Scotland bounced again from their 30-15 defeat to world champions South Africa with a nine-try victory over rugby minnows Portugal within the Autumn Nations Sequence at Murrayfield.
Gregor Townsend’s males, with 14 modifications constructed from the punishing loss to the Springboks, scored 4 advantageous tries and a penalty strive within the first half, with Will Hurd (4′), stand-in captain Stafford McDowall (12′), Darcy Graham (34′) and Josh Bayliss (38′) all going over earlier than Luka Begic powered off a maul within the forty third minute to spice up the visiting aspect’s temper at half-time in a 33-7 lead for the Scots.
The guests remained undaunted within the second interval as they added two extra tries through the ending energy of Samuel Marques (55′) and Raffaele Storti (67′) to safe a report rating towards a house nations aspect.
However Scotland ended their day with 4 extra tries of their very own within the second interval as Jamie Bhatti (44′), Arron Reed (59′, 62′) and Jamie Dobie (73′) prolonged the profitable margin.
Scotland, who opened the Autumn Nations Sequence with 57-17 win over Fiji a fortnight in the past, additionally handed 19-year entrance row Freddie Douglas a full skilled debut, the youngest participant to realize the feat for the nationwide aspect since Donald White in 1963.
Scotland had been removed from good in a cushty if typically careless outing earlier than 60,000 followers in Edinburgh, however will once more make modifications once they host a rejuvenated Australia per week tomorrow at Murrayfield.
Speaking Level: Scotland should enhance towards Australia
Will probably be a distinct aspect that steps out at Murrayfield subsequent Sunday, however a randomly malfunctioning line-out and a scrum that was demolished by Portugal’s personal tackle the ‘Bomb Squad’ present loads of speaking factors for Townsend’s squad earlier than the Wallabies arrive within the Scottish capital for subsequent Sunday’s Check match.
They had been additionally boosted by Edinburgh winger Darcy Graham equalling absent team-mate Duhan van der Merwe’s nationwide try-scoring report in mentioning his twenty ninth strive for Scotland.
“We have had some actually good video games towards Australia over the previous couple of years, tight video games primarily,” mentioned Townsend. “Joe Schmidt’s groups at all times attempt to play rugby and hold possession. They are a high quality aspect with all of the gamers they needed to pick accessible. We all know they are a high 5 aspect, and we’ll must play our greatest rugby to win.”
Participant of the Match: Tom Jordan (Scotland)
Solely his third match for the nationwide aspect, however the full-back appears to be like like he has been performing at midnight blue for years. The one participant retained from the South Africa defeat, Jordan is clearly made for his vocation in life after posting some extra staggering figures with 13 carries, 137 metres made and 6 sort out breaks summing up his excellence forward of the Australia check to come back.
Participant Scores
Scotland: S McDowall 7, T Jordan 8, R Hutchinson 7, A Reed 7, D Graham 7, A Hastings 7, G Horne 7, J Bhatti 7, P Harrison 7, W Hurd 7, A Craig 7, A Samuel 7, L Crosbie 7, B Muncaster 7, J Bayliss 7
Portugal: S Bento 7, R Storti 7, J Lima 7, T Appleton 6, D Cabral 7, L Martins 7, S Marques 8, D Costa 7, L Begic 7, D Hasse Ferreira 7, J Madeira 7, D Torgal 7, A Cunha 7, N Martins 7, F Couto 7
Match Highlights
4′ TRY! SCOTLAND (HURD) 5-0 PORTUGAL A lot stress already approaching that visiting defence in Scotland’s first go to to the 22. After a few makes an attempt to push over the road, Will Hurd is the person to get the ball down for 5 factors. Hastings lacking the conversion.
27 TRY! SCOTLAND 38-14 PORTUGAL (MARQUES) Samuel Marques does brilliantly to race over after Portugal change their whole entrance row which demolishes Scotland’s scrum. What a transfer that’s! Abel da Cunha, Pedro Vicente and Antonio Prim got here on to assist the guests demolish the house defence. Straightforward conversion too.
34′ TRY! SCOTLAND (GRAHAM) 26-0 PORTUGAL Guests everywhere in the present in defence as Graham scurries via three Portugal chasers to attain a superb strive. Accepts the cross from Horne and that equals the nationwide report for tries on 29. Hastings with the conversion.
40 TRY! SCOTLAND 33-7 PORTUGAL (BEGIC) An enormous celebration from the small posse of visiting followers as Begic spins off the again of the rolling maul to rampage over for his or her first strive of the day. Bento thought he had scored on the opposite aspect, nevertheless it was introduced again for a penalty benefit and the Scots could not maintain out. And that’s the half-time whistle!
55′ TRY! SCOTLAND 38-14 PORTUGAL (MARQUES) Samuel Marques does brilliantly to race over after Portugal change their whole entrance row which demolishes Scotland’s scrum. What a transfer that’s! Abel da Cunha, Pedro Vicente and Antonio Prim got here on to assist the guests demolish the house defence. Straightforward conversion too.
73 TRY! SCOTLAND (DOBIE) 59-21 PORTUGAL Reed virtually dancing via for an additional strive on the primary part assault from the scrum, however the energy recreation pays off for Scotland as Dobie picks as much as end off one other advantageous transfer. Jordan provides the conversion to increase the hole.
79′ PORTUGAL SO CLOSE TO ANOTHER TRY! However a TMO name denies the guests after the referee determined no strive initially. Unsure how Darcy Graham managed to carry that up with Baptista all the road like a rash! However he did. Enormous frustration for the guests chasing a fourth strive.