Scots roar back into World Cup limelight

SCOTLAND’S controlled performance ensured a bonus-point victory over Samoa that revives their hopes of progressing from World Cup Pool A.

Gregor Townsend’s side needed to recover from a poor opening defeat by Ireland, whose subsequent loss to Japan was a further blow to their chances.

But first-half tries from Sean Maitland and Greg Laidlaw and a Stuart Hogg drop goal put the Scots in command in stifling conditions in Kobe, with two penalty tries after half-time ensuring the extra point they craved.

The Scots now move up to third in the Pool A behind Japan and Ireland after two games each.

Under the closed roof at the Misaki Stadium, the conditions were as hot and as steamy as a sauna.

Scotland endured the most miserable week, but had an anger and a focus about them that stood out a mile. They promised a reaction to the awful loss against Ireland and it was obvious from early on that they were going to deliver it. A new wing, a new centre partnership and a whole new back row, the Scots had energy and aggression by the bucketload, the very qualities that were desperately lacking in their opening game in Yokohama.

That fourth try came late, but it was deserved. Scotland kept their nerve and produced a stirring performance, the kind of battling effort that marks them out as not quite dead in this pool.

They went ahead early through a Laidlaw penalty and took a firm hold of the Test. They won the collisions, an absolute must against Samoa, and even though their early dominance took a while to get converted into points, they always looked threatening. The bar of soap that passed as a ball was part of the problem. All night, catching the thing was a challenge. Their first try came on the half hour and it arrived when Scotland used their aerial game, first with Laidlaw’s kick that Samoa struggled to deal with, then a Garryowen that caused more confusion in Samoan ranks. The third boot to ball was Russell’s cross kick, off a free play, to Sean Maitland who slipped out of Tusi Pisi’s despairing lunge to score.

Laidlaw’s conversion gave Scotland a handy 10-point lead. Within five minutes they’d added to it. Russell went though a half-gap and found Ritchie with an offload. The flanker found Laidlaw who bounced out of Tim Nanai Williams’ attempted tackle to run in at the posts.

The scrum-half added the conversion before Hogg kept the scoreboard ticking with a 40m drop goal. Hogg punched the air when his kick sailed up and over.