Wales now focus on Murrayfield hat-trick (From South Wales Argus)

Wales now focus on Murrayfield hat-trick

7:00am Monday 25th February 2013 in Sport By Iwan Davies

Wales now focus on Murrayfield hat-trick

CENTRE Jamie Roberts is confident that Wales can secure a Murrayfield hat trick for the first time in 77 years and set up a Six Nations title showdown with England at the Millennium Stadium.

The Cardiff Blues powerhouse and his team-mates were the history boys on Saturday as their side won four successive championship away games for the first time since 1979.

That victory over Italy in Rome, in appalling conditions, meant Wales won a quartet of triumphs on the road for the first time in the Six Nations.

The weekend’s 26-9 success at the Stadio Olimpico will have done much to boost morale even further after their hard-fought 16-6 conquest of France in Paris.

The 26-year-old Roberts praised his side’s half- backs Dan Biggar and Mike Phillips and the front row of Gethin Jenkins, Richard Hibbard and Adam Jones for their performances in particular.

“It was a very pleasing win,” he said. “The half-backs controlled the game well and our scrum was outstanding.

“Dan controlled the game well, he kicked very well out of hand.

“We would like to have played an expansive game but we couldn’t in those conditions. I thought we adapted our game well and fronted up well.

“Adam Jones was magnificent, as were Gethin Jenkins and Richard Hibbard. I take my hat off to the forwards – they worked so hard.”

Roberts, who won his 51st cap on Saturday, believes it will be tough to beat Scotland at Murrayfield but thinks Wales have the ability to do so.

If they can take the points then it will be their third win on the spin in Edinburgh, a feat last achieved in 1936.

“It was great to win and it sets us up to face a much-improved Scotland side at Murrayfield in a couple of weeks,” said Roberts.

“It gives us a good platform to play against, attacking wise, one of the most-improved sides in world rugby over the last year and they are certainly a side, behind, which has the ability to cause us problems.”

Roberts believes Wales can still retain their Six Nations crown and gave a reminder of their recent good record there when they were 26-13 winners in 2009 and 24-6 victors in 2011.

“It is certainly within our grasp. We know we can go to Murrayfield and win,” he said. “We’ve won the last couple of times we’ve played there."