Rugby World Cup: Scotland win thriller to secure quarter final spot

Having beaten South Africa and Samoa, the courageous Blossoms put themselves in contention for their first quarterfinal, until Scotland outlasted Samoa on Saturday. Lucky he didn’t connect with the head or it’d be a red. Pisi’s penalty put his side back in front. Offside from Samoa who are overzealous at the breakdown. Just. Under pressure, Samoa reverted to type and conceded penalty after penalty.

He said: “The longer these teams stay in a game the quicker they grow arms and legs”. Nanai-Williams heavily involved, providing the assist. Perhaps the stat that will ring around Scotland the most, however, is this: for the first time since 1978, they have outlasted the Auld Enemy, England, in a major sporting tournament.

Scotland replied immediately to Pisi’s try when winger Tommy Seymour intercepted a wild, cut-out pass from Pisi near his own posts, moments after the restart.

Hogg admits Scotland got sucked into going toe-to-toe with the muscle-bound Springboks, but insists they will not make the same mistake against an equally robust Samoan side. And he kicks the conversion from his try for good measure.

A huge 87,356 fans were in attendance across the three matches, with stadium:mk’s attendance record smashed with each game before eventually settling at 30,048 for Tuesday’s match between Fiji and Uruguay. Tusi Pisi strokes it over from 35 out.

“We’ve looked at getting our hands on the ball early”, Cotter said. St. James’ Park today is teeming with noise from desperate Scots.

On a sunny and still autumn day, conditions are ideal at St James’ Park after overnight repairs to the turf that was heavily churned up in places from the New Zealand-Tonga game on Friday night, won 47-9 by the All Blacks.

They were punished by the boot of Greig Laidlaw, who scored a decisive try late in the second-half and kicked 21 points to send the Scots into a last eight meeting with Australia or Wales at Twickenham on October. 18.

It is the youngest and most inexperienced Pumas lineup at a Rugby World Cup in 16 years, and the start for center Juan Pablo Socino ensures every Puma in the squad will have played at least once in the pool stage.

“It’s extremely simple, we need to win the game”.

But Scotland saw out the final 60 seconds without further scare to finally clinch their place in the last eight.

The Samoan response was immediate, as their big men continued to barge their way all too simply deep into Scottish territory. After posession was recycled, George Pisi set Lee-Lo free with a lovely offload and Samoa led by 7.

Motu Matu’u (Wellington Hurricanes), Viliamu Afatia (Agen), Anthony Perenise (Bristol), Faifili Levave (Wellington Lions), Vavae Tuilagi (Carcassonne), Vavao Afemai (Manu 7s), Patrick Faapale (Manu 7s), Ken Pisi (Northampton Saints).