Warren Gatland: Wales coach looks to build on perfect 10 against Scotland
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Scotland captain Greig Laidlaw and Wales skipper Alun Wyn Jones were team-mates on the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in 2017
Six Nations: Scotland v Wales |
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Venue: Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Date: Saturday, 9 March Kick-off: 14:15 GMT |
Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app, plus live text commentary online. |
Wales coach Warren Gatland will be looking to build on his perfect 10 record against Scotland when his Grand Slam-chasing side travel to Murrayfield this Saturday.
Wales will be hoping to maintain their unbeaten record in the 2019 tournament to set up a high-stakes finale against defending champions Ireland on 16 March in Cardiff.
Scotland has proved a happy hunting ground for Gatland. Since taking over for his first game in February 2008, the New Zealander has never lost to Scotland when in charge of Wales.
Ten games, 10 victories is a pretty impressive return, with nine Six Nations triumphs and a friendly win over Scotland in the 2018 autumn series.
Wales have lost one match against Scotland in Gatland era but the 2017 defeat at Murrayfield was when Rob Howley was in caretaker charge with Gatland away on British and Irish Lions duty.
Howley has said that defeat is etched in Wales' minds ahead of this weekend's trip.
BBC Sport Wales looks back at five of those memorable wins against Scotland as Gatland's side again look for inspiration in Edinburgh.
2009: Scotland 13-26 Wales
Jamie Roberts partnered Tom Shanklin in the Wales midfield against Scotland in 2009
It was a first-half performance former England and British and Irish Lions centre Jeremy Guscott described as "perfect rugby".
Wales even overcame the blow of losing captain Ryan Jones in the run-up to the game after he failed a fitness test on a calf strain. Dafydd Jones started the game on the blind-side flank with Martyn Williams taking over the captaincy.
Jamie Roberts, starting in his first tournament game at centre, caused havoc as he tormented the Scotland midfield defence.
Wales claimed two of their four tries via Tom Shanklin and Alun Wyn Jones in a devastating eight-minute first-half spell with Scotland reduced to 14 men.
Leigh Halfpenny and Shane Williams added further Welsh scores before a Max Evans try sparked a late home rally.
2010: Wales 31-24 Scotland
Shane Williams dives over to score the winning try against Scotland in 2010
You will struggle to find a more dramatic finish to a game in the Gatland era than the win over Scotland in Cardiff nine years ago when Shane Williams dived over with a last-gasp try.
Scotland looked as if they would claim victory in Cardiff for the first time since 2002 as John Barclay and Max Evans crossed in a breathless first 20 minutes.
Fly-half Dan Parks produced an inspired individual display but Scotland finished with two men in the sin-bin as Wales hit back with Lee Byrne and Leigh Halfpenny tries.
Stephen Jones levelled the game with a 79th-minute penalty, then Williams went under the posts for a famous victory from a length of the field try as Wales capitalised on their numerical advantage.
The post-match celebrations started in earnest and finished with Andy Powell infamously taking a golf buggy down the M4 in the early hours of Sunday morning.
2014: Wales 51-3 Scotland
Liam Williams dives over to score Wales' first try in 2014
Wales eased to what was then their biggest Six Nations win - and handed Scotland their record defeat in the Championship in the process - as they ran in seven tries against a visiting side reduced to 14 men when Stuart Hogg was red-carded.
The Scotland full-back was dismissed in the 22nd minute for a late shoulder charge on Wales fly-half Dan Biggar, with the hosts leading 10-3 at that point.
Referee Jerome Garces initially showed Hogg a yellow card, but changed it to a straight red after watching a replay on the stadium big screen.
Wales clinically exploited the extra man with tries by George North (2), Jamie Roberts (2), Taulupe Faletau, Liam Williams and Rhodri Williams.
2018: Wales 34-7 Scotland
Six Nations 2018: Warren Gatland had feeling Wales would 'batter' Scotland
"I thought we would batter them".
That was what Gatland said after watching his Wales side open their Six Nations campaign with an emphatic victory over a much-fancied Scotland side.
The home team rocked Gregor Townsend's side with early tries by Gareth Davies and Leigh Halfpenny.
After the break, Halfpenny completed a 24-point haul with two penalties and a second try before Steff Evans dived over for the bonus-point score.
The visitors only managed a 79th-minute try through Peter Horne.
It was a day of milestones as Gatland claimed his 50th win as Wales coach in a match that marked the 10th anniversary of his first match in charge. It was also Wales' 50th win in the expanded Six Nations tournament.
2018: Wales 21-10 Scotland
George North, Luke Morgan and Gareth Anscombe celebrate Jonathan Davies' try against Scotland in November 2018
In the only Wales-Scotland match outside the Six Nations calendar under Gatland's reign, the hosts claimed the win as Scotland's miserable run in Cardiff continued.
The autumn Test had raised eyebrows when it was announced because it was only the second time in 124 meetings Wales and Scotland played each other outside of the Five or Six Nations.
The two nations competed for the Doddie Weir Cup with the former Scotland and Lions second row suffering from motor neurone disease.
Wales claimed the spoils with tries from North and Jonathan Davies, complemented by 11 points from the boot of Leigh Halfpenny.
Scotland responded with a try from hooker and captain Stuart McInally, but were left to rue poor midfield defence and discipline.
