Scotland v Wales match preview, coverage & stats

Guinness Men's Six Nations: Scotland v Wales

Venue: Murrayfield Date: Saturday, 8 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMT

Coverage: Watch live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer; listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, BBC Radio Scotland, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & BBC Sounds; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app

Overview

Both Scotland and Wales lost in round three of the Six Nations, but the nature of each defeat was contrasting.

Wales suffered a 15th straight loss, but rattled defending champions Ireland with a vibrant performance in interim coach Matt Sherratt's first match in charge that was completely at odds with their displays under Warren Gatland.

Scotland are still smarting from their loss at Twickenham that was more to do with their own wastefulness than English brilliance.

Gregor Townsend's side are not yet mathematically out of the title race, but with just one win from three are yet again facing the reality of another mid-table finish, despite a squad containing a host of world-class backs.

Scotland team news

Winger Darcy Graham returns to the Scotland side having missed the match with England with concussion and replaces Glasgow Warriors' Kyle Rowe, who drops to the bench.

Prop Rory Sutherland has recovered from the back spasm that forced him out before kick-off against England to take his place amongst the replacements. Centre Huw Jones came off with a tight Achilles at Twickenham but is also fit.

Scotland: 15-Kinghorn; 14-Graham, 13-Jones, 12-Jordan, 11-Van der Merwe; 10- Russell (co-capt), 9-White; 1-Schoeman, 2-Cherry, 3-Z. Fagerson, 4-Gray; 5-Gilchrist, 6-Ritchie, 7-Darge (co-capt), 8-Dempsey.

Replacements: 16-Ashman, 17-Sutherland, 18-Hurd, 19-Brown, 20-M Fagerson, 21-Horne, 22-McDowall, 23-Rowe

Wales team news

Interim head coach Matt Sherratt has named Wales' first unchanged team since the 2019 World Cup as he retains the same XV that narrowly lost to Ireland.

Dewi Lake comes on to the bench having recovered from bicep surgery and will hope to make his first Six Nations appearance since 2022. Another front row change among the replacements sees prop Keiron Assiratti replace Henry Thomas.

Wales: 15-Murray, 14- Rogers, 13-Llewellyn, 12-B Thomas, 11-Mee; 10-Anscombe, 9-T Williams; 1-N Smith, 2-Dee, 3-John, 4-Rowlands, 5-Jenkins, 6-Morgan (capt), 7-Reffell, 8-Faletau.

Replacements: 16-D Lake, 17-G Thomas, 18-K Assiratti, 19-Teddy Williams, 20-Wainwright, 21- R Williams, 22-J Evans, 23-Roberts.

View from both camps

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend: "We've got two games to go. We don't know where that's going to leave us at the end of the competition if we did manage to get two wins, but there's a lot to play for.

"There's a higher-up place on the table, but also our own performances, how we worked during the week to produce a performance that we're proud of, that makes our supporters proud, but also to earn that winning feeling.

"We were close at Twickenham and that fuels the motivation to do better next game."

Wales interim head coach Matt Sherratt: "This week we've challenged ourselves to keep improving. We want to keep the same intent and bravery as we showed last time out, but making sure that we are building on our game.

"We're excited for the challenge of playing Scotland in Edinburgh and can't wait to get out there on Saturday."

Commentator's notes

Andrew Cotter: Defeats don't often lift a nation, but such was Wales' performance against Ireland that there is hope at last and coach Matt Sherratt has gone for the same starting 15 - something which hasn't been done by a Welsh coach since 2019.

Above all he'll be glad that stand-off Gareth Anscombe is clear to play after his HIA during the Ireland game.

The only change for the home side is the return of Darcy Graham on the wing, in what is once again a line-up full of attacking threat, but Scotland fans desperately want victories rather than entertainment.

One question is whether Wales can expose Scotland's relative lack of power as others have been able to do. Last time Wales came to Murrayfield it ended in a record Scottish victory - expect it to be far closer this time.

Match facts

Head-to-head

• Scotland are aiming to record three straight wins against Wales for the first time since the 1989-1991 Five Nations.

• Scotland's 35-7 victory in their last meeting with Wales at Murrayfield was their biggest winning margin in the 142-year history of this fixture and their highest total since a 35-10 win in 1924.

• The Welsh have won 13 of their last 17 Six Nations Tests against the Scots.

Scotland

• Scotland are looking to avoid losing consecutive home games in the Six Nations for the first time since 2021 when they were beaten by Wales and then Ireland.

• Finn Russell missed three conversions against England and his kicking success for this tournament stands at just 38% (three of eight kicks made), last year it was 96% (22 of 23).

• Rory Darge is the only player to attend 100 or more attacking rucks (112) in this Six Nations.

• Blair Kinghorn has made the most carries (58) and had more metres gained (371) after three rounds.

• Scrum-half Ben White is the first Scotsman to score a try in the first three rounds of a Six Nations.

Wales

• Wales have lost nine successive Six Nations games for the first time. Their average margin of defeat in this run is 14 points, although three of their last four losses have come by single-digit margins.

• The Welsh are aiming to avoid joining Italy as the only tier one team to have lost 16 successive Test matches in the professional era.

• Their tally of 33 defenders beaten against Ireland was their most ever in a Six Nations match and one more than they managed in their opening two games combined.

• Jac Morgan has the most post-contact metres (119) of any forward in the Championship.