Scotland ‘did not execute in the big moments’ during latest loss in Cardiff

Gregor Townsend bemoaned Scotland’s failure to take advantage of “big moments” as their Six Nations hoodoo in Cardiff continued.

Scotland are without a Cardiff win since 2002 and have rarely come closer to victory over the past two decades than on Saturday as Wales closed out a tense 20-17 victory at the Principality Stadium.

Wales captain Dan Biggar celebrated his 100th Test appearance with a decisive drop goal 10 minutes from time as Scotland failed to build on their opening Calcutta Cup victory over England.

Head coach Townsend said: “The obvious emotion in the changing room is disappointment. It’s going to be with the standards we set ourselves.

“You only get five games in the Six Nations, so it’s going to have a negative effect on your chances of winning the tournament.

“There were big moments in the second half that we did not execute.

“We gave penalties to the opposition so we did not control that second half.”

Scotland recovered from an early six-point deficit to lead 11-6 and 14-9 before half-time.

But Wales were level at the interval and bounced back from their opening defeat to Ireland in Dublin as Biggar’s boot overturned a 17-14 disadvantage.

Townsend, whose side were reduced to 14 men late on when outside-half Finn Russell was sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, said: “After we went ahead on the scoreboard we needed to kick on, and we weren’t able to do that.

“We should have taken the game to the opposition and been more accurate than we were during that period.

“We did well in the period when we were a man down.

“But the clock was ticking down and it was hard to make use of that final possession when we were in our half.

“There wasn’t a huge amount of difference really in the two performances.