Predictably, this was the full-tilt boogie from Scotland and although we don’t often accept the tag of favourites well – witness how the second string have come unstuck on summer tours past – Scotland did exactly what they needed to against Romania in Lille over the weekend.
There was a need for the level to stay high from the win over Tonga, and the only way this much-changed team could do it would be with a top performance.
With no early inclination to kick much of anything away to the men in yellow, Hamish Watson announced his return to form in only his second World Cup test cap with an early try from a lovely Cam Redpath offload. So far, so good.
Ali Price scored the second soon afterwards with Darcy Graham selflessly passing to his scrum-half rather than going for personal glory in the hunt to overtake Stuart Hogg’s Scotland try-scoring record. It was a strike move from the setpiece, and while their attack had looked stifled against South Africa, in Lille it was suddenly unleashed with supreme accuracy.
Graham got his own chance minutes later as Price returned the favour, finding him cutting a lovely inside line close to the ruck and the new King of Hawick (sorry Hoggy) was not to be stopped as he carved in behind the Romanian backline.
The bonus point was secured long before half-time with well-worked play by Chris Harris putting Graham over in the corner for his second.
By that point, hapless Romania already had two men in the sin-bin with one under a Bunker review. By the time Scotland’s fifth try came from Matt Fagerson at close range, Ollie Smith had been whacked high the phase before and they’d soon clocked up a third yellow for that, making it three cards in 9 minutes.
Scotland had gone close two or three times in the minutes preceding, and when Graham secured his hat-trick bang on 40 minutes, the challenge quickly became to try and rack up as much in the way of points difference as they could in order to gain ground on Ireland and South Africa who had both put around 80 on the Mighty Oaks previously.
For now, they were on target.
Half-time: Scotland 42-0 Romania
Chris Harris may be a little out of favour at the moment but he partnered with Cam Redpath well in this game, and showed up more than once spearheading the attack. A pinpoint kick pass from Ben Healy picked out Redpath who was able to hold his tackler off with one hand long enough to pop the ball to Harris as he scampered past for the tryline.
By the 50 minute mark, Romania were somewhat surprisingly restored to a team of 15 vs 15. Referee Wayne Barnes kept the game flowing well and dealt with whatever was flagged but as with the Tonga and South Africa games, Scotland gained no long term advantage from these dangerous tackles on their players after they were sent off to Le Bunker for review.
After a patchy period of Scottish pressure during which they were unable to get over the line as easily as they had previously – Jamie Bhatti knocked on over the line while Darcy was probably denied his fourth, fifth and sixth tries by stout defending – Romania threatened to break out from their own line.
Their counter-attack fizzled when they hoofed it into space, then it fully deflated when Ollie Smith ran it back past their whole team to score. Tackled short of the line, he had the nous to release the ball and then regather it to pop over for the score.
Ben Healy was well rewarded with his own try that was well worked, again with George Horne and Graham instrumental in giving him space on the ball but he still had to beat a couple of defenders to dive over.
At 63-0 by the hour mark Scotland were keeping to point a minute pace but there followed a period of Romanian possession where it looked like they might even get a score to chip away at that Scottish total.
Would Scotland stutter at this late stage?
Normal service was resumed when Blair Kinghorn proved he had too much pace for tiring legs on the 70-minute mark and quick and selfless passing between the leggy replacement fullback and a flying Horne gave Johnny Matthews an unpposed canter in on his first cap.
Matthews then set up Rory Darge for the 11th try and the final try, fittingly, went to Darcy Graham sniping close to a ruck under the posts.
The passing was crisp, the running lines excellent. As confidence boosters for Scotland’s attack go this will do nicely, but Scotland will categorically not be allowed to play like this by Ireland next weekend, unless Andy Farrell is tired of French food already or they fancy the sole Scotland + Ireland permutation on Kev’s chart you can see above…
SRBlog Player of the Match: Ben Healy came impressively on to his game after a shaky start and was nerveless with the boot, while it was marvellous to see Hamish Watson fight his way back into consideration for the 23 to face Ireland. Darcy Graham was the standout player on the park by some distance though. He’ll have far more difficult outings in a Scotland shirt, but possibly none more fun.
17 responses
As much as it was fun to watch the amount of errors is going to be our downfall. Our fly half was frankly poor off the boot in open play and pens and generally in attack. Scrum was poor. Handling at times atrocious. Trying to be positive but I think this world cup draw has done us. Good to see Mish bouncing again. Everything crossed for Saturday
Great fun as it was a lot of the team will b feeling it. Superb from D’Arcy Graham. Chris Harris had a gr8 game.
The OP said spring a surprise.
Hornito at SH. Watson in and DVDM on for Steyn 2nd half. Our usual style doesn’t beat Ireland
Playing well against a side that has shipped more points than you could poke a stick at….and having the same opportunities against the no1 ranked side in the world …it’s just not apples to apples.
Graham had space and had terrific match v Romania …against SA he didn’t have much space was tackled fast and hard and was completely shut down v SA. Ditto Russell looks great against teams that play open rugby….but was also completely shut down v SA and similarly v Ireland in the past.
I’d think and hope Scotland’s coaches have truly thought this out to the best of their abilities and select no favorites ..but players who will offer us the best chance of winning against Ireland using past learnings, current form, fitness levels and mental state. This needs to be a ruthless selection….and not about whose toes get stepped on. We need as many players that can play with intensity for 80 mins as we can muster. We need to defend exceptionally and attack exceptionally. We need some inside points of difference that analytics won’t give Ireland a heads up on. We have lost 8 in row v Ireland…we need to learn, think and do something different..there are no excuses we have had years to work all this out.
If we roll out the usual …we’ll be out of this match and RWC by half time.
