Gregor Townsend’s side aim for another win – Wales v Scotland talking points

Wales and Scotland meet on Saturday in a game crucial to both countries’ Guinness Six Nations title aspirations.

Defending champions Wales cannot afford another defeat after being beaten by Ireland last weekend, while Scotland will target further success following an impressive Calcutta Cup win against England.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some key talking points heading into the Principality Stadium encounter.

It is 15 years since Wales lost their opening two games of a Six Nations campaign, but an in-form Scotland are tipped by many to inflict further misery on Wayne Pivac’s team after a dismal 29-7 defeat in Ireland last weekend. Wales simply must deliver a response, or any hope of them mounting a meaningful title defence will effectively disappear without trace. Head coach Pivac has credit in the bank following last season’s tournament triumph, and injuries to several key players have not helped him this term, but Wales were abject in Dublin, and a 74,000-capacity Principality Stadium crowd will expect a huge improvement.

Brendan Laney and Duncan Hodge kicked injury-time penalties to give Scotland a 27-22 victory in the Welsh capital on April 6, 2002 – and they have not won there since. Eight successive Six Nations defeats, a World Cup warm-up loss and an autumn international reversal – with a total of 251 points conceded – add up to a lengthy tale of woe. Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend was fly-half when Wales were defeated in just the third season of Six Nations rugby, with his team-mates including skipper Bryan Redpath, wing Kenny Logan and number eight Simon Taylor. Current form suggests a repeat outcome is on the cards.

Scotland’s fly-half magician does not require a second invitation to cast his spell