Wales v Scotland, Six Nations 2024 preview: Lineups, where to watch and more
Plus: where the match is taking place, who is the referee, latest news and odds – and what happened when these sides last met
Wales start their Guinness Six Nations campaign with a home match against Scotland in Cardiff, which, since 2018, also earns the winner the Doddie Weir Cup.
Warren Gatland begins the second Six Nations of his comeback stint as Wales’ head coach with the visit of Gregor Townsend’s side and should feel pretty confident in the Welsh capital where they have not lost to the Scots since 2002, Scotland’s sole away victory in this fixture in this tournament coming four years ago in Llanelli during the Covid-19 pandemic.
When is Wales v Scotland?
The match is on Saturday, Feb 3 and is scheduled to kick off at 4.45pm GMT.
Where is Wales v Scotland?
Wales and Scotland take each other on at Principality Stadium, formerly known as the Millennium Stadium, in Cardiff where they have won 12 and lost only once to the Scots since the ground was opened for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. The 73,931-seater stadium has a retractable roof that can be closed if heavy rain is threatened but only if both sides agree. Given that the noise and fervour of the home fans only intensify when it is shut, this is unliklely to happen barring a vicious storm.
How to watch Wales v Scotland on TV
The match will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with coverage due to start at 4pm, or you can listen onBBC Radio 5 Sports Extra or via BBC Sounds.
Who is the referee?
The match will be refereed by Ben O’Keeffe from New Zealand, who took the whistle for England v France in last year’s SIx Nations and both France’s and England’s defeats by South Africa in the knockout stages of last year’s World Cup..
How to get tickets to Wales v Scotland
Ground tickets have long since sold out from the unions though a few hospitality packages remain available on the Welsh Rugby Union website for a high, three-figure sum. Re-sale sites also claim to have tickets at eyewatering prices but please only proceed with extreme caution.
What is the latest news?
Wales, once again, in a rebuilding phase are going into the tournament without Taulupe Faletau, Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake, who are all injured, Louis Rees-Zammit, who has joined the NFL’s development programme, the recently retired Leigh Halfpenny and Dan Biggar while Liam Williams is playing in Japan. Consequently Gatland has named five uncapped players in his squad and appointed the 21-year-old Dafydd Jenkins as captain.
Townsend will not be able to call on second row Grant Gilchrist against Wales after he was suspended for a week following his red card for two dangerous tackles during Edinburgh’s Challenge Cup match at Scarlets. Townsend, who has yet to appoint a matchday captain having decided to name Rory Darge and Finn Russell as the squad’s co-captains, has called up four uncapped players to a generally familar selection: props Alec Hepburn and Will Hurd, wing Arron Reed and wing/full-back Harry Paterson.
When did Wales and Scotland last win the Six Nations?
Wales won the last of Warren Gatland’s three Grand Slams in 2019, the last of his four championships in total to date. Scotland have not won the title this century but won the final Five Nations championship in 1999 but you have to go nine years further back for their last Grand Slam and Triple Crown.
What was the score last year?
Scotland hammered Wales 35-7 in last year’s match at Murrayfield, wing Kyle Steyn scoring two of the home side’s five tries. That defeat was one of four suffered by Wales in the 2023 tournament but they did manage to beat Italy to save themselves from the Wooden Spoon while Scotland would finish third, beaten only by runners-up France and Grand Slam winners Ireland.
