came again and deep into stoppage time worked the ball to Scotland’s giant winger, Duhan van der Merwe. For all the world, it looked as though the last play of the match would see Welsh hearts broken at Murrayfield. Scrambling back, Owen Watkin produced the perfect tap tackle. With the clock in the red zone, Wales made no mistake in kicking the ball dead to seal the win.
Wales’ bold replacement of both half backs made near the start of the second half, galvanised the Welsh midfield at the expense of kicking reliability. If Wales bring Josh Adams back into the side against England and move Liam Williams to full-back, it is almost certain that Dan Biggar will start at outside half. Callum Sheedy, for all his skill with ball-in-hand, remains too fallible from the tee to be Wales’ frontline kicker.
Apart from an early misfire, Wales’ lineout was vastly improved. After an initial long throw went straight to Scottish hands, hooker Ken Owens and his callers kept it simple. Wales’ forward drives from the lineouts were a significant game-changer for the Welsh pack. The tactic gave Wales’ backs room by sucking in the Scottish defence.
It’s England for the Triple Crown next for Wales and, while England have been unconvincing so far, a Welsh win would still be an upset result. England have power and pace. If they can add precision to the mix, they will take some stopping.
Head coach Wayne Pivac commented: “It’s a very pleasing start, but I think it was evident to everyone that it wasn’t the complete performance.
“At 17-3 down, it wasn’t going to script but the players regathered their thoughts, the leadership on the field was good, and we came away with that score before half time.
“That was vital for us going into the changing room. The players reacted very well after half time, the replacements made an impact, and it was very nice to get the result at the end.”
On Louis Rees-Zammit, Wayne Pivac said: “He was exciting with the ball, wasn’t he? He took his opportunities very well. He’s still got work to do on his game without the ball, and that’s the exciting thing.
“He’s going to be a very exciting player for us going forward.”
Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones added: “We’re well aware there are massive improvements to make.
“You can’t give a team two tries, but I’m pleased with the resilience, character and pride in the jersey we’re still showing. What you’re seeing as well is a product of the experimentation from the Autumn Nations Cup and the hurt we took.
“Irrelevant of the advantage, I’d like to think we were in the ascendancy before the card.
“We’re aware England had a good win and are back on track. We’ll be back in Cardiff, so we’ll regroup and improve on the parts we need to.”
Alun Wyn Jones added: “Louis has been playing well for Gloucester in the Premiership. I’d heard a lot about him and seen a lot of highlights of him. Hopefully, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“I don’t want to heap the pressure on him, I want him to continue in a similar vein.”
WALES HEAD coach Matt Sherratt has named his team to face England in the final round of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations at a sold-out Principality Stadium on Saturday (Mar 15, KO 4:45pm, live on BBC and S4C).
There are two changes to the starting line-up that played Scotland last weekend.
In the back row, Aaron Wainwright starts at blindside flanker, with captain Jac Morgan moving to openside. Taulupe Faletau retains his place at No. 8.
Joe Roberts is named on the left wing for his first start of the tournament, pushing Ellis Mee to the right wing. Blair Murray continues at fullback.
In the front row, Nicky Smith starts at loosehead prop, Elliot Dee at hooker, and WillGriff John continues at tighthead prop for a third consecutive match.
Will Rowlands and Dafydd Jenkins maintain their second-row partnership.
Tomos Williams starts at scrum-half, with his club teammate Gareth Anscombe at fly-half.
Ben Thomas and Max Llewellyn once again form the midfield combination.
Nick Tompkins returns to the matchday squad and joins Rhodri Williams and Jarrod Evans as the replacement backs.
Dewi Lake, Gareth Thomas, Keiron Assiratti, Teddy Williams, and Tommy Reffell provide forward cover.
Sherratt said: “Wales versus England is always a special occasion, and we know the atmosphere at Principality Stadium will be incredible. We’re excited to finish our campaign at home and want to deliver our best performance on Saturday.”
Wales team v England
- Blair Murray (Scarlets – 7 caps)
- Ellis Mee (Scarlets – 2 caps)
- Max Llewellyn (Gloucester Rugby – 7 caps)
- Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby – 11 caps)
- Joe Roberts (Scarlets – 4 caps)
- Gareth Anscombe (Gloucester Rugby – 41 caps)
- Tomos Williams (Gloucester Rugby – 63 caps)
- Nicky Smith (Leicester Tigers – 53 caps)
- Elliot Dee (Dragons – 55 caps)
- WillGriff John (Sale Sharks – 4 caps)
- Will Rowlands (Racing 92 – 40 caps)
- Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 22 caps)
- Aaron Wainwright (Dragons – 56 caps)
- Jac Morgan (Ospreys – 22 caps) – captain
- Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 107 caps)
Replacements:
- Dewi Lake (Ospreys – 19 caps)
- Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 39 caps)
- Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby – 13 caps)
- Teddy Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 5 caps)
- Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 26 caps)
- Rhodri Williams (Dragons – 8 caps)
- Jarrod Evans (Harlequins – 10 caps)
- Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 40 caps)
2025 Guinness Six Nations results:
Friday, Jan 31: France 43-0 Wales (Stade de France, Paris)
Saturday, Feb 8: Italy 22-15 Wales (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)
Saturday, Feb 22: Wales 18-27 Ireland (Principality Stadium, Cardiff)
Saturday, Mar 8: Scotland v Wales (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Saturday, Mar 15: Wales v England (Principality Stadium, Cardiff) KO 4:45pm GMT
Whether you’re new to the world of football or a lifelong fan, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest standings, upcoming fixtures, and more. With this in mind, here’s an update on the current status of the 2024-25 Premier League season, including which fixtures to look out for and predictions for who will claim the title.
