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Scotland make five changes to their team to face Samoa

Scotland's Finn Russell is applauded by Ireland players in Yokohama (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Gregor Townsend has made five changes to the starting Scotland side to face Samoa in Monday’s World Cup match at Kobe.

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Scotland have won nine of the 11 Tests between the two sides however the last two meetings underlined the Islanders’ potency in attack, scoring 33 and 38 points in defeat at World Cup 2015 and in a 2017 autumn Test.

This threat was evident again in Samoa’s bonus-point win over Russia in their opening Pool A match (34-9), with Scotland looking to the Test as a chance to bounce back from their opening round defeat to Ireland (27-3) and get their pool campaign on track.

Townsend, said: “Samoa are a team capable of scoring points from anywhere on the field. They play an ambitious brand of rugby and their team is full of skilful and powerful players.

“We had worked hard in our build-up to this tournament to deliver our best rugby but we were well below this level in our opening game against Ireland. We’ll need to be much better on Monday night against such a dangerous opponent.

(Continue reading below…)

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“It’s been a long week building towards a game where we intend to put a lot of things right. The players have responded well in training, know what is required of them and are hungry to deliver the kind of performance that keeps us in the world cup.

“The reality is we now have to win our next three games to make it out of our pool, so the knockout stages for us begin this Monday night. I firmly believe this group are ready to take on that challenge.”

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Two of Scotland’s starting changes come in the backline where Edinburgh wing Darcy Graham and Gloucester centre Chris Harris – try scorers against Georgia and France in respective summer Tests – start in place of Tommy Seymour and Duncan Taylor, the latter moving to the bench.

Graham will combine with fellow Hawick man Stuart Hogg (full-back) and Saracens wing Sean Maitland in the back three, with Glasgow Warriors centre Sam Johnson returning to partner Harris in midfield.

Half-backs Greig Laidlaw (Clermont) and Finn Russell (Racing 92) start together for the 35th time, equalling the national team record of legendary pairing Roy Laidlaw [Greig’s uncle] and John Rutherford.

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A new back-row trio makes up the three remaining changes in the pack. Fit-again Jamie Ritchie starts in place of the injured Hamish Watson (knee), with Watson’s wider squad replacement Magnus Bradbury operating on the blindside, and Scarlets Blade Thomson at No8.

The forwards are completed by a returning tight five of loosehead prop Allan Dell (London Irish), hooker and captain Stuart McInally and tighthead prop Willem Nel (both Edinburgh), with Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) and Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) back at lock.

Scotland (v Samoa, Monday)

 

15. Stuart Hogg VICE CAPTAIN (Exeter Chiefs) – 70 caps

14. Darcy Graham (Edinburgh) – 8 caps

13. Chris Harris (Gloucester) – 11 caps

12. Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors) – 7 caps

11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 43 caps

10. Finn Russell (Racing 92) – 47 caps

9. Greig Laidlaw VICE CAPTAIN (Clermont Auvergne) – 74 caps

1. Allan Dell (London Irish) – 26 caps

2. Stuart McInally CAPTAIN (Edinburgh) – 30 caps

3. Willem Nel (Edinburgh) – 32 caps

4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) – 37 caps

5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 53 caps

6. Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh) – 8 caps

7. Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh) – 12 caps

8. Blade Thomson (Scarlets) – 3 caps

Substitutes:

16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 43 caps

17. Gordon Reid (Ayrshire Bulls) – 38 caps

18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 22 caps

19. Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors) – 5 caps

20. Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 46 caps

21. George Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 7 caps

22. Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors) – 14 caps

23. Duncan Taylor (Saracens) – 24 caps

WATCH: The Rugby Pod reflect on a dire performance by Scotland at the World Cup

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O
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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TRENDING Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea Marcus Smith on that substitution and his England plea
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