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Match Report - Scotland off to perfect start

Blair Kinghorn celebrates a try

Blair Kinghorn scored Scotland’s first ever Guinness Six Nations hat-trick as they kicked-off this year’s tournament with a 33-20 win over Italy.

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It is 30 years since Iwan Tukalo registered the Dark Blues’ last Championship treble in a Five Nations clash with Ireland.

But Edinburgh wing Kinghorn ended that long wait as Stuart Hogg and Chris Harris also crossed over the whitewash to give Gregor Townsend’s side the perfect start with a bonus point triumph.

Italy skipper Sergio Parisse was making a record 66th appearance in the Six Nations but it turned out to be another day to forget for the long suffering Azzurri skipper.

Conor O’Shea’s team did pull three scores back through Guglielmo Palazzani, Edoardo Padovani and Angelo Esposito in a chaotic final 10 minutes for the Scots but it was not enough to prevent them slumping to their 18th straight defeat in the competition.

Townsend had spoken earlier this week about the need for his side to build early momentum if they wanted to make a run for the title and Scotland were quick out of the blocks.

They thought they had a third-minute opener when Grant Gilchrist crawled over from a line-out drive but referee Luke Pearce left the hosts disappointed as he penalised the Edinburgh lock for a double movement.

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Instead it was the Scots who found themselves behind after Jamie Ritchie’s tip-tackle on Parisse handed Tommaso Allan an easy penalty.

But it took just 12 minutes for Scotland to finally make their breakthrough. With the Italians over-committed down the right, Finn Russell exploited the space on the other side as he floated a perfect cross-field kick into Kinghorn’s hands, leaving the big wing to dart home unchallenged.

Kinghorn had more work to do nine minutes later but the result was the same as he again pounced over in the left-hand corner.

Tommaso Castello’s knock-on gave Scotland a scrum five yards out from which they quickly worked the ball out wide through the hands of Russell and impressive debutant Sam Johnson. Hogg did Kinghorn no favours with a terrible pass that landed under his feet but the pick-up and finish was impeccable.

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Greig Laidlaw, who missed his first conversion, this time nailed the extras from out wide but Scotland failed to keep their foot on the gas and that gave the Italians some much-needed respite as they held on for the half-time whistle trailing 12-3.

However, the Dark Blues’ show of mercy lasted just seven minutes into the second period as Hogg added the third.

Tommy Seymour carved the Azzurri apart with a marauding charge and as the visitors scrambled for cover Russell dinked a grubber in behind. The race was on between on Hogg and Esposito but it was the Glasgow full-back who applied the all-important downward pressure with his fingertips.

Laidlaw’s conversion opened up a 16-point lead but the bonus point was the prize Scotland were really after and it arrived in the 54th minute as Kinghorn wrapped up his treble.

Russell did brilliantly to scoop up a wayward Josh Strauss pass. Ritchie then rammed forward with another impressive run before Laidlaw handed off for Kinghorn, who was unstoppable as he slid over yet again.

Laidlaw again split the posts before substitute Chris Harris claimed his maiden Test try just after the hour mark as good work by Ben Toolis and Strauss left Italy creaking again.

Some the shine was taken of Scotland’s win as they fell asleep in the final 10 minutes, however.

With Simon Berghan sent to the sin-bin, Italy took advantage of their extra man as Palazzani, Padovani and Esposito were all allowed to scamper home.

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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