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| Wales vs. France |
It's time for another update on the RBS 6 Nations Rugby match for Round 2...
First up, it's Scotland vs. Italy. I've just got reports that thanks to the finest Scottish rugby players, especially Grieg Laidlaw, Scotland's stopped Italy's progression to the Six Nations Rugby with the score of 34 to 10. They may have been defeated by Enlgland last week but their reborn power demonstrated after defeating Italy is a sign that Scotland's fighting back...
PRESS RELEASE:
Classy Scotland stop Italy in their tracks
Stuart Hogg enhanced his burgeoning reputation with another fine breakaway try to hand Scotland a comprehensive 34-10 RBS 6 Nations victory over Italy - a first under Scott Johnson.
Outplayed by England last weekend, Scotland were worthy winners over an Italian side riding high after their victory over France, with Tim Visser, Matt Scott, Hogg and Sean Lamont all going over.
Johnson lamented his side's poor defence last weekend but the Scots were not founding wanting against Italy and as a result Greig Laidlaw was able to call the shots.
The Italians on the other hand, were subdued in comparison to six days previous, Luciano Orquera in particular having an off day at fly-half, and the Azzurri were outfought and outthought by the Scots.
For Scotland, it was a first win of the campaign, a first in five matches and a first in seven in the RBS 6 Nations, having been whitewashed last season.
Scotland began at a ferocious pace and after half breaks from Ruaridh Jackson and Visser, the Dutch-born flyer almost opened his RBS 6 Nations account after just two minutes.
Laidaw kicked over the top and Visser looked certain to run onto the ball, gather and score, only for the bounce to get the better of him and let Italy off the hook.
Italy, buoyed by last week's performance, continued to show ambition however and they earned themselves the chance to take the lead on seven minutes when Scotland lock Jim Hamilton was penalised for coming in at the side.
Orquera, the hero against the French, was wayward with his kick however and he struck the upright from 40 metres out.
Scotland began to exert more influence on proceedings as the half wore on - their physicality which was perhaps found wanting against England, giving Laidlaw the platform to orchestrate proceedings.
And it was Laidlaw who opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Italy hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini was pinged for slowing the ball down - the scrum-half making no mistake with the penalty.
Laidlaw then doubled Scotland's advantage on 24 minutes when Andrea Lo Cicero, winning his 100th cap, was penalised for bringing a maul down.
With the wind in their sails, Scotland almost scored the first try of the match on 28 minutes when Giovanbattista Venditti completely missed a clearance kick but Tobias Botes scampered back to foil Scott just short of the try-line.
A minute later however, Visser made the breakthrough in the left-hand corner after Jackson cut inside and fed the Edinburgh winger who danced over the line for his fifth try in seven internationals.
Laidlaw added the extras but back came Italy to at least open their account just before half-time, this time Orquera hitting the target after Scotland were penalised for not rolling away.
Leading 13-3 at the interval, it didn't take Scotland long to extend their advantage and this time Scott was not to be denied.
Following a lineout on the right, Sean Maitland, off his right wing, made the initial break and offloaded to centre Scott who burst clear before Laidlaw was again on target with the conversion for a 20-3 lead.
Italy tried to rally and looked certain to get a try of their own soon after with Andrea Masi making the break and finding Orquera inside.
Tommaso Benvenuti was inside and would have had the simplest of touchdowns had Hogg not read the pass, intercepted and sprinted all of 80 metres to add to his fine try against England last weekend, Laidlaw again adding the conversion.
Again Italy responded and earned themselves a scrum just short of the Scotland line in the centre of the pitch but Scotland held firm and won the penalty - summing up the Azzurri's day.
With 15 minutes remaining, Maitland and Scott combined again with the latter dotting down in the corner, only for referee Jaco Peyper to rule that the Kiwi-born winger's pass was forward.
But Scotland had their fourth try of the match when Scott's midfield partner Lamont snaffled a loose ball and streaked through a gaping hole in the Italian defence to score just his second try in his last 43 internationals.
Laidlaw continued his fine match with another conversion before Italy, with six minutes remaining, finally made one of their scrums count - Sergio Parisse with the inside pass to Alessandro Zanni who surged over before replacement fly-half Kris Burton converted.
