Match Report: Scotland 57-17 Fiji

Scotland made a vibrant begin, with alternatives opening up early doorways, the primary of which got here after a few minutes as Scotland had been awarded a penalty for his or her fast work to dismantle Fiji’s ruck. Adam Hastings nudged the ball properly into the left nook simply shy of the five-metre line for the primary line out of the match.

Scotland look to trick (and never deal with!) the Fijian defence with a transfer around the blindside as they regarded to attain however Hastings’ cross was knocked on by Fiji’s scrum-half, Lomani by means which had been deemed unlawful, warranting a yellow card. Scotland had been again to the place they began, with a lineout, however Fiji’s defensive maul was greater than as much as the problem as they ripped the ball and kicked it in contact on the ten.

After Scotland conceded a penalty, it was shortly tit for tat as Scotland earned one again on the scrum, with Hastings kicking this time to the precise nook for a line out on the ten. The maul held up effectively with Pierre Schoeman and Ewan Ashman breaking away in tandem, with the hooker dotting down. Nonetheless, Schoeman was penalised for obstruction and the attempt was not given. Scotland got a second probability to get it proper, and that they did, utilizing their maul as a decoy earlier than discovering full-back, Kyle Rowe, who dotted down for the 5. Hastings lined up for the conversion which he slotted with ease. [7-0, 10 mins].

Fiji tried to make life tough for Scotland, imposing their physicality at each flip, nevertheless they lacked self-discipline as they tried, conceding a plethora of penalties, for which they had been duly warned about by referee Craig Evans. By the 13^th minute, Fiji’s lack of self-discipline resulted in a yellow card being proven to outside-centre, Vota for repeated crew infringements.

With a two-man benefit, it was now time for Scotland to strike, and strike they did as Ashman and Darcy Graham mixed within the 5 metre channel, with Graham dashing throughout the whitewash so as to add a twenty fifth Scotland attempt to his private assortment on his first begin because the Rugby World Cup in 2023. Might something make that attempt extra particular? It seems, sure, as this may mark the 300^th attempt scored since Gregor Townsend took up the mantle as Head Coach. Hastings added the extras [14-0, 16 mins].

Only a few minutes later, in basic Darcy Graham type, the winger was throughout the road for an additional attempt, this time as he clutched it from the air and nudged it by way of the foot down the pitch earlier than gathering and scoring. In contrast to the final, the attempt was cautiously examined by the officiating crew, as they tried to take care of the ball was on the bottom earlier than it was kicked, however the attempt was good. With a wider angle to work with, the conversion was missed however Scotland’s lead was firmly cemented [19-0, 19 mins].

Inside what was actually seconds of the restart, Scotland had been including to the scoreboard as soon as once more, as Huw Jones impressed with each his capacity to learn the sport and intercept, and his speedy tempo as he charged from the ten to the whitewash, diving throughout the attempt line in type. With a straightforward kick in entrance of the posts, Hastings added two extra factors [24-0, 21 mins].

After a robust begin, Scotland’s defence started to be examined as Fiji regarded to push again as Vota returned to the sector. Fiji capitalised on errors and poor self-discipline, and had been quickly camped on Scotland’s five-metre line with a line out. After stringing collectively a number of phases of assault Scotland had been penalised once more, this time struggling the results as Ashman was proven a yellow card and despatched to the sin-bin for not supporting his physique weight at ruck. Taking benefit for the overlap, Fiji labored the ball large and full-back Loganimasi dotted down for Fiji’s first attempt of the match. The conversion fell large of the sticks [26-5, 34 mins].

It wasn’t lengthy earlier than Scotland added extra factors to the board as Fiji had been penalised for obstructing on the field kick. Hastings kick for the posts was strong, gifting Scotland an additional three factors forward of half-time [29-5, 37 mins].

On the restart Glasgow Warriors’ Tom Jordan got here on to the sector changing Kyle Rowe to earn his first Scotland cap.

Fiji line out on the 5, maul collapsed. Continued to place strain on the Scottish protection. Scotland penalised with Schoeman excessive deal with. Scotland had been again to a full praise with Ashman returning to the sector, however it wasn’t sufficient to cease Fiji from scoring one other attempt, this time from Derenalagi. Ravula was unable to transform. [29-10, 40 mins]

Half time: Scotland 29 – Fiji 10

The opening exchanges of the primary half had been backwards and forwards between the 2 sides, however finally it was Fiji who received the foothold as they took benefit of a penalty conceded by Ashman for a excessive deal with, punting the ball deep into the left-hand facet of our 22 for the road out. Working a transfer straight from the coaching pitch, Ikanivere gathered on the entrance of the pod and crossed the road after a improbable dummy. Ravula added the extras [29-17, 50 mins].

However Scotland quickly responded, and Graham was in for a hat-trick. Some wonderful mixture work from van der Merwe and Huw Jones put Graham into house on the precise wing and he sprinted over for his third attempt of the match. Hastings transformed with ease so as to add the extras [36-17, 53 mins].

The elation of Graham’s 27^th Scotland attempt was shortly silenced on the kick-off as Fiji gathered from the restart and got here inside inches of scoring, however due to fast work from debutant Tom Jordan, his reverse man was taken into contact.

It wasn’t lengthy earlier than Scottish Gasoline Murrayfield had been again on their toes to rejoice the magic of Graham. A slick switch-move between substitute scrum-half Jamie Dobie and Graham on the fringes of the Fijian 5 metre line noticed the winger drive over from shut vary for his fourth attempt of the match to attract stage with van der Merwe as Scotland’s prime attempt scorer. Hastings’ conversion sailed throughout for the extras [43-17, 63 mins].

Regardless of Fiji attempting to get again into the sport, Scotland had engaged one other gear with some pure champagne rugby to attain arguably one of the best attempt of the night time. Captain Sione Tuipulotu fed the again from behind his again to Adam Hastings, who miraculously did this identical, earlier than Huw Jones mixed with Duhan van de Merwe with the winger driving throughout the road for this 29^th Scotland attempt, shortly getting the outright attempt title again. Hastings added the extras. [50-17, 72 mins]

After being a play maker for most of the tries scored in the course of the match, it regarded like Huw Jones might need bagged himself one other attempt, this time within the left nook, however after replaying the footage on the screens, the officiating crew deemed the movement a double motion.

Only a few minutes later nevertheless, Jones was over for his brace as Hastings fired a cross subject kick into the left hand nook for the centre. Hastings transformed as soon as once more to increase [57-17, 79 mins].

There have been simply seconds left on the clock, however sufficient to restart the sport. Scotland had been eager to maintain the ball alive, and finally it was within the palms of van de Merwe, who rocketed down the pitch to attain a rating a closing attempt. Sadly, it wasn’t to be, because the officers rewatched the footage and located Huw Jones had been marginally introduced into contact, and so the attempt was disallowed.

Regardless of the frustration of a 30^th Scotland attempt for Duhan being denied, it was a improbable displaying for the Scots within the first of their Well-known Grouse Autumn Nations Sequence video games of 2024.

Full-time: Scotland 57 – 17 Fiji

Well-known Grouse Participant of the Match: Darcy Graham (Scotland)

Attendance:  67,144