THRILLS, SPILLS ...AND ILLS!

Scotland give Townsend a winning Murrayfield start with a try blitz — but the Samoans expose flaws

GREGOR TOWNSEND’S time as a player was nothing if not eventful and if this Murrayfield debut as a coach is a sign of things to come, then Scotland supporters should prepare themselves for some crash, bang, wallop.

Crashing tries, the bang of physicality and the sobering wallop of glaring holes in defence was what his team served up in this season’s Murrayfield bow.

Much was made of Samoa’s bankrupt state prior to the match but the team pulled together in the past fortnight and did their nation proud under skipper Chris Vui.

Their performance bristled with power, desire and no little skill to show their rugby vaults remain full.

However, with world champions New Zealand and Australia on the horizon, the Scotland management were left with a gnawing frustration at the lack of ruthlessness in attack and defence from a new team, albeit one featuring a familiar Glasgow back-line and key Edinburgh and Glasgow units in the pack.

On a dry day ideal for the fast, running rugby Townsend wants his team to play, the sight of Scotland running in tries by Stuart McInally (2), Stuart Hogg, Huw Jones, Alex Dunbar and Peter Horne will have delighted the management.

However, watching Josh Tyrell, Piula Fa’asalele, Tim Nanai-Williams, Kieron Fonotia and Ofisa Treviranus touching down for the tourists — sometimes ridiculously easily — to create the biggest-ever points total in a Murrayfield Test match was less enjoyable as it set up a nervous finale.

Samoa were never in front, with Scotland starting the game explosively through a try by Hogg after just a minute and 33 seconds.

The hosts led 32-10 when man-ofthe-match McInally dived over for his second try, the Scottish pack having mauled two scores for the hooker either side of half-time.

Townsend’s men were firmly in the driving seat and, as their ability to score good tries proved, should have gone on to win handsomely.

But they never held control of the ball for long enough, and when they stepped off Test-match quality of discipline and concentration — and the officials made a debatable try call — the Samoans seized their chances to stay in the game.

The Scots had started with the excitement expected of a team that has uncovered a scoring touch over the past year, a ruck turnover by Hamish Watson, the first of several, furiously stealing back Samoa’s early possession and Finn Russell unlocking the visitors’ defence with a neat grubber kick.

Tommy Seymour’s superb pace and desire got him to the ball ahead of David Lemi and he hacked it long into the Samoa half.

It was then all about the bounce as Seymour and Hogg chased down Samoa full-back Ahsee Tuala. The ball then bounced back up over Tuala’s head and into the grateful arms of Hogg for an easy run-in.

The touchdown took him to fourth-equal in Scotland’s try-scoring chart with Townsend, Alan Tait and Gavin Hastings.

Debutant prop Darryl Marfo, fourth-choice at Edinburgh at the start of the season, stood up well to the challenge in physical forward exchanges in a strong Scottish scrum, while the lineout functioned well as Jonny Gray called the shots and Ben Toolis was another excellent target.

Then, as the Scots struggled to maintain the early pace, Nanai-Williams missed his first penalty but slotted a second.

And, after Russell responded with two of his own, Samoa were handed an invitation into the game with a series of Scottish penalties.

The South Sea Islanders responded, with lock Tyrell driving over the line after 27 minutes and Nanai-Williams converting.

Scotland’s big players then stepped up the pace in reply. After WP Nel was forced off with an arm injury — replaced by Zander Fagerson — Russell and Jonny Gray started breaking tackles. When the ball came back, Jones took a long pass from Hogg to dump Paul Perez on his backside and hold off Rey LeeLo long to crash over the line.

The Scottish pack took up the challenge with lineout drives for McInally to finish off tries either side of half-time, marking his tenth cap with his first scores, and take his side into a 25-10 half-time lead and then a 32-10 advantage soon after the restart.

Samoa were not lying down, however, with trademark powerful running. They earned their reward ten minutes into the second half with a second try — albeit controversially.

Fa’asalele twisted out of a tackle and got over the try line but TV replays shown in the stadium suggested that the ball never reached the ground due to a Scottish boot and arms holding it up.

Irish Television Match Official Simon McDowell was quick to announce a try, to howls of derision from the Murrayfield faithful.

With the game opening up, Townsend introduced four replacements. Debutants Chris Harris, Jamie Bhatti and George Turner were joined by Cornell du Preez, taking over from Seymour, Marfo, McInally and skipper John Barclay respectively. Samoa reacted better to the disruption, however, exposing Scotland’s defence when Nanai-Williams darted in for a score.

That closed the gap to eight points and Townsend swapped his halfbacks, Henry Pyrgos and Horne taking over from Ali Price and Russell for the last 15 minutes.

It had an instant impact, too, as a Horne chip to the left touchline was lost by See Tuala and Lee Jones gave a delicate pass inside to Dunbar, who battered his way over the line.

Horne’s conversion eased tensions — for about 30 seconds — as Scotland switched off at the restart and the visitors struck again, centre Kieron Fonotia sliding over after the hosts failed to stop the Samoan runners. The match seemed set to end on an upbeat note for the Scots as du Preez opened up the Samoan defence with a superb onehanded pass inside to Horne and the stand-off sprinted to the line for Scotland’s sixth try, and converted it himself, with just five minutes remaining.

But sleepy Scottish fringe defence in their own 22 was exploited again by Samoan legend Treviranus, who sprinted in from 15 yards, with Nania-Williams converting.

The final whistle brought an end to a feast of rugby, 11 tries from 10 different scorers, and left many wondering if this is a sign of what is to come under Townsend — a test of the old adage that it doesn’t matter how many your opposition score, so long as you score more.