GROUNDS FOR CONCERN
Scotland can’t afford to repeat glaring errors against mighty Kiwis
OF all the decisions Gregor Townsend has made thus far in his short but successful career as Scotland head coach, there may be at least one he will come to regret.
In an effort to feel closer to the action, while sitting high in the Murrayfield stand, he asked for the glass panel at the front of his coaching box to be removed.
While not prone to Eddie Jones-style outbursts of expletive-ridden frustration, one wonders whether, come Saturday and the visit of the All Blacks, Townsend might mourn the loss of his sound-proof booth. Or, in fact, the ability to fix a blind...
Certainly, if Scotland defend the way they did against the Samoans, it could be a painful watch; the frustrations of another sell-out crowd not difficult to hear.
Yet, perhaps that is how Townsend wants it. After all, in international rugby, there is no hiding place.
Today, he will assemble his side and hammer home that blunt truth.
The Samoan match may have been an enthralling one with a total of 11 tries — six for Scotland, five for the opposition — for the Murrayfield crowd to enjoy, but to lose that many against such a poor team is deeply concerning.
Too many tackles were missed, decision-making was found wanting and the tactics set down by Scotland defence coach Matt Taylor were either ignored or forgotten.
If Samoa can breach the Scottish defence five times, just imagine what the All Blacks could do.
Not to labour the point, or look to bring on a panic attack, but New Zealand beat Samoa 78-0 back in June, scoring 12 tries in the process. They go into the match against Scotland off the back of a 38-18 victory over France in Paris.
With Willem Nel likely to be missing due to an arm injury he picked up against Samoa and doubts over Tommy Seymour, who went off with an injured toe, it could be an even more inexperienced Scotland side facing the world champions.
It’s not all doom and gloom, of course. Not yet, anyway.
There were easy lessons for Scotland to learn. The flaws obvious.
Townsend wants to play a high-tempo game but not all of his team have the skillset to throw the ball around and anticipate passes at pace, which was why there were so many handling errors. A more composed game is needed against the All Blacks.
While undoubtedly entertaining, the gung-ho nature of Saturday’s match would border on self-destruction against the Kiwis. Wide spaces would be an open invitation. Scotland need to tighten up their defence, especially around the ruck.
And mentally, they simply have to stay focused. They were 32-10 up early in the second half and cruising. Yet they took their foot off the gas and allowed the Samoans to get back to within just a converted try for victory. Strength of mind is key. No day dreaming. No relaxing. No thinking an All Black won’t be looking for any weakness, or gap, or half-chance.
On the positive side, and there is one, Scotland have their own talented players who can rise to the occasion. Indeed, Stuart Hogg will feel he has unfinished business. As Warren Gatland confirmed, he would have started the first Test for the British and Irish Lions against them in the summer if he hadn’t been sent home injured before the match. The only world-class star in the Scotland ranks, he will be licking his lips at the thought of taking on the All Blacks on his own home turf.
On Saturday, the Scotland full-back started things off in style in the second minute, scoring a try from a Finn Russell grubber kick that was booted on again by Seymour.
Throughout the match, he looked on fire and was left frustrated as some of his team-mates dropped passes at key moments.
Hogg also helped set up the second try for Huw Jones in the 35th minute, although the Scotland centre ended up doing most of the work himself by breaking through two tackles to score.
Jones was one of Scotland’s top performers and his physicality in the midfield will be vital this Saturday.
Stuart McInally won the official man-of-the-match award, due to his two tries either side of half-time. It was deserved and also heartening as he only played because Ross Ford and Fraser Brown were injured. He proved to be an able replacement.
The hooker put in his best performance in a Scotland jersey, carrying the ball superbly well, and was the best man in the front row by a long way.
Scotland’s other second-half tries came from centre Alex Dunbar, following good work from winger Lee Jones with 13 minutes left. Replacement Peter Horne, from a sublime inside pass from Cornell du Preez, went over five minutes from time before getting up to convert his own try. Russell put over three other conversions and two penalties.
Of the four new caps, loosehead prop Darryl Marfo lasted an hour on his Scotland debut and did well before allowing Jamie Bhatti to also play his first match for his country.
This week, Marfo will go head to head against Nepo Laulala, a Samoan-born prop, who plays for Canterbury Crusaders and is looked on as one of the best in the world. You have to fear for the Scot against him.
Utility back Chris Harris and hooker George Turner both had the last 20 minutes on their debuts after Seymour went off injured and McInally ran out of puff after giving his all.
It was an indication of how much Samoa felt they were in the game that afterwards they thought they should have won it. Wearing the words ‘invest Samoa’ on their shirts in an appeal to donate to their bankrupt rugby union, they did themselves proud.
Their man of the match was fly-half Tim Nanai-Williams, who scored the third of their five tries in the 63rd minute and put over five conversions and one penalty. Their other tries — one in the first half, three in the second — came from lock Josh Tyrell, blindside flanker Piula Fa’asalele, centre Kieron Fonotia and replacement Ofisa Treviranus with three minutes left.
You could understand where they were coming from by thinking this was a missed opportunity to pull off a famous victory at the end of a traumatic week. The last few minutes, when they sat just six points behind, were nervous moments for Scotland. More will follow this weekend. And if Scotland can’t fix their defensive issues, it won’t be cheers Townsend hears from his box on the final whistle. Only a cold blast of reality.