Halfpenny makes Scotland pay

A second-half blitz helped Wales make it two wins from two in this year's RBS Six Nations with a 27-13 triumph over Scotland in Cardiff.

Leigh Halfpenny finished with a personal haul of 22 points, including two of his side's three tries, as the hosts overcame the absence of skipper Sam Warburton and the loss of winger George North to injury.

Scotland did at least finally end a long try-drought through Greig Laidlaw, though they will look back with regret on a crazy 17-minute period after the interval that saw them concede 24 points and have two men sin-binned.

The two nations had been locked together at 3-3 at the break before Alex Cuthbert's 42nd-minute score sparked an avalanche of points.

Foregone conclusion

Beforehand the game had been seen as a foregone conclusion, with Wales having started their campaign so impressively with a thrilling win over Ireland in Dublin a week ago. In contrast, Scotland had fallen short in their bid to claim the Calcutta Cup, going down 13-6 to England in Edinburgh.

That defeat to the 'Auld Enemy' had seen them stretch their try-less streak to four Tests, though they came mightily close to ending that streak during the closing stages of the first half at the Millennium Stadium.

They went through no fewer than 21 phases to get within sight of the Welsh line before Allan Jacobsen let the ball slip from his grasp as he looked to dive over.

Instead it was left to Laidlaw's right boot to provide their only points of the opening half, the Edinburgh fly-half - making his first start following the retirement of Dan Parks - kicking a penalty to break the deadlock.

Wales, who lost North with an ankle problem having already been forced to withdraw flanker Warburton before the kick-off after he failed a late fitness test, responded with a penalty of their own from Halfpenny.

Things all changed, however, straight from the re-start; David Denton and Chris Cusiter failed to deal with the kick-off, and shortly after winger Cuthbert burst out of Laidlaw's grasp to slide over for the opening try.

Before the Scots could re-gather their composure they were down to 14 men, centre Nick De Luca seeing yellow for taking out Jonathan Davies as his opposite number looked favourite to get on the end of his own kick.

Finishing prowess

Halfpenny booted the resulting penalty and then touched down himself out on the right, Cuthbert turning from scorer to provider as Wales showed their Celtic rivals just how to finish from close range.

De Luca returned to the field just in time to see Halfpenny take Mike Phillips' offload and score his second on the opposite flank, albeit that Scotland were still a man light following the sin-binning of Rory Lamont.

When impressive replacement Stuart Hogg was adjudged to have knocked on with the line at his mercy, although replays suggested otherwise, it seemed like the visitors' wait for a try might go beyond 500 minutes.

However, the long wait finally came to an end when Laidlaw, a former scrum-half, sniped his way over from inches out, getting the ball down on the line before any Welshman could react.

It was no more than Andy Robinson's troops deserved for their efforts, but they still look locked in a battle with Italy to avoid ending up with the wooden spoon. For Wales, who ended the game a man light themselves due to prop Gethin Jenkins' yellow in the closing minutes, the Grand Slam dream lives on.