Ok…entertaining enough but it isn’t going to do much to prevent any early flight home… the elephant in the room is that we need to beat Ireland, and I honestly don’t think that’s going to happen, crappy luck ending up in this pool but it looks like another World Cup where we won’t make the QF
Jesus on a stick! In general on this site, so tired of negative comments. Even after an 84-0 swashbuckling smashing of a team of heavy forwards and ok little other talent. But look at the nil. Ireland shipped them 8 points. Saffers eight points behind us. And you’re still complaining?
What a miserablist picture presented here of our nation to the world. That was a near faultless performance – Mish the pride of our urgency again, Darcy the epitome of our native jinkery – and all we can do is whine? Twelve 100% converted tries. Not enough?
To all self-styled team-picking experts and trope Toonie-bashers – please remember that your own small wisdoms aren’t going to win us anything. Wee bit of selfless support goes a long way.
I thought this was a good performance, many errors which were irritating , but it is also hard to remain disciplined and play as a team when playing much poorer opposition. But they stuck to the task and played as a team. Great sign.
The SA Tonga score was similar to our score against Tonga, it tells me we are in a good place.
As for Saturday , I hope it is not a day shaped by Yellow and Red cards. I suspect we will have a lot to discuss about carding in the season ahead.
“Faultless performance” against the team that only actually qualified this time because Spain messed up their paperwork… but to conclude from that performance that we are ready to compete with the best nations for the world cup? be realistic.
Once Scotland lost to SA, our whole world cup pivoted on the question of whether we could beat Ireland….
Listening to the commentary of the Scotland/Tonga game on ITV – the fact that the pundits (Gavin Hastings and others?) were spending so much time talking about the various mathematical permutations that might see Scotland make it through to the quarter finals, yet totally omitting to mention it all relies on Scotland beating Ireland ??? was kind of bizarre.
Oddly enough, both England and Wales came into this world cup being totally written off… but are in the QF, Wales likely to make the SF too. Scotland talked up yet again but will likely be coming home next weekend..
Why bother coming on here to moan about that ? 12 tries, loads of fun and skill.
The handling errors have been seen in all these later games due to the humidity at the grounds and the slick grass. Its not a unique Scottish issue.
“Oddly enough, both England and Wales came into this world cup being totally written off… but are in the QF, Wales likely to make the SF too. Scotland talked up yet again but will likely be coming home next weekend.”
Its not that odd is it ? They have easy draws and we have a draw whereby we have to play the world champs or the worlds no 1. team ? I don’t think anyone talked up Scotland other than that we have a great exciting team that’s not quite as good as the other two big hitters in the group ?
Cheer up and enjoy some rubgy.
Correct greengumbo
It never ceases to amaze me how many people wheel out the “Scotland talking themselves up again” narrative. It’s often someone like Ugo Monye praising Finn or Scotland and then Irish media outlets like Off the Ball accuse Scotland of talking themselves up and saying they need to be put back in their box. It’s ridiculous. Irish fans then jump on the bandwagon on fan forums. Maybe it’s sour grapes because Scotland voted for France to host this RWC. If Ireland do progress on Saturday I’ll be hoping the AB’s do a number on them in the QF.
Well……..
84-0 and some scintillating running, following a thumping win against a country some were worried were a potential banana skin. Yes we were beaten by the world champions but I reckon we could hardly be in better shape for Saturday.
I’d still want a kicking option at 15 but……….. I’m really torn between Redpath / Tuipulotu at 12. Redpath is a superb 2nd 5/8 and gives Scotland a real passing option. However Tuipulotu is also superb.
Smith, Graham, Jones Tuipulotu/Redpath, VDM, Russell White, Dempsey, Darge, Crosbie/Ritchie, R.Gray, Gilchrist, Fagerson, Matthews, Schoeman
Reps – Healy, Tuipulotu/Redpath, Horne
Fagerson, Skinner, Nel, Turner, Sutherland
Blair Kinghorn has his faults with tackling, fielding bombs (ridiculous weakness at 6’ 5”) and failing to pass at the right time or even at all. But, but, he has searing pace and a step and swerve and can turn nothing into something promising. So I’d not exclude him from your 23. We may need Kinghorn as a point of difference on Saturday.
Whatever, got my ticket for Saturday in SdF and looking forward to what could be an epic Test match. Last time I saw us beat Ireland as a fan in the ground was 2017 at Murrayfield and I’m really hoping we can do the same this Saturday. Tough gig, as Ireland are a very good side.
I agree. Kinghorn is very effective in attack, particularly from broken play. His pace could be a potent weapon to deploy against tiring Irish backs, and that makes him a useful impact sub.
That said, this Test will be won or lost in the forwards. It’ll take everything they’ve got but our lads can do it.
I’ve picked Healy as kicks could very well be absolutely crucial, Kinghorn (for all his other attributes) is not to be trusted kicking for points /position.
John Mc you have a great time sir, I was there in 2017, when a Stuart Hogg inspired Vern Cotter team played some of the best rugby I’ve ever seen.
Yes…similiar to Hogg …Kinghorn has exceptional pace and step but against Ireland’s tight and disciplined defense Id think he’ll struggle to show those qualities. Negatives will be his poor defense (both tackling and positioning) and the high ball….and occasional brain fart pass. He will be targeted.
Ollie Smith, imo, has a better all-around game …he defends well and is no slouch in attack also. FB is often a last line of defense ..to me Kinghorn is better dedicated on the wing.
John, I was also in SdF in 1999 when we won 22-36 in our last ever 5N Test. That’d be a nice scoreline to repeat this Saturday. More realistically, beating Ireland by any score would throw that six year long monkey off our back.
Aye sir, agree with all that I’ll only add that Hoggy (well pre 2022 Hogg) was a absolutely magical BK is merely very good