Scotland 39
USA 16
SCOTLAND TOOK THEIR time to get going in today’s Pool B clash with USA, but when they found their second half stride Vern Cotter’s men were again an impressive attacking force.
Titi Lamositele’s try had helped USA in to a 13 – 6 half-time lead, but even then the Six Nations side had shown enough dangerous signs to ensure a shock was never genuinely on the cards.
After blowing off the cobwebs in that first period, Tim Visser’s try immediately after the break was evidence that they were hitting the ground running at the second time of asking.
The difference was largely that Scotland were now able to get their offloading game purring along with Josh Straiss and replacement Tim Swinson in impressive form.
Swinson was just one of a number of important cameos off the bench. So it was fitting that the bonus point was secured by Matt Scott, bouncing in on a terrific angle from close range.
Dublin born Aj MacGinty contributed 11 points with the boot for the Americans, but after opening up the seven-point lead at the break, he was only presented with one chance in the second half.
Finn Russell was one of three successful Scottish goal-kickers on the day, but the sight of him hobbling down the tunnell after 60 minutes will be a concern for Cotter with a potential Pool B decider against South Africa coming up in six days time.
As things stand, it is Scotland who go in to that fixture top of the pile. And if Cotter can keep his attack humming the way it did in the second 40 of both games this week, he might just fancy his chances of upsetting the ‘Boks again.
Scorers
Scotland
Tries: T Visser, S Maitland, WP Nel, M Scott, D Weir.
Conversions: G Laidlaw (3) F Russell
Penalties: S Hogg, F Russell
USA
Try: T Lamositele
Comversion: AJ MacGinty
Penalties: AJ MacGinty (3)
Scotland
15 Stuart Hogg
14 Sean Maitland
13 Mark Bennett
12 Peter Horne
11 Tim Visser
10 Finn Russell
9. Henry Pyrgos
1 Ryan Grant
2 Ross Ford
3 Jon Welsh
4 Richie Gray
5 Grant Gilchrist
6 Alasdair Strokosch
7 Ryan Wilson
8 Josh Strauss
Substitutes:
16 Kevin Bryce
17 Alasdair Dickinson
18 Willem Nel
19 Tim Swinson
20 Fraser Brown
21 Greig Laidlaw
22 Duncan Weir
23 Matt Scott
USA
15. Chris Wyles (Captain)
14. Takudzwa Ngwenya
13. Seamus Kelly
12. Thretton Palamo
11. Blaine Scully
10. AJ MacGinty
9. Mike Petri
1. Eric Fry
2. Phil Thiel
3. Titi Lamositele
4. Hayden Smith
5. Greg Peterson
6. Al McFarland
7. Andrew Durutalo
8. Samu Manoa
Replacements
16. Zach Fenoglio
17. Oli Kilifi
18. Chris Baumann
19. Cam Dolan
20. John Quill
21. Danny Barrett
22. Shalom Suniula
23. Folau Niua
