Wales claim Doddie Weir Cup

Wales claimed the inaugural Doddie Weir Cup as they ran out 21-10 winners over Scotland at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.

Tries from George North and Jonathan Davies and the boot of Leigh Halfpenny, who kicked 11 points, saw Warren Gatland's outfit to victory.

Scotland will be disappointed with their showing as they crossed just once, through Stuart McInally, with Adam Hastings kicking five points.

Wales were 14-10 ahead at the interval as both sides went into the dressing rooms with a try apiece, through wing North and hooker McInally.

Halfpenny got Wales moving with four minutes gone when, after top work from Ken Owens at the breakdown, he landed a 40 metre penalty.

But Scotland had an opportunity to strike back when Alex Dunbar bust through the attempted tackle of opposite number Hadleigh Parkes on halfway.  Unfortunately for the visitors the recycled ball saw Hastings' grubber through gathered by Halfpenny, who crucially foiled the attack.

Wales almost made it 8-0 on 14 minutes when Gareth Anscombe's lovely chip out to the right wing found North.  However, his foot slid into touch and the try was ruled out by the officials.  Wales though would convert a penalty moments later as there was an advantage being played.

6-0 became 9-0 on 22 minutes when lock Jonny Gray was pinged for diving around the side of a ruck, Halfpenny slotting his third attempt.

Scotland needed to stop the rot and their first points came four minutes later via a scrum penalty which Hastings turned into three points.

But it was the closing stages of the half that brought about the most entertaining spell, with first North crashing through contact from 15 metres out for what was an unconverted try before McInally also crossed via the back of a driving line-out from for a much-needed seven.

Wales though would crucially score first in the second-half when Anscombe's short ball put centre Davies through a hole and he raced over.

The hosts were now 21-10 up but the closing half-an-hour in Cardiff was dominated by Scotland, with the visitors banging on the Welsh door.

Gregor Townsend's charges went close through Gray who was penalised for double movement half a metre out and when Wales replacement hooker Elliot Dee was sin binned on 69 minutes for offside.  It seemed now or never for Scotland, who again went close through Peter Horne.

Yet more Scottish pressure was to come in the dying embers but Wales admirably continued to stand firm, sealing the Doddie Weir Cup success.

The scorers:

For Wales:
Tries:  North, J Davies
Con:  Halfpenny
Pens:  Halfpenny 3
Yellow Card:  Dee

For Scotland:
Try:  McInally
Con:  Hastings
Pen:  Hastings

Wales:  15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Luke Morgan, 10 Gareth Anscombe, 9 Gareth Davies, 8 Ross Moriarty, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Dan Lydiate, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (c), 4 Cory Hill, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Nicky Smith
Replacements:  16 Elliot Dee, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Leon Brown, 19 Adam Beard, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Tomos Williams, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Steff Evans

Scotland:  15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Lee Jones, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ali Price, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Ben Toolis, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Stuart McInally (c), 1 Allan Dell
Replacements:  16 Fraser Brown, 17 Alex Allan, 18 Simon Berghan, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 Matt Fagerson, 21 George Horne, 22 Pete Horne, 23 Darcy Graham

Referee:  Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referees:  Wayne Barnes (England), Frank Murphy (Ireland)
TMO:  Rowan Kitt (England)