Wales v Scotland, Six Nations 2024: Kick-off time, how to watch today’s match and latest team news
Finn Russell insists Wales’ inexperience does not make Scotland’s chances of ending a 22-year wait to win in Cardiff any easier today.
Scotland have not won at the Principality Stadium since 2002, losing 11 successive games that comprise nine Six Nations contests, a World Cup warm-up fixture and an autumn Test.
But Wales have hit been hit by a long list of injuries and big-name retirements, while British & Irish Lions wing Louis Rees-Zammit has departed to try and launch a career in American football.
Scotland have arrived in Cardiff in the unusual position of being bookmakers’ favourites for this Guinness Six Nations Championship opener.
But Russell said: “With the Welsh side being slightly different to previous years I think people would see Scotland are favourites. I don’t view it like that. We’ve not won here in 22 years, so it shows it’s not an easy place for us to come and win. We’ve got a more experienced team, but that doesn’t always count on the day.”
When is Wales v Scotland?
The match is today – Saturday, Feb 3 – and kicks off at 4.45pm GMT.
Where is Wales v Scotland?
Wales and Scotland clash at the Principality Stadium, formerly known as the Millennium Stadium, in Cardiff where the Welsh have won 12 and lost only once to the Scots since the ground was opened for the 1999 Rugby World Cup.
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 on BBC 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.
For more details on the Six Nations officials, see our dedicated guide to the tournament referees.
Who is in the Wales team?
After just 15 games of professional rugby, Cameron Winnett, 21, will make his debut at full-back.
Wales’ options at No 15 have reduced after Liam Williams’ move to Japan, the retirement of Leigh Halfpenny and Louis Rees-Zammit’s decision to pursue an NFL career.
George North has been ruled out of the game because of a shoulder injury, leaving Owen Watkin and Nick Tompkins to forge Wales’ midfield partnership.
Flanker James Botham, the grandson of England cricket great Ian Botham, has been recalled for a first Wales appearance since July 2021.
Lock Will Rowlands, whose partner recently gave birth, is not in the matchday 23, with captain Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard forming the second row.
At 21, Jenkins is Wales’ youngest captain since Gareth Edwards, then 20, led Wales against Scotland in 1968.
Wales XV: C Winnett; J Adams, O Watkin, N Tompkins, R Dyer; S Costelow, G Davies; C Domachowski, R Elias, L Brown; A Beard, D Jenkins (capt); J Botham, T Reffell, A Wainwright.
Replacements: E Dee, K Mathias, K Assiratti, T Williams, A Mann, T Williams, I Lloyd, M Grady.
Who is in the Scotland team?
Scotland also have an enforced change at full-back after a knee injury ruled out Blair Kinghorn for the first two rounds.
New full-back Kyle Rowe will make his first Test start. His only previous Test was in Argentina in July 2022 and lasted 10 minutes before a serious knee injury.
Finn Russell leads the team but new co-captain Rory Darge has not recovered from a knee injury in time.
Props Elliot Millar-Mills and Alec Hepburn – who was capped six times by England in 2018 – are in line to make their Scotland debuts off the bench.
Scotland XV: K Rowe; K Steyn, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, D Van der Merwe; F Russell (captain) B White; P Schoeman, G Turner, Z Fagerson; R Gray, S Cummings; L Crosbie, J Ritchie, M Fagerson.
Replacements: E Ashman, A Hepburn, E Millar-Mills, S Skinner, J Dempsey, G Horne, B Healy, C Redpath.
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 though 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.
What are the latest odds?
Wales: 15/8
Scotland: 8/15
Draw: 25/1
Odds correct on February 3
