Wales 22; Scotland 27: The desultory nature of what was effectively the battle for the Six Nations plate prompted the crowd to make its own entertainment, with the Mexican wave mixed in with chants of "Stand up if you hate England."

What the Celts hate most about England is their marked superiority over the rest of the Home unions in the last decade. The Scotland coach, Ian McGeechan, said before Saturday's match that there was little difference between the sides in the championship, but the evidence of the following 80 minutes did nothing to substantiate his contention.

Wales disintegrated after a bright start, while Scotland made little use of the abundant possession they won, and their two tries came from forward rumbles following lineouts. It was second division stuff, an error-strewn pot-pourri which, despite the vacillating scoreline, made for less than compulsive viewing.

"The size of this victory should not be underestimated," said McGeechan.

Scotland were due success, having not won in Cardiff since 1996, and they scratched the six-year itch with two stoppage-time penalties from Brendan Laney and Duncan Hodge, the latter coming on to take the kick after Laney had twisted his ankle trying to drop a goal.

It was perhaps as well for Steve Hansen that he had been appointed Wales's coach on a two-year contract the day before. His charges had a willingness to run with the ball, but they saw precious little of it due to inadequacies up front: Wales lost three consecutive lineouts on their throw in Scottish territory in a two-minute spell in the first half, with Scott Murray helping himself on each occasion.

Murray had barely made his presence felt in the championship before Saturday, but his lineout dominance proved the difference between the sides. His flick-on set up his side's first try, and the second came after he had caught the ball to set up a drive.

"To lose was disappointing but to play in the manner we did made it worse," said Hansen. "We are on a long journey, but we will get there in 12 or 18 months. Saturday was a shambolic, ugly rugby match."

It was not a fitting finale for the Wales scrumhalf, Rob Howley, who left the field to a standing ovation with 14 minutes to go on his 59th and final appearance for his country.

"I would have liked to have stayed on for the whole game, but Wales have to look to the future," said Howley. "Steve asked me to take the summer off and reconsider my retirement from international rugby, but my mind is made up. I want to continue playing for Cardiff while coaching at grassroots level."

Howley, like Wales, shone in the opening quarter and made a couple of fine breaks, the first of which would have led to a try for the second row Andy Moore, but for a John Leslie tackle. The full back, Kevin Morgan, and wing Rhys Williams also posed attacking threats, along with the Scotland wing Chris Paterson, but they were largely marginal figures as both teams struggled to hold on to the ball.

With only victories against Romania, Tonga and the Azzurri this season, Wales are at the rebuilding stage, as they seem to have been for the last 20 years.

Scotland were 9-0 down after 17 minutes, but as Laney and Stephen Jones traded penalties in the final quarter after Iestyn Harris's gliding run had sent in Rhys Williams and provided the game's one highlight, it became a question of nerve.

"Every one of my grey hairs has a player's name on it," said McGeechan, but the mood in Wales is black and the despair is total.

WALES: K Morgan (Swansea); R Williams (Cardiff), Taylor (Swansea), Marinos (Newport), C Morgan (Cardiff); Jones (Llanelli); Howley (Cardiff); I Thomas (Ebbw Vale), B Williams (Neath), Anthony, Gough (both Newport), Moore (Swansea), Budgett (Bridgend), M Williams (Cardiff), Charvis (Swansea, capt). Replacements: Wyatt (Llanelli) for Moore (12 mins), G Thomas (Bath) for Bedgett (h-t), I Harris (Cardiff) for Marinos, McBryde (Llanelli) for B Williams (both 44 mins), John (Cardiff) for I Thomas (57 mins), Peel (Llanelli) for Howley (66 mins), James (Bridgend) for C Morgan (71 mins).

SCOTLAND: Laney (Edinburgh; Logan (Wasps), McLaren (Glasgow), J Leslie (Northampton), Paterson (Edinburgh); Townsend (Castres), Redpath (Sale, capt); Smith (Northampton), Bulloch (Glasgow), Stewart (Northampton), Murray (Saracens), White (Glasgow), M Leslie (Edinburgh), Pountney (Northampton), Taylor (Edinburgh). Replacements: Graham (Newcastle) for Stewart (h-t), Grimes (Newcastle) for White (58 mins), Metcalfe (Glasgow) for Logan (60 mins), Petrie (Glasgow) for M Leslie (71 mins), Russell (Saracens) for Bulloch (75 mins), Hodge (Edinburgh) for Laney (80 mins).

Referee: J Jutge (France).