Scotland reached the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup with the necessary victory over Samoa but it was an excruciatingly nervous afternoon thanks to their own errors and a valiant effort by the Islanders at Newcastle.
It wasn’t until the last second that the massed ranks of Scotland fans in St James’ Park could breathe easy as Samoa exposed the Scottish defence time and again and repelled every effort the Scots made to wrestle control of the match.
Four tries was exactly what Samoa’s attacking play and resolve deserved particularly as they couldn’t qualify for the last eight – while Scotland leaned heavily on their captain Grieg Laidlaw who scored the try with four minutes remaining that proved decisive.
A win’s a win, but the disorganised nature of the Scottish performance and how easily they were unsettled by Samoa will be pleasing viewing to their quarter-final opponents next week.
The first half was an anxious nightmare for already nervy Scotland fans, as their team contrived to struggle appallingly at restarts and found themselves cut to pieces by the free-running Samoans.
Centre Rey Lee-Lo was an enormous threat at every turn, his first run breaking tackles setting up an 11th minute try for Tusi Pisi in the corner after the sides had exchanged early penalties.
The Scots were immediately gifted an equalising try as Samoa attempted to run out from their line, Pisi threw a loose pass and Tommy Seymour pounced, tapping the bouncing ball up to himself to score.
But the Scots were in disarray at Samoa’s opposite field restarts, and straight from the kick-off they gifted possession, hooker Leiataua going over after a quick tap.
Scotland responded with a Laidlaw penalty, but from the next restart the Scots were nowhere again, