Afternoon all, first the news. The Wales captain Sam Warburton has been ruled out of today's game as he is suffering a dead leg. It means that Ryan Jones will lead the side for the 28th time, meaning he equals Ieuan Evans's record captaincy tally. Coming in for Warburton is Aaron Shingler, the Scarlets back-row forward, who is making his debut.

Teams:

Wales: 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-Alex Cuthbert, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-George North, 10-Rhys Priestland, 9-Mike Phillips;

1-Gethin Jenkins, 2-Huw Bennett, 3-Adam Jones, 4-Ryan Jones, 5-Ian Evans, 6-Dan Lydiate, 7-Aaron Shingler, 8-Toby Faletau.

Replacements: 16-Ken Owens, 17-Paul James, 18-Lou Reed, 19-Andy Powell, 20-Lloyd Williams, 21-James Hook, 22-Scott Williams.

Scotland: 15-Rory Lamont, 14-Lee Jones, 13-Nick De Luca, 12-Sean Lamont, 11-Max Evans, 10-Greig Laidlaw, 9-Chris Cusiter;

1-Allan Jacobsen, 2-Ross Ford, 3-Geoff Cross, 4-Richie Gray, 5-Jim Hamilton, 6-Alasdair Strokosch, 7-Ross Rennie, 8-David Denton.

Replacements: 16-Scott Lawson, 17-Ed Kalman, 18-Alastair Kellock, 19-John Barclay, 20-Mike Blair, 21-Duncan Weir, 22-Stuart Hogg.

Predictions: This doesn't look very good for Scotland, does it? Wales proved against Ireland that they're a team in form. Young, dynamic, exciting and tactically astute, they're a team oozing potential and promise. That they beat Ireland despite playing a good proportion of the game with 14 men suggests they're confident too. They come into this game having lost just one of their last five Six Nations games (against France) and have only lost against Scotland in Six Nations games once in the last eight years

Scotland, though, are a mess. Aside from the fact they've not won a Six Nations match in Cardiff since 2002, they've also failed to score a try in four Tests (despite Greig Laidlaw's 'try' against England last week). Meanwhile, that chaos with Dan Parks's retirement last week can hardly have done anyone involved in the set-up any favours. Still, in David Denton, they have a major new talent so perhaps there are good things on the horizon. Surely, though, they still too far away to be of much use today.

2.48pm: Warren Gatland says the team have been training with Shingler all week just in case Warburton wasn't fit for today's game. The Wales coach says his side can improve on last week's display. "Today's about being a little more clinical. I suspect Scotland are going be tougher than people are expecting," he says.

2.50pm: Dan Parks is at today's game and says that he retired after last week's match against England because he thought it was the right time to call it a day. Some might suggest that calling time on his career shortly before the game against England would have represented better timing ...

2.55pm: Andy Robinson is aiming for Scotland to play with the ball in hand and says his side have belief. "We know we're going to be under pressure defensively, so it's vital we get off the line and put in some big hits".

2.56pm: On the Millennium Stadium stereo currently? Metallica's Enter Sandman. Perhaps in honour of Sam Warburton, who's a bit of a metaller when he's at home.

2.58pm: The Wales and Scotland teams trot out onto the pitch, accompanied by the usual columns of flame, mad orchestral swells and wild hoopla. The anthems follow.

3.00pm: Scotland sing their song about sending proud Edward home to think again. The Welsh sing this: "Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi".

Peep, peep: Scotland kick off, Laidlaw hoisting it high and short. Priestland hits a high kick back eventually, and Wales retain possession on the halfway line. Inside a minute, the Welsh backs spin it wide three times and Halfpenny nearly breaks through the Scottish line. Scotland reclaim the ball and, somewhat scruffily, manage to clear.

2 min: Priestland kicks high into the 22 and Denton marks it for Scotland. He takes it quickly, goes rampaging into Faletau, and earns a penalty. It's been a breathless start with Wales clearly keen to pass and run.

5 min: Scotland coach Andy Robinson requested that the stadium roof be kept closed in order to keep the ball dry, so both sides will attempt to keep ball in hand. Wales, in these opening minutes, have been doing it better. Meanwhile, Priestland clears a penalty into touch and the Welsh lineout prove they have yet to iron out all their jitters as Scotland win it against the head. They head upfield and, after an up and under, Halfpenny concedes a penalty that Scotland may just kick.

6 min: Laidlaw takes aim, a long way out, and wide. He pulls his kick, though, and it sails to the left of the uprights.

8 min: Scotland have the ball on their 10 metre line, but as they send wave after wave of backs forward they're repelled constantly by the Welsh defence. They struggle to get over the gain line and, in fact, are travelling backwards. However, just as Wales win the ball they concede a penalty for coming off their feet in the tackle.

9 min: Wales scrum half Phillips attempts to hit a low kick to the wings, however he's charged down and Scotland pour forward in the shape of Richie Gray from the halfway line. The Welsh win the ball back when he's pulled down and attempt to clear, but Priestland is the victim of a big hit. The home side are then fortunate to win a penalty - before which the game is stopped for Huw Bennett to get some treatment on a cut to his ear.

11 min: Ken Owens comes on for Bennett and Wales kick long. They charge forward and win the ball too then, from the base of a maul, throw the ball out right and creep towards the Welsh 22. The ball flies across the pitch the other way and Shingler attempts to break through the line. There's a Scottish knock-on and Wales have the put-in on a scrum just outside the Scottish 22.

14 min: First North, then Davies scream through the Scottish lines to within five metres of the Scottish tryline. However, the ball goes bouncing clear from a ruck and Scotland grab the ball, then kick long. North tries to run it back but gets nailed in a tackle. Scotland kick again, Halfpenny catches and offloads to Cuthbert who again bursts through a clutch of Scottish tackles. This is a fine passage of back and forth between the sides - the Scots forcing Wales back with their long kicks, Wales running or kicking it straight back at them.

16 min: The Scottish defence has been very solid so far and they've needed to be, the Welsh have a good clutch of runners who are looking to test them. Most of those Welsh runners have been hit by very hard tackles at some point - North probably getting the worst of them. Meanwhile, for Scotland, Max Evans trots off and is replaced by Stuart Hogg, who goes to full back and Lamont goes onto the wing. Not sure if that's for an injury or not yet.

18 min: Wales win a penalty when the referee adjudges that Scotland collapsed the scrum. It's near the touchline, on the Scottish 10 metre line, so it is kickable. However, Priestland aims for touch rather than for the posts and Wales earn a lineout inside the Scottish 22. But, again, it's a poor Welsh lineout - it seems their jumpers just let the ball fly over their head, so Scotland win a scrum for a knock-on. Poor from the Welsh forwards.

21 min: Having been patched up, Huw Bennett comes back on as Owens heads back off. Laidlaw then kicks into the Scottish 22 and Halfpenny hoofs it back at the Scottish full back. This is probably Scotland's first sustained period of possession and they're finding it hard to go forwards. They get lucky when a Wales fail to capitalise on a loose De Luca pass, and eventually move into the Welsh 22.

22 min: The referee pulls the play back after some Welsh handling in the ruck. It means the visitors have a penalty on the edge of the Welsh 22, so they'll now kick for goal.

PENALTY! Wales 0-3 Scotland (Laidlaw): The new fly-half slots it over comfortably.

24 min: Scotland have been on the defensive for much of the game, yet now lead. The Welsh, however, have been a little sloppy. They're made a handful of errors - seven, in fact - while the Scots have made only two.

27 min: Cuthbert latches onto Cusiter clearance and bursts through some Scottish tackles - brushing Strokosch aside like a troublesome fly. He makes it to the halfway line, where he wins a penalty. Mike Phillips takes it quickly and Wales charge forward. they blaze into the Scottish 22, just 10 metres from the Scotland tryline. However, there's a knock-on (Hamilton, I think) and Scotland get themselves off the hook.

27 min: Or are they? Phillips catches Cusiter dallying with the ball at the base of the scrum and Scotland can't clear yet ...

29 min: Eventually, Cusiter gets it clear - but he can't find touch. Cuthbert catches and runs it back. From the ensuing ruck, Phillips spots that Strokosch is offside then simply runs into him, a look of mock outrage on his face, to earn a penalty. Bit of gamesmanship there.

PENALTY Wales 3-3 Scotland (Halfpenny): The Welsh full-back takes full advantage of Phillips sneaky behaviour and threads the ball over the posts from 40 metres out.

33 min: Laidlaw misses an ambitious touch and both sets of backs spend a good few minutes seeing how far they often they can kick the ball at each other before someone actually does something constructive. It's George North who finally decides to do a bit of running with it but it doesn't work out for Wales when Halfpenny struggles to catch a loose pass and Scotland end up with a scrum, 30 metres out and in the middle of the park.

35 min: Scotland go forwards slowly but threateningly. First, they head up the right wing, then they probe in the middle. But, after breaking into the 22, the referee awards a penalty against Scotland's Strokosch for holding on to the ball on the ground. Priestland clears into touch and Wales finally win a lineout, albeit very scruffily.

