Scotland, riding the wave after last week’s win over World No. 2 Springboks, thrashed the brave Samoan team in the match played here at Pittodrie, Aberdeen last night.
It was the last match of the year for both the countries and both the teams hoped to end their year with victory but it was Scotland who ended their year victoriously, beating Samoa with the score of 19-16.
The match proved to be the most crucial match of the season. The score was equal in the ending moment but local boy Ruaridh Jackson, who was used as a replacement in the match, did the trick for Scotland and his 3 points on penalty
in the ending moments turned the match in Scotland’s favour.
Scotland made a dominating start in this low scoring match, when Dan Parks scored 3 points for his team on a penalty, which was stroked from a difficult angle and his team took the lead 3-0.
But Samoa didn’t stay behind for long and K Fotuali succeeded to get first try of the match for his team. His 5 points on the try gave his team a lead of 2 points over Scotland and the score became 3-5. 2 more points on con from
Paul Williams in the next few minutes sent Scotland under the deficit of 4 points.
But Nikki Walker from Scotland came into action and Scotland succeeded to take their first try of the match, which added 5 to their score and Scotland put Samoa under the deficit again with the score of 8-7.
Scotland’s regular performer Dan Parks then came into action again and his 2 points on con and 3 points on penalty in short intervals gave Scotland a clearer lead and the score became 13-7.
Samoa played very attackingly in the ending moments of the 1st half to level with Scotland’s score, which somehow worked for them and Paul Williams scored 3 points on a penalty just before the end of the first half.
The first half ended with the score of 13-10.
Samoa leveled the score in the early part of the 2nd half, when Paul Williams scored 3 more points on penalty for his team, which reduced the pressure on Samoa.
Dan Parks’ first drop goal of the match added 3 more valuable points in Scotland’s score, which gave Scotland a lead of 3 points over Samoa.
A few minutes later, Paul Williams’ penalty once again put favorites Scotland under enormous amount of pressure and the score became level with only few minutes left in the game.
But it was local boy Ruaridh Jackson’s day, who played as replacement player, when he scored 3 points on penalty for his team in the ending moment of the match and helped his team to clinch a crucial win with the score of 19-16.
It was Scotland’s last match of the year and this victory ended their year with happiness.
Scottish coach Andy Robinson expressed his view after the match and said it was really a close match and he is very pleased with the victory.
"That was far too close for comfort - in fact we were very lucky to get the win. Though I am happy to see us earn the victory, I do feel sorry for Samoa because they played extremely well. They were unlucky to lose in the circumstances."
On the other hand Samoan Captain Mahonri Schwalger admitted that yes the whole team is upset with the defeat. He said, his team played well in the first half but missed few chances of scoring points in the 2nd half,
which was the main reason for their defeat.
Furthermore, he said that although they lost the match, his team played better than their previous tour and showed to the world that they can beat any team in the world.
Final Score Scotland (13) 19 Samoa (10) 16
Scorers
Scotland
Try: Walker
Con: Parks
Pens: Parks 2, Jackson
Drop-goal: Parks
Samoa
Try: Fotualii
Con: Williams
Pens: Williams 3
Teams
Scotland: H Southwell; N Walker, J Ansbro, G Morrison, S Lamont; D Parks, R Lawson (capt); A Jacobsen, R Ford, E Murray, N Hines, R Gray, K Brown, R Vernon, J Barclay.
Replacements: D Hall, M Low, J Hamilton, R Rennie, M Blair, R Jackson, M Evans.
Samoa: P Williams, D Lemi, G Pisi, S Mapusua, A Tuilagi, T Lavea, K Fotualii; S Taulafo, M Schwalger (capt), C Johnston, F Lavea Levi, K Thompson, O Trevarinus, M Salavea, G Stowers.
Replacements: T Paulo, A Perenise, I Tekori, A Aiono, J Poluleuligaga, D Leo, F Otto.
Tags: