At noon on Saturday, Finn Russell was seated by sipping a latte in a cafe on the hotel on rue George d’Edinburgh, a relaxing photo before a six -nations confrontation.
Russell is one of the coolest rugby customers and a few hours later, he pulled the strings to relieve the pressure on the Scottish coach Gregor Townsend and deepen Welsh misery.
The star playmaker of Scotland and Townsend have experienced their moments over the years. But after the defeats against Ireland and England, the hopes of a title offer before even starting, Townsend would have been grateful to Russell for having orchestrated this victory.
It should have been much more unilateral and it would have been without a rally at the end of Wales and a significant Scottish fall. Russell always seems to save his best for Wales.
It is particularly regrettable for those of a Welsh persuasion. Red supporters have traveled in large numbers in Edinburgh.
But after showing a real promise in their defeat against Ireland, it provided a dose of reality for Wales and their interim coach Matt Sherratt, even if they have never stopped trying.
Blair Kinghorn was strongly involved while Scotland won 35-27 against Wales in the Six Nations
Darcy Graham obtains a test for Scotland under pressure from Blair Murray in Wales
Tom Jordan d’Ecosse tries to move away from Gareth Anscomb from Wales
Wales has sent four trials in the first half and their test without victory is now at 16 games. Their defense was imbued too easily in the first half here.
Before this match, the deputy coach of Wales, Adam Jones, said that all the pressure was on Scotland and that he was not wrong in this evaluation. Saturday was Jones’ birthday.
But it is not the one he will remember too affectionately.
Russell received an armchair stroll. Scotland flats to deceive too often and can never seem to compete for the championship crown despite a golden generation of players. But there is no doubt that when they arrive on the front foot, they have a fleet of feet of attackers who can cause real problems. One side of the current Wales status could simply not stop them.
It finished a miserable weekend for Welsh rugby in Edinburgh because their under 20s were also surprisingly beaten by Scotland Friday evening.
Wales has moved into an immediate advance, Gareth Anscombe nailing a penalty after Jamie Ritchie was penalized during an exit line. But it was almost as good as for them. Scotland responded immediately to take control and had a bonus enveloped point at halftime.
The Townsend team scored with their first attack. Russell went this way, putting blue shirts in space. The match of match Blair Kinghorn finished in the area.
The position on Scotland’s field for the test occurred after the kick authorization of Tomos Williams was slightly deflected. Russell has nailed difficult conversion.
Jarrod Evans marks a conversion for Wales during the defeat of his team against Scotland
Kyle Rowe in Scotland is discussed by Dafydd Jenkins of Wales during the confrontation of the Six Nations
Wales lost the Tom Rogers wing to an assessment of head injuries and quickly conceded again. The Scottish wing of the obstacle Duhan van der Merwe raised the shoulders of the Ellis mee recruit, sending Huw Jones Clear.
The partner of the Jones center, Tom Jordan in Bristol, had the easiest finishes.
The Scottish wing returned Darcy Graham had a living start and was strongly involved in the opening of Kinghorn after missing the Calcutta Cup defeat due to a head injury.
Wales was subject to high pressure and had a deficit in the early dashboard to manage.
Captain Jac Morgan relieved part of the heat with a tear and a start -up, then two victories on the breakdown penalty.
Morgan managed a Welsh team in difficulty with Aplomb in these six nations and must be part of the Lions tour in Australia this summer, even if he plays in a very competitive position.
Morgan’s interventions were crucial. Because they gave his team a platform to attack from which, from nowhere, Anscombe kicked Blair Murray who marked.
Anscombe’s conversion has come out of the amount. Russell didn’t have that.
Finn Russell made five conversions by helping Scotland overcome Wales
There was frustration for the temporary coach of Wales Matt Sherratt while his teams were beaten
His delicious and delayed pass has set its opposite Anscombe number and sent Graham for a third after a Ben White Snipe. Wales then imploded, the game moved away from them in a few minutes. First, their accessory Willgriff John was made of yellow card.
Then, in the depths of their own 22, the Wales country overestimated in a criminal and terminal way. Ben Thomas tried to kick Murray. It was too long, forcing Murray to jump for collection.
Murray threw the ball inside, Thomas could not sweep and Jordan received a second on a plate. It was a eccentric partition to concede internationally.
After being rightly criticized for missing conversions that cost Scotland against England, Russell struck the money, finishing the first half with a perfect kick record.
Wales was never going to return 20 points to the break. They conceded seven penalties in the first half. And their only chance to save what was another poor championship is comfortable for the old rivals of England on Saturday. Losing this and Wales will have finished at the bottom of the six nations and without victory in the past two years.
Such a statistic would reflect the fall in the grace of a proud rugby nation.
Kinghorn, who ruled the sky and was exceptional throughout, made five with his second when the match resumed.
Kinghorn should be another certainty of the Lions. Assistance?
Max Llewellyn was discouraged at the final whistle, the race without victory of Wales continuing
Mee, Blair Murray and Rhodri Williams of Wales express their frustration after the defeat
Well, of course, it came from Russell. With the match won, Russell began to travel his full attack game book. A long pass to Graham attracted weights of admiration for the crowd.
Wales did not want it to end in embarrassment. Their emblematic n ° 8 Taulupe Falestau picked up a Scottish kick and loaded forward, tightening white destructive.
On the hour, perhaps with the boredom that sets up, some Scottish fans lit the stadium with the torches on their phones.
But if one of them drowned, they were quickly woken up by the center of Wales, Ben Thomas, crash.
Replacement of Wales 10 Jarrod Evans converted. Townsend replied by withdrawing Russell, wrapping him in cotton with next Saturday’s trip to the Champions, elected France, but with him on the ground, Scotland did not keep the hammer.
On the basis of France 42-27, the hammering of Ireland in Dublin, Scotland will have work to do in Paris, even if the Blues are likely to be without Antoine Dupont wounded.
The analysis of the challenge against Wales and France is like comparing chalk with cheese. The atmosphere in the last 15 minutes was as flat as a pancake.
With the match decided for a long time, Scotland was guilty of having authorized Wales and possession. Not that it matters in the great scheme of things.
The two teams also struck the changes that did not help Scotland continuity. But it was a missed chance for the Townsend team to seal a record victory over Wales.
Their best previous was the success in 2023 of 35-7. The overrun that looked at nearly some at the start of the second half, but Scotland left its foot off the gas. They cannot do this against France.
Replacement Welsh Lock Teddy Williams reached the line after powerful transport to draw a third for visitors to Sherratt. Evans has again improved effort.
The fact that Wales did not throw in the towel is something for them to hang on to England in mind. But really, the nature of the final score has flattered those in red.
Murray had a moment of madness in the first half, although there is a Welsh source of hope. He thought he had obtained the country from Wales a bonus point for four trials when he failed and sent Faletau. But Italian referee Andrea Piardi checked the scoring and Murray was tried over the Scottish replacement propeller will Hurd and the test was excluded.
Wales, however, returned home with something. The nature of the last quarter of Scotland would surely have left Townsend very disappointed.
Scotland took five points and rightly so, but the defense of Wales in the last pangs was impressive when they retained the late pressure.
And when they stole possession, the replacement of Rogers Joe Roberts ran in the left wing.
From there, the giant center of Wales Max Llewellyn did the rest by ensuring that they had the last laugh.