[November Tests 2017 EOYT] Scotland vs. Samoa (11/11/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: BT Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
Time: 16:30 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Samoa with a new coach I think but this should be meat and drink for Scotland. A return fixture for Scotland against Fiji would have been much better with Samoa playing Italy or Romania.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Scotland have selected a stupidly strong side - I fear this will be a 30 point victory against a Samoa in a bit of decline.

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Lee Jones, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ali Price, 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 John Barclay (c), 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Ben Toolis, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Stuart McInally, 1 Darryl McMarfo


Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Jamie Bhatti, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Cornell Du Preez, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Pete Horne, 23 Chris Harris

 

[Reiser99]

At least they have the confidence building game first. I expect NZ to win, but if Scotland continue to play as well as they have been and keep improving, especially without Laidlaw slowing down the attack, they have another good shot at Aus, especially if Aus have just come off the back of a loss to Eng. (I would say Wales as well, but I just can't see them doing it).

 

[General Melchett]

I suspect they are targeting wins against Samoa and Australia which would represent a successful series. I would expect some key players to be rested against the AB's which probably makes sense.

Barring the injuries to Brown and Dickinson, the rest of the side looks very strong. Good to see Huw Jones back after injury.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Outstanding match. Fantastic entertainment, capacity crowd against a Tier 2 nation, kids in for £1 and bonkers attacking play. The best bit is Samoa appear to be back. I can only conclude that their previous coach was poor and that is why they have been on a downward spiral. They got a lot of their tactics spot on here. Just run straight at that power-puff Scottish pack and overpower them. Scotland simply couldn't cope. I wonder if (like me) Scotland underestimated Samoa from watching tape of the dross they had been playing the last couple of years as that was an atrocious defensive display around the ruck.

I fancy Samoa to beat Romania on this evidence, just an incredible improvement and hard to believe Nanai Williams isn't a natural 10. Great to see.

 

[RoosTah]

I suspect they are targeting wins against Samoa and Australia which would represent a successful series. I would expect some key players to be rested against the AB's which probably makes sense.

Barring the injuries to Brown and Dickinson, the rest of the side looks very strong. Good to see Huw Jones back after injury.

If they rest players against the world champs that's just bizarre... it's basically downgrading their biggest match and simultaneously admitting defeat before kick off.

 

[galumay]

Somehow missed recording this game, score suggested it was a cracker. I shall have to catch a replay during the week.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Somehow missed recording this game, score suggested it was a cracker. I shall have to catch a replay during the week.

Full match.



Worth watching as long as you aren't a defensive purist!

 

[galumay]

Cheers Bruce!

 

[AM_Bokke]

This game was played in great spirit. By far the best advertisement for rugby this weekend.

Congratulations to Scotland, I think that you have become my NH team at the moment. I don't have any strong NH loyalties but Scotland is the team who's play and development I respect the most right now.

 

[g6mcg]

Full match.



Worth watching as long as you aren't a defensive purist!

Defending is overrated!

Was concerned about Marfo before the game but he played well.