Current standings
Liverpool are currently topping the Premier League table, having amassed 70 points over the course of the competition. They have won 21 out of their 29 matches in the season so far. Conversely, Southampton are sitting at the bottom of the league table, with just nine points. They have lost 23 out of 28 of their games.
But remember that the league table is always changing, so be sure to check in regularly, particularly as many teams have matches to catch up on due to Champions League and FA/League Cup commitments. So, things can change quickly.
Upcoming fixtures
April is packed with some highly anticipated matches. The month will kick off with Arsenal vs Fulham on April 1 at 19:45 at the Emirates Stadium. This fixture is followed by several matches the next day, including Brighton vs Aston Villa and Liverpool vs Everton.
Towards the end of the month, exciting matches such as Nottingham Forest vs Brentford and Liverpool vs Spurs will keep fans on the edge of their seats as the final league positions are decided. Make sure you keep an eye out for all upcoming matches, so you don’t miss out on any of the action.
League predictions
Chelsea are currently in the top four. However, they are the most likely to drop out of contention over the course of the remaining games – partially because they’re already 21 points behind Liverpool. The favourites to win the 2024/25 league are Liverpool at 80%, followed by Arsenal at 25%, Manchester City at 2.4% and Nottingham Forest at 1.2%. Despite some poor performances recently, Newcastle United are still in with a small chance of glory at 0.8%.
Where can I watch Premier League football?
The go to place to watch Premier League football is Sky Sports and TNT Sports. However, these packages can be costly.
As a result, in recent years, many fans have turned to online streaming solutions, such as Hesgoal TV. These streaming sites show the games for free, but they’re illegal to use and you may face a penalty for watching or broadcasting matches.
Will you be watching?
Whether you enjoy football via Sky Sports, use a streaming service or watch games down at the pub with your mates, keep an eye out for your favourite team and see how they perform in the final few matches of the season.
PEMBROKESHIRE’S own Sean Bowen, hailing from Letterston, has cemented his place among the UK’s top jockeys, ranking fourth on the all-time career earnings list for British National Hunt riders. With a staggering £11.5 million in prize money to his name, Bowen continues to make waves on the biggest stage—Cheltenham Festival 2025.
Bowen’s rise to the top
The latest rankings, compiled by racing experts at OLBG, highlight Bowen’s remarkable achievements:
Top-Earning British Jockeys
- Sam Twiston-Davies – £21,968,167
- Harry Skelton – £18,837,862
- Harry Cobden – £17,717,810
- Sean Bowen – £11,520,715
- Charlie Deutsch – £7,071,208
Bowen, 26, has quickly become one of the most respected jockeys in the sport, following in the footsteps of his father, Welsh trainer Peter Bowen. His younger brother, James Bowen, also ranks among the top-earning jockeys, sitting in seventh place with £5.6 million in career winnings.
With major wins in the Grand National and multiple Grade 1 victories, Sean Bowen is a name synonymous with Welsh racing success.
Cheltenham Festival 2025: Bowen in Action
This week, Bowen has been front and centre at the Cheltenham Festival, competing in multiple high-stakes races:
- Heads Up – Weatherbys Champion Bumper (Grade 1) (March 12): Bowen guided Heads Up to a strong second-place finish, proving his ability on one of the festival’s biggest stages.
- Western Zephyr – Grand Annual Chase (March 12): In one of the most unpredictable handicap chases, Bowen put in a solid ride aboard Western Zephyr.
- The Goffer – Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase (March 12): Tackling Cheltenham’s unique Cross Country course, Bowen took on the gruelling challenge with The Goffer.
- Might I – Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle (March 12): Competing in one of the festival’s most competitive handicap hurdles, Bowen demonstrated his versatility.
- Jane Eire – Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (March 13): Bowen will look to add another big festival win to his name in this prestigious event.
A Pembrokeshire jockey on the big stage
As one of Wales’ top sporting figures, Sean Bowen’s continued success keeps Pembrokeshire in the spotlight of British horse racing. With Cheltenham still in full swing, local fans will be hoping for more triumphs from the Letterston star.
His incredible career earnings, combined with his continued performances at the festival, show why he is one of the most respected and successful jockeys in the UK today.
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