ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
REGISTER
LOGIN
ADVERTISEMENT
RugbyDump
Friday Oct 30, 2020

5 talking points ahead of the Six Nations clash between Wales and Scotland

Wales and Scotland meet at Llanelli as their Guinness Six Nations campaigns finally come to a conclusion on Saturday. Here is a quick look at some of the main talking points ahead of the game.

Take a bow Alun Wyn Jones

Much of the rugby world was not even looking when Alun Wyn Jones made his Wales debut on June 11, 2006. It came in the Patagonian outpost of Puerto Madryn nearly 7,500 miles from Cardiff, with a 20-year-old Jones filling an unfamiliar role as a blindside flanker.

ADVERTISEMENT

Over 14 years later and lock forward Jones has secured his place in rugby history, this colossus for Wales and the British Lions setting a new world record for Test appearances with his 149th cap (surpassing Richie McCaw).

Pivac under pressure

The days of Grand Slams, Six Nations titles and World Cup semi-final appearances under Warren Gatland have become a distant memory at the beginning of Wayne Pivac’s Wales tenure. The former New Zealand policeman has won only two of his six games in charge, against the Barbarians and Italy.

Wales have conceded an alarming 15 tries in four successive defeats and Pivac needs a win to stop the grumblings turning into something louder.

The new Shane

Rookie flanker Shane Lewis-Hughes has plenty to live up to even before striding out to win his first cap. As well as sharing the same Christian name as Shane Williams, Wales’ record try scorer, head coach Pivac has compared the Cardiff Blues blindside’s work ethic to skipper Alun Wyn Jones.

High praise, indeed, for a 23-year-old who was originally called into the squad as injury cover but now has the chance to shine on the Six Nations stage.

Flowering Scotland

Scotland have not won in Wales since 2002 when Sir Ian McGeechan’s side staged a late Cardiff show to triumph 27-22. But Scotland travel south with genuine optimism this time after building on Six Nations wins over Italy and France in the spring with a 48-7 Murrayfield thumping of Georgia last week.

Captain Stuart Hogg and second-row forward Jonny Gray are also back after their double-winning exploits with Exeter to bolster Scotland.

Flying Finn

Scotland are in a good place – and so too is the relationship between Finn Russell and Gregor Townsend. Racing 92 star Russell had not featured when the Six Nations was put on hold by the coronavirus crisis after breaching team discipline with a late-night drinking session ahead of their opener with Ireland.

Russell then detailed the breakdown in his relationship with head coach Townsend in a newspaper interview. But the pair have patched up their differences and Russell, who came off the bench against Georgia to win his 50th cap, replaces Adam Hastings with a point to prove.

– PA

ADVERTISEMENT

RELATED VIEWING:

Video Spacer

Related Articles

  • 43 WEEKS AGO

    Ellis Genge puts on his boxing gloves ready...

  • 43 WEEKS AGO

    Crazy scenes as player deliberately kicks...

  • 44 WEEKS AGO

    RFU make decision on transgender players...



ADVERTISEMENT

Great Tries

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Springbok winger with the most athletic non-try of the season

  • 5 DAYS AGO

    Jack Crowley drops the ball on dime for brilliant Munster try in URC Final

  • 6 DAYS AGO

    WATCH: World class offload from James O’Connor Leads To Long Range Reds Try

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Leinster up and running with two incredible tries inside the first five minutes

  • 3 WEEKS AGO

    Chiefs Score The “Best Team Try” In Super Rugby History

View All

Big Hits & Dirty Play

  • 1 DAY AGO

    Heroic tackle from Spanish 7s player goes viral

  • 1 DAY AGO

    No sanction handed down by SANZAAR for tackle that left Reds player with a fractured neck

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Watch: Cheslin Kolbe Dominates Sebastian Cancelliere with back-to-back big tackles

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Ben Curry's World Cup hopes dashed as he becomes the latest victim of the crocodile roll

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    Australian rugby player banned for 5 years after assaulting referee

View All

See It To Believe It

  • 3 DAYS AGO

    Barbarians Vs World XV highlights

  • 8 WEEKS AGO

    Silly Skill From Toulouse Fullback Highlights French Confidence

  • 15 WEEKS AGO

    Ardie Savea Moment Of Magic In Super Rugby Aotearoa

  • 15 WEEKS AGO

    'Armchair athletes' berate Arundell's seriously impressive bench press

  • 16 WEEKS AGO

    Worcester Warriors - The End

View All

Funnies

  • 0 HOUR AGO

    Mack Hansen gets Andy Farrell’s face tattooed on leg

  • 2 DAYS AGO

    "Hey Manie oh ah I wanna know if I can block that kick" – Munster's hilarious new song

  • 3 DAYS AGO

    Munster Rugby loving life in Cape Town Following URC Final Victory

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    WATCH: La Rochelle Players Gate Crash O’Gara Interview

  • 2 WEEKS AGO

    WATCH: Stade Rochelais Coaches With All-Time Coaches Box Celebration

View All

Amateur

  • 20 WEEKS AGO

    You Won’t See Many Better Than This Silky-Smooth Try From Llandovery RFC

  • 20 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes As Caldy RFC Hand Ealing First Championship Defeat Of The Season

  • 43 WEEKS AGO

    Dubious Score Decides Result Of Rugby's Biggest Schools Fixture

  • 43 WEEKS AGO

    Incredible Scenes At School Boys Rugby Match

  • 44 WEEKS AGO

    The Next Dominant Backrow?

View All

Player Features

  • 0 HOUR AGO

    Mack Hansen gets Andy Farrell’s face tattooed on leg

  • 1 DAY AGO

    French international receives prison sentence for attack on wife

  • 5 DAYS AGO

    John Afoa breaks record on return to Super Rugby

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Harry Potter to ‘disapparate’ to Australia

  • 1 WEEK AGO

    Steve Hansen makes statement following Folau selection

View All