38 min: Wales hoist a high ball, and Hogg is up to it. Scotland head forwards again from the halfway line. They creep slowly on, the ball going back and forth across the pitch as the team move first five then 10 metres. The Welsh defence is sturdy as Scotland take the battering ram approach - constantly hammering into Welsh lines. George North goes down injured and Lamont capitalises on the space that he leaves behind, bursting down the touch line until he's five metres from the Welsh line.

39 min: As the clock creeps towards 40 minutes, Scotland are entrenched a few metres out. Suddenly, they burst for the line and ... Jacobsen drops the ball and knocks it forward. So close, but so far.

40 min: North has to go off injured, his ankle accidentally clobbered by a Scottish boot. Hook comes on and heads to the full back berth so Halfpenny moves to the wing.

Half time: A chaotic scrum five metres from the Welsh line is just about won by the home side. Mike Phillips grabs the ball out of the back of it, turns around, and hoofs the ball back over his own dead ball line. The ref peeps his whistle and that's half time of what's been a very committed, very good game of rugby so far.

3.57pm: Scotland have been making lots of breaks yet have just not been able to find that final piece of penetration. Perhaps with both North and Warburton now missing, they'll have more luck. The problem for Wales, though, is that they've looked increasingly blunt - with North now out, they may struggle further. So a good half for Scotland, a patchier one for the hosts.

3.58pm: Having said that, it's 362 minutes since Scotland actually went over the line and the knock-on at the end of the first half suggests panic whenever they do actually get into a position to score.

Clackety-clack: The teams come trotting down the tunnel again. The second half comes next ...

Kick-off: Yikes. Wales kick-off and Scotland appear not to have realised they've done so. At the last minute Cusiter wakes up, sees a ball angling towards him, sticks out a boot and the ball flies into touch. Awful stuff.

TRY! Wales 8-3 Scotland (Cuthbert): Wales are fully awake though, they take advantage of their good fortune and win the resulting lineout, before bursting towards the try line. First they go right, then they go left, then finally Cuthbert goes flying through a gap, shimmies past Laidlaw and touches down from 15 metres out. Try for Wales.

CONVERSION Wales 10-3 Scotland (Halfpenny): An awful start for Scotland. It started with Cusiter's shoddy handling of the kick off and then, frankly, Laidlaw missed his tackle against Cuthbert.

44 min: Strokosch is off for Scotland, John Barclay is on. Strokosch has been fairly average today, so that won't be of too much concern. Meanwhile, Jonathan Davies intercepts a Scottish pass and fly kicks up the pitch but, ridiculously, De Luca tackles Davies when he does not have the ball. That's got to be a yellow card.

YELLOW CARD! De Luca is sin-binned: What an idiot. To a chorus of boos, he's sent from the pitch and Wales have a penalty in the middle of the pitch on the halfway line. It was a shoddy, professional foul: blatant and crazy.

PENALTY! Wales 13-3 Scotland (Halfpenny, 46): Despite slipping as he hit the ball, Halfpenny thumps it over. Scotland have self-destructed this half.

47 min: The Scots marched out onto the pitch with the scores 3-3, made three mistakes in six minutes, and are 10 points down. Wales must not be able to believe their luck.

PENALTY Wales 13-6 Scotland (Laidlaw, 48): Ah. It's now Wales's time to do something silly. Ryan Jones concedes a penalty on their own 22, and Laidlaw kicks the ball over for 14-man Scotland.

TRY! Wales 18-6 Scotland (Cuthbert, 50) Cusiter trots off, Blair comes on for Scotland. From a line-out, Wales spin the ball to Roberts who explodes through the Scottish line. Wales are on the front foot and head forward into the Scottish 22. They've got numbers over as they spread it wide and left, seemingly nipping through the Scottish defence at will. They're held five metres out until they pass wide and right. Cuthbert finds himself with the ball 10 metres out and darts for the line, shimmying past Lee Jones for another score.

CONVERSION! Wales 20-6 Wales (Halfpenny, 52): That's been a costly sinbinning for Scotland, Wales have run away with this.

53 min: Wales go charging forward again! Straight from the kick-off, Roberts sprint up the pitch, and eventually offloads to Faletau who's brought down on the Scottish 22. If that's not bad enough, Rory Lamont plays the ball from an offside position and is sinbinned.

55 min: Rather than kick for goal from the penalty, Wales kick for touch. Briefly, the home side have a two-man advantage and they charge for the line. Some last-ditch defence just keeps them from going over - but they've got more defending to do as Wales have a scrum five metres out.

TRY! Wales 25-6 Scotland (Halfpenny, 55) De Luca comes back on after his sinbinning, but it makes no different. Wales go blind from the scrum and find only Blair there to defend for Scotland. Phillips takes him on, then offloads to Halfpenny who goes over the line.

