Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Scotland 48-7 Georgia: Scots warm up for Six Nations with emphatic win

Written by 
Published in Rugby
Friday, 23 October 2020 13:34

Scotland warmed up up for next Saturday's Six Nations game against Wales with an eight-try win against Georgia at Murrayfield.

Tries from Darcy Graham, Fraser Brown and Hamish Watson had the hosts 17-0 at the break.

Akaki Tabutsadze responded for Georgia, but scores from Brown, Stuart McInally, Duhan Van der Merwe, Graham and Blair Kinghorn sealed a victory.

Finn Russell's return from the bench capped a positive night for Scotland.

The fly-half came on midway into the second-half for his first appearance for a year, after he played no part in the Six Nations after a breach of team protocol led to a falling-out with head coach Gregor Townsend.

Next up for Scotland is their final match of the interrupted Six Nations against Wales in Llanelli a week on Saturday, before they commence their autumn Nations Cup campaign.

Forwards' grunt opens lead

Playing their first Test since the Six Nations win against France at Murrayfield seven months ago, it would have been fair to expect some rust from Scotland.

Aside from Graham's quick tap and sharp finish after just two minutes, the opening quarter was heavy going, with neither side managing fluid rugby.

What was evident was Scotland's desire to build on their work in the Six Nations earlier this year, when they demonstrated a harder edge up front and a newly stubborn defence.

The forwards were asked to do the heavy lifting, and with due reward. Brown - captaining Scotland for the first time - was the beneficiary as a well constructed maul rumbled over after a lineout as Townsend's side took on Georgia at their own power game.

Georgian ill discipline was a theme, as they reached double figures for penalties conceded before the half-time whistle had even sounded.

Scotland capitalised on one of many advantages after battering through phases close to the try-line, as Scott Cummings fed the impressive prop Rory Sutherland, who put in Watson to finish in the corner on 32 minutes.

But another opportunity was missed in first-half overtime, as Brown and Cornell Du Preez - who replaced the injured Matt Fagerson - shoved over, but a TMO review was unable to clarify who had managed to ground the ball.

Backs run riot late on

The second half started in the same scrappy manner, but came to life when winger Tabutsadze caught scrum-half Lobzhanidze's lofted pass after four minutes to sprint in for a score, which was confirmed when a TMO review showed Cummings' touch prevented the final pass from being judged forward.

But any notion of a spectacular comeback was quickly quashed when Brown dropped over from the back of a maul as Scotland reasserted their dominance at the lineout.

That stretched Scotland's lead back to 15 points, and it was then time for Russell to make his long-awaited return for the national side.

The Racing fly-half trotted on with a broad smile on his face for his 50th cap, but slotted into the inside centre position vacated by James Lang, as Hastings remained at 10. He made an instant impact with two brilliant floating passes creating overlaps which Scotland failed to capitalise on.

But it was the lineout maul again which got Scotland over the line and on course for victory. McInally had replaced Brown and took his place at the back of the drive to flop over, with Hastings finding the mark with his conversion after missing the previous three.

After seeing little of the ball for the first hour, Scotland's back-line were let loose against a tiring Georgia defence in the final quarter to cap can emphatic victory.

First, Van der Merwe careered on to Russell's inside ball to charge under the posts for a debut score, before Graham added his second of the night after replacement scrum-half George Horne's soft hands put him in at the corner.

Kinghorn's try rounded off a powerful second half and was arguably the pick of all eight tries. The full-back chipped over the Georgia defence - by this point down to 14 men after a yellow card - from deep, and managed to flick the ball back up for himself to trot in and touch down.

Scotland team: Kinghorn; Graham; Harris, Lang; Van der Merwe; Hastings; Price; Sutherland, Brown (capt), Z Fagerson; Toolis, Cummings; Ritchie, Watson, M Fagerson.

Substitutes: McInally, Kebble, Berghan, Harley, Haining, Du Preez, G Horne, Russell.

Read 286 times

Soccer

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Diego Simeone's 700th game in charge of Atlético Madrid ended in a late 2-1 win over Deportivo Alave...

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Aston Villa and Sweden defender Olof Mellberg has signed a m...

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMikel Arteta has hit back at anyone questioning Bukayo Saka's commi...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

EmailPrintThe NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes followi...

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

EmailPrintNew Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has undergone multiple treatments on his left ha...

Baseball

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan -...

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Aaron Judge is one of the few people on Earth who can r...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated