Hot and cold Four Nations warm-up from Scots

SCOTLAND head coach Steve McCormack saw his team blow hot and cold in their 48-16 win over Barrow in their warm-up for Friday’s Four Nations opener against Australia.

McCormack left some of his experienced players out of the testimonial for Barrow stalwart Liam Harrison and admits the game served a purpose.

“We were a bit scratchy but we will be a lot better for having played that game,” he conceded.

“It was a must that we had some sort of contact game. We got out of it exactly what we thought we would. We blew the cobwebs off.

“We got bashed a bit which is what you expect. They’re very proud people the Cumbrians and I knew exactly what we would get.”

Skipper Danny Brough, and North Queensland Cowboys duo Lachlan Coote and Kane Linnett were rested, while new St Helens signing Luke Douglas only landed in Glasgow from Sydney a few hours before the game and Euan Aitken of St George-Illawarra Dragons had a tight hamstring.

It meant the rest of his 24-man squad all got game time, although first-choice hooker Laim Hood of Leigh only lasted 10 minutes before his hamstring flared up. Huddersfield’s Ryan Brierley was among the debutants and try-scorers.

“We had a lot of experience sat up in the stand,” explained McCormack.

“It’s a brand-new team – there were eight new caps there – and we were a young side. It was an opportunity for us.

“When we stuck to our structures we played really well. They took on board quite a few things we’ve done in training but it also highlighted a lot of things we need to work on in training this week.”

IRELAND comfortably won their opening 2017 World Cup qualifier against Spain in Valencia, outscoring their opponents by nine tries to one in a 46-6 victory.