CONVERSION! Wales 27-6 Scotland (Halfpenny, 57): Halfpenny converts his own kick. Scotland have simply imploded this half.

59 min: Cuthbert chases down the kick off, putting Scotland under immense pressure in their own half. They manage to clear after a ruck but Wales take the throw in quickly and run it back at them. They would be in for a score too, but Jonathan Davies passes slightly behind Cuthbert who would have been through had he not been forced to check his run in order to catch the ball. Scotland's forwards are working their socks off in defence, however playing with 14 men is proving a tough ask.

SCOTLAND ARE NEVER EVER GOING TO SCORE A TRY AGAIN: From nowhere, Scotland break and charge thrillingly forwards. With a two man overlap, they fling the ball to Hogg who is just yards out ... but he drops the ball, leaps onto it and it's hard to see whether he knocked it on or just about kept control. No matter, he scoops the ball up and goes over the line to touch down. However the referee says he knocked on, so blows up - when replays suggest the try should have stood.

IGNORE THAT! TRY! Wales 27-11 Scotland Laidlaw finally forces the ball over the line. And Scotland have a first try in five matches.

CONVERSION Wales 27-13 Scotland: Laidlaw scoops the extras over and, usefully for Scotland, they're also back up to 15 men as Lamont comes back on after his sin-binning.

67 min: Hogg goes on a scorching run up the right wing. He looks an exciting prospect for Scotland. He can't quite break through the Welsh defence but suddenly there's a bit more spark in this Scottish side.

68 min: Then Scotland gives away a penalty on their 10 metre line, to concede the advantage to Wales again. It was Faletau going over the top - not that Andy Robinson agrees, the TV pictures showing him going mental in the stands. "What a sour figure Andy Robinson cuts in the stand," agrees Colum Farrelly via email. "Martin Johnson had the same demeanour. Was it fashionable in England a few years ago?"

69 min: Halfpenny can't strike the ball over though, so the Welsh lead remains 14 points.

71 min: Wales turn the ball over 30 metres out. The backs fly forward into the Scottish 22, however the visitor's defence is strong. Priestland tries to go through, then Jonathan Davies chips a kick out wide for Cuthbert (I think) to run onto. He slightly misjudges it, though, and Scotland bundle the ball into touch and earn the throw in for the lineout to boot.

72 min: After a couple of jitters and a raft of substitutions, Scotland finally clear long and deep into the Welsh half. "Awful lot of forward passes Wales getting away with," emails Norman Ferguson. "Not that it would make much of a difference but it's something going on too much." Actually, I hadn't noticed that Norman but thanks.

74 min: Lamont claims a high ball hit forward by Wales. He advances up the pitch and Scotland, after a ruck, try to work the ball forwards up the blind side. Eventually they go open and move steadily forwards until Laidlaw spots a gap. He surges through it and then chips the ball up so he can chase into it. However, he kicked a little too early and Hook turns and claims the ball himself. Unlucky.

75 min: Lou Reed has come on for a walk on the wild side. He replaces the Welsh captain Jones.

77 min: Scotland pass the ball across the pitch again, attempting to find a way through while camped on the Welsh 22. Lawson scrambles through but can't keep his feet. They keep on trying to punch holes in the Welsh defence, safe in the knowledge that the referee is playing an advantage in their favour.

78 min: The French referee does eventually blow for the penalty and Scotland attempt to take it quickly - twice - from a central position inside the Welsh 22. But the ref blows up and prevents it happening as Wales are attempting to make a replacement. They're desperate to go over for a try and refuse to kick for goal. But the Welsh defence holds.

79 min: But Wales turn the ball over and, instead, surge forwards themselves deep into the Welsh half. Some desperate tackling prevents a breakaway try though. Everyone on the pitch looks shattered - it's been a very committed game by both sides.

Peep, peep: Priestland kicks long and finds touch deep in the Scottish half. Virtually nobody has the puff to chase it down. Still, though, the Scots keep fighting to work the ball forwards. They make it to the halfway line but, with the clock running down, they simply don't have the penetration. Finally the ref blows the whistle on a great game of rugby.

4.51pm: The scoreline suggests a Welsh walkover, but that hasn't been the story of this game at all. The first half, finishing 3-3, was a 50-50 affair with both sides more or less equal. Then Scotland threw it all away in a mad 15 minute period at the start of the second half - yet despite looking every inch the beaten team they made a remarkable fight back in the last quarter. It's been a good, running, physical battle today - with the ball played largely in hand and both teams eschewing penalty opportunities to run the ball. Full marks to Scotland for their effort today, but Wales too deserve the plaudits for a thoroughly entertaining game.