Scotland’s Hamish Watson presents ‘massive challenge’ to Wales, says Wayne Pivac

Wales boss Wayne Pivac has described Scotland flanker Hamish Watson as “a fantastic rugby player” ahead of an intriguing back-row battle in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash.

Watson, last season’s Six Nations player of the tournament and a British and Irish Lion in South Africa, will be part of a Scotland team chasing a first victory in Cardiff since 2002.

And he will encounter a reshaped Wales breakaway trio that includes two openside specialists in Taine Basham and new cap Jac Morgan.

“It is a massive challenge, isn’t it?” Wales head coach Pivac said.

“Hamish Watson is a fantastic rugby player and has been at the top of his game for a number of years.

“No matter who we have put out over the last couple of years, Watson has been right in the thick of a Scotland-Wales game.

“It will be a big test for young Jac, but one I know he and we are looking forward to.”

The teams meet following contrasting opening-weekend displays, with Wales soundly beaten by Ireland in Dublin and Scotland jubilant after an impressive Calcutta Cup victory over England.

“Clearly, we weren’t happy with last week and we don’t want to go away having the same conversation two weeks in a row,” Pivac added.

“Each individual player has worked really hard in the week and is prepared to go that extra mile.

“We are going to need the crowd behind us, and it is a big help which lifts the players. We are expecting a better performance, and we will have to wait until Saturday to see if it is big enough.

“The players are certainly motivated to put that performance behind them. They know they have to work hard, and they have worked hard to improve the areas we need to.

“That is why we haven’t made wholesale changes, because we know a lot of the players – who