Scotland bounce back with seven-try win over Samoa

Samoa: (0) 12

Attempts: Umaga, Paia’aua, and Nee-Nee

Scotland: (22) 41

Scotland ended their summer tour on a high with a thumping seven-try victory over Samoa in Auckland after suffering a painful defeat by Fiji last weekend.

Gregor Townsend’s side were in command in the opening minutes thanks to Ewan Ashman, Rory Hutchinson, Arron Reed, and Kyle Steyn, before Grant Gilchrist, Kyle Rowe, and George Turner added more points in the second period.

At Eden Park, Ben Nee-Nee and Duncan Paia’aua, who had a strong showing, were able to recoup two goals for the hosts, but Scotland dominated in every way with a much more skilled and disciplined performance.

A loss to Samoa would have been incomprehensible, despite Scotland’s suffering from Fiji. Ashman’s early score, however, helped to lessen any anxiety.

After seven minutes, the Australia-bound hooker slammed onto a driving maul to give Scotland the lead, but in those early stages they had to withstand a ferocious Samoa attack.

The backline then jumped out of gear after they received the first blow. The Northampton man darted over for Scotland’s only crucial score of the first half after Stafford McDowall had already scored.

The impressive Jamie Dobie looped a long miss pass out to Reed to dot him down in the corner, making the next one much wider.

They finished their fourth five minutes later. Steyn cantering in unfettered while Dobie, Fergus Burke, and Rowe all performed flawless passes.

They did a similarly clinical first half. The battering ram of Gilchrist, who was pounding at the Samoan barricades, eventually broke through for only his second international score.

Any chance of outrighting the hosts was soon thwarted when George Horne, who had been bundled into position, threw a blind pass on his own five-meter. Samoan lock Nee-Nee was present to intercept, appreciative of the opportunity being given to him.

Scotland immediately responded. They left first, then right, and then back again after the scrum. Both Matt Fagerson and Andy Onyeama-Christie performed well, but it was Burke’s pop-up offload from the deck that allowed Rowe to lean into the corner and touch down.

Paia’aua, a center for Toulon, spun out of the hands of two Scotland tacklers to win one back for Samoa, but Turner received the seventh kick from a driving maul.

Tolai, Siteine-Tua, Fepuleai, Curry, Jones, Mapu, Tupa’i, and Iona are the replacements.

Scotland: Rowe, Steyn, Hutchinson, McDowall, Reed, Burke, Dobie, Sutherland, Ashman, Millar Mills, Brown, Gilchrist, Onyeama-Christie, Darge (capt), M. Fagerson.

Turner, McBeth, Richardson, Henderson, Sykes, Muncaster, Horne, and Hastings are the replacements.