Scotland captain Finn Russell didn't hold back with his assessment of his teammates after his side held out despite a stunning second-half comeback from Wales.
The Scots swiftly secured a commanding 27-0 lead within 43 minutes, courtesy of two tries by Duhan van Der Merwe, a score from Pierre Schoeman, and 12 points contributed by Finn Russell.
Despite Wales staging a remarkable second-half comeback with tries from James Botham, Rio Dyer, Aaron Wainwright, and Alex Mann, Scotland ultimately sealed the victory with a one-point advantage.
Russell in his post match interview with BBC was brutally honest, saying teammates ignored his and the coaches instructions.
He said the individual's needed to have a look at themselves following the narrow win.
Russell began: "We're probably a little bit disappointed, to be honest. The win is brilliant, but I think that second half was nowhere near where it needed to be.
"In the first half we played well and controlled the game. In the second half, our discipline was poor with two yellow cards, and that allowed them back into the game...
"When we scored that try early in the second half we probably got a little bit complacent, to be honest. We probably thought the game is done, but there's still a long way to go, especially away from home...
"The frustrating thing for me was that the points I was making, they weren't being listened to.
"One of my main ones was to leave the ruck and we kept going into the ruck. We got a yellow card for going into the ruck too many times, a yellow card for offside.
"That's something we will have to review as a team. When we are getting messages from the coaches or from the players, we need to listen to it.
"If the message is 'leave the ball' and we are still going for it, then the individuals that are going for it need to look at they're game and that they're putting us under pressure.
"One fan wrote: "Great post match comments. You’ve really matured into a first class captain."
SOCIAL REACTION:
A second commented: "A refreshingly honest and enlightening post-match interview with FinnRussell, not only an asset on pitch."
Another said: Telling, and absolutely correct, post-match interview from FinnRussell. Incredible lack of discipline and streetsmarts in that mad second half. Infringement flow will make for grim reading."
Five players who flopped in the opening round: 2024 Six Nations
We take a look at five players who failed to perform in the opening round of the 2024 Six Nations.
#1. Paul Willemse (France)
Rugby Pass 1/10: "Got one point for running onto the pitch because after that it was a disaster for the lock forward. Lucky to get a yellow for his hit on Andrew Porter, he didn’t learn his lesson after 10 minutes contemplation and another hit to the head of an opponent, he left the referee with no option but to end his contest. Dumb."
Planet Rugby 2/10:"“How do you want us to tackle?” were the words the second-rower asked before being issued his second yellow card and subsequent red. The answer is simple: lower Paul, lower."
Telegraph 1/10: "The first hit was silly enough but to commit exactly the same offence six minutes after returning to the field, after a get-out-jail-free card, bordered on lunacy. France’s hopes of victory departed with him."
#2. Gareth Davies (Wales)
Rugby Pass 4/10: " His performance was summed up when he caught a stray Corey Domachowski foot at the back of a ruck to give up an easy turnover. Subbed for Tomos Williams at half-time."
#2. Fraser Dingwall (England)
Rugby Pass 3.5/10: "A player with the patience of Job waiting for this Test debut, given the number of squads he was involved in without even playing, he encountered a baptism of fire defensively and will likely be a fall guy in the inner sanctum post-mortem."
Planet Rugby 5/10: "Won’t like the missed tackle for Monty Ioane’s try in a debut performance where there wasn’t too much to shout about."
Telegraph 5/10: "Grew into the game on his debut but fell off the tackle badly for Ioane’s try. England also need to involve him more as a ball carrier."
RUCK 5/10: "Dingwall, long-awaited for his Test debut, struggled a lot in the opening 40. Improved in the second half."
#4. Josh Adams (Wales)
Rugby Pass 3/10: "You’d expect a degree of maturity from the second-most capped player in the side. There was none on show when Adams petulantly threw the ball into the crowd to give away a stupid penalty in the first half. If only that was his only blight on his record. Couldn’t get anywhere near a high kick, was turned over twice in the first in the first half and lacked grunt on the rare ball he saw."
#5. Jonathan Danty (France)
Rugby Pass 4/10: "More like Jonathan Dainty in the first half and dreadfully exposed for the second Irish try by Beirne which left him waving helplessly as he fell to the ground. This is the kind of performance that gets you dropped and he can expect plenty of stick from the home media."
Planet Rugby 4/10: "The centre will not want to watch the replay of Tadhg Beirne’s try which came as a result of a poor read and lazy effort to cover space. He was ineffective at the breakdown by his standards and will be desperate to improve on his effort next week."
Telegraph 4/10: "The wrecking ball, as destructive a centre as any last year, was neutralised by Aki and looked all at sea."
"I feel a little bit disappointed to be honest!" 😞
Scotland's have waited 22 years for this win, but captain Finn Russell isn't entirely happy with his side's performance.
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