David Denton fires warning to Scotland team-mates ahead of Samoa clash

Hines played in the past three tournaments and on each occasion the Scots went into the last group match needing a win to reach the last eight. “The gap has been bridged and that is great for world rugby and a massive step forward for the game”. “It shows that the general population there appreciate the sport and the awesome performances of their national team over the past few weeks”.

In a World Cup with your country – it doesn’t get any bigger than that.

Coach Vern Cotter’s decision to make 11 changes for the South Africa game kept his side’s chances of an upset to a minimum but despite flashes of second half optimism there is a feeling in the Scotland camp they did not do themselves justice. “I feel like if I get the nod I can bring that physicality and match what they bring – if not more”, said Bryce, whose brother Glenn is at present on the Warriors’ injury list after fracturing an ankle. The Samoa victory followed a stunning 34-32 triumph over South Africa. In a cosmopolitan squad, he is the most obvious citizen of the world: born and initially raised in Nashville, Tennessee, the Glasgow wing arrived in Scotland via stints growing up in Dubai and Ulster – for whom he played for two seasons – and qualifies for Scotland via his Glaswegian mother, Sue.

“We know it is not going to be easy. They are having to commit a lot of players to stop it”, he added.

Their 26-5 loss to Japan last week leaves them with nothing to play for but pride against the Scots on Saturday – but Denton insists his own team will be on their guard against a physical backlash from the Pacific islanders.

David Denton is confident the 2015 Rugby World Cup will not suffer without hosts England when the knockout stages get underway.

“The work continues, though, with MK Dons Sport and Education Trust helping to deliver the legacy programme and hopefully the whole tournament will have inspired a new generation to pick up a ball and stay active”. In fact, the first college football game in American history was so similar to rugby that the two teams played a follow-up game the next day with “orthodox” rules.