Six Nations 2024: Six classic Wales v Scotland games

Wales and Scotland have been slogging it out since 1883 in a rivalry stretching back to before the game’s governing body was even formed.

Saturday marks the 130th match of this colourful contest, with Wales leading the series 75 wins to 51.

As Scotland aim to end a 22-year hoodoo in Cardiff, BBC Sport looks at six modern classics in the Welsh capital.

The greatest climax (2010)

Wales coach Warren Gatland said it was among the “most amazing games” he had ever been involved with while Scotland counterpart Andy Robinson branded it “sheer madness”.

On captain Chris Paterson’s 100th cap, Scotland had been outstanding as John Barclay and Max Evans tries and the boot of Dan Parks opened a 24-14 lead.

Yet Scotland imploded with six minutes remaining to spark a finale as outrageous as it was surprising.

Scott Lawson was shown a yellow card and Leigh Halfpenny sped over to cut the gap to 24-21.

Phil Godman then followed to the sin-bin but, despite facing 13 men, Wales captain Ryan Jones opted to kick the penalty and level the scores as the clock ticked past 80 minutes.

Robinson desperately tried to tell to his players to kick the re-start directly into touch and finish the game – but amid the pandemonium the message never got through and the game went on.

Fly-half Stephen Jones gambled with a kick that bounced in field and three phases later, against an exhausted defence, Shane Williams dived between the posts for an incredible 31-24 comeback win.

He later said: “I couldn’t believe it, though we could sense we were going to score because they were down to 13 and absolutely knackered.

“A bit of me felt sorry for Scotland, it really did, but it made for a great spectacle.”

Thorburn’s ‘monster’ kick (1986)

It was the called “the kick of the age” that stunned the rugby world and wrote Paul Thorburn’s name into Championship folklore.

During an illustrious career, Thorburn would captain Wales before retiring as his country’s highest Test points scorer, but his giant effort against Scotland would remain his defining moment.

Leading 16-15, Wales were awarded a penalty and everyone inside Cardiff Arms Park – along with millions watching – expected the full-back to simply hoof the ball into touch. But he had other ideas.

“I used to practise the big kicks a lot and if they came off, they were always a bit more spectacular,” Thorburn later said.

The decision even caught veteran rugby commentator Bill McLaren off-guard and his excited description – as the heavy ball sailed through the Cardiff air and between the posts – only added to the magic of the moment.

“That is amazing. I’ve seen all the great goal-kickers in the world over the last decade, but I’ve never seen a kick like this one”, he told the TV audience – and we have never seen anything like it since.

At just over 70 yards (64.2m), that kick remains the longest in Test match history, even almost 40 years later.

End of Wales’ golden era (1982)

A generation of Welsh rugby fans had grown up with success during the 1970s.

In fact Wales had not lost a Championship game at home since 1968 – a run of 27 matches.

So when they were not only beaten in Cardiff, but hammered 34-18 by Scotland in 1982, it marked the end of a golden era.

Andy Irvine’s Scotland became the first opposition in history to score five tries on Welsh soil, a feat not even the All Blacks had managed, and Wales’ biggest loss at the Arms Park.

“We weren’t the Wales team people had been used to,” said lock forward Robert Norster, who won his first cap that day.

“A lot of changes were made at the same time, so it wasn’t the best game to make your debut and after that, a lot of the boys had their throats cut.”

Jonathan Davies & Ieuan Evans steal the show (1988)

Wales were buzzing after beating England 11-3 at Twickenham, but had to rely on moments of individual brilliance to settle a rollercoaster clash with Scotland still regarded as a classic.

Jonathan Davies and Ieuan Evans both lit up the match with stunning solo scores.

But tries from Finlay Calder and Matt Duncan, as well as the boot of Gavin Hastings had Scotland leading 20-10 early in the second half.

Ian Watkins crossed before Davies struck two drop goals in the final eight minutes to snatch a late 25-20 win and a second step towards the Triple Crown.

Davies was nearing his peak, but would only play one more Championship match in Cardiff – losing the Grand Slam decider to France 10-9 – before a big-money move to rugby league.

“A couple of things happened to make people aware of me and that [game] was certainly one of them,” he said years later.

“I had made a couple of breaks in the England game and that Scotland match put me on the radar even more. It had a huge impact.”

Replacement Rayer in the rain (1994)

In the days before tactical substitutions, a replacement scoring a try was a rare feat. To score two was almost unheard of.

But Mike Rayer stepped in for injured Cardiff team-mate Nigel Walker and defied the utter downpour to slide over the line twice and kick-start Wales’ title campaign.

It also made the Cardiff full-back a cult hero and who still has fans enjoying a ‘Mikey Rayer-all dayer’ to this day.

Last Scottish win in Cardiff (2002)

It would be a day of lasts in this championship finale.

Legendary BBC rugby commentator Bill McLaren, the “voice of rugby”, hung up his microphone while Wales and British and Irish Lions scrum-half Robert Howley retired from international rugby.

But what no-one knew at the time was that it would be Scotland’s last victory in Cardiff.

Both sides had only managed a win over Italy, but two injury-time penalties saw Scotland salvage some pride with a tense 27-22 victory in Cardiff.

A see-saw battle saw the lead changed hands seven times before Brendan Laney held his nerve to convert a vital 82nd-minute shot at goal.

It was just reward for the Scots, who just about deserved to edge a mediocre contest after out-scoring their hosts with two early Gordon Bulloch tries to Wales’ one.

Some 22 years later and Scotland are still waiting for a repeat.