Geoff Cross was sin-binned in injury time for the Scots but nothing could take the gloss of their success.
Source: http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/matchcentre/22132.php
With Scotland defeated Italy, it seems that the Welsh rugby team, the WRU, is not giving up without a bloody good fight against FFR from France. In fact, Wales beat France by the score of 16 to 6, making it a first win in nine matches for Wales in Six Nations history. Nice job Wales, we're all rooting for you!
PRESS RELEASE:
North gets Wales back to winning ways
George North's late try, following a moment of magic from Dan Biggar, handed Wales a nail-biting 16-6 RBS 6 Nations victory over France in Paris.
With the scores locked at 6-6 with just eight minutes to go, Biggar chipped in behind and North, who until that stage had seen very little possession, raced onto the ball and dotted down.
It was a first win in nine matches for Wales, a first for Rob Howley as interim coach, a first of the 2013 RBS 6 Nations for the defending champions and a first since completing the Grand Slam last season, against France in Cardiff.
France, on the other hand, who again failed to rediscover their autumn form that eluded them against Italy in Rome last week, have now gone five RBS 6 Nations matches without a victory.
A scrappy opening saw both sides waste the few chances they had, with defences on top and both teams tentative following defeats last weekend.
Toby Faletau knocked on with Wales well-placed in the France 22 while les Bleus captain Thierry Dusautoir followed suit for the hosts soon after.
Wales then enjoyed a brief period of sustained pressure in the France half but errors crept in at the vital moments - Biggar's short pass to Jamie Roberts was knocked on as the score remained pointless.
Biggar then attempted a drop goal from out on the right but the effort fell well short before France opened the scoring on 14 minutes with a Frederic Michalak penalty after Wales were called up for bringing the scrum down.
Leigh Halfpenny responded in kind just three minutes later however with France penalised for being offside but France's best chance of a first-half try came on 20 minutes.
Yoann Huget made the initial break down the left and after a few more phases and some quick hands from Michalak and Dusautoir, the full-back was back on the ball on the right.
With Wesley Fofana free outside him a try looked certain but Huget was unable to get the ball away and some fine Wales defence kept France at bay.
It was the story of the half with Wales able to nullify the French as they grew into the game, aided by some superb clearance kicking from Halfpenny, Biggar and Jonathan Davies.
And while Wales regained the upper hand in the closing stages of the first half, they were unable to break the gain line with Mathieu Bastareaud in particular putting in some bruising tackles whenever the Red Dragons stepped on the offensive.
France made a change at half-time time with Francois Trinh-Duc replacing Benjamin Fall - the replacement slotting in at full-back and Huget moving to the wing.
But it was Wales who made the first telling contribution of the second half, Mike Phillips bursting through the French line and galloping forward before France conceded a penalty in front of the posts on 43 minutes after Yoann Maestri went in off his feet.
Halfpenny duly converted to had his side a 6-3 lead before France wasted a good chance to retake the lead soon after.
Biggar kicked straight to touch having taken the ball back into his 22 and from the resulting lineout, France moved to within just a few metres from the Welsh line.
They took the conservative option however as Trinh-Duc went for the drop goal, only to see his effort drift wide.
France did level the scores on 53 minutes though, as Michalak notched his second three-pointer after a series of reset scrums resulted in a penalty for les Bleus.
The impressive Ryan Jones won Wales possession in the French half and while they temporarily relinquished it, a rare break from North put them back on the front foot, only for a poor Phillips kick to see the opportunity disappear.
France were enjoying the upper hand in the scrum and threatened to take a decisive lead with 13 minutes to go, but the Welsh pack held firm to keep the hosts at bay.
But then, on 72 minutes, came the decisive moment of the match. Replacement scrum-half Lloyd Williams fed Biggar, whose delicate touch with boot handed North the perfect chance for his 12th try for Wales.
Halfpenny booted a superb conversion and then added a long-range penalty on 75 minutes to give Wales some welcome breathing space.
France desperately went in search of the score that would get them back into the match but the Welsh defence, impressive all game, stood firm to seal a first win in Paris since the 2005 Grand Slam.
Source: http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/matchcentre/22140.php
Stay tuned for Ireland vs. England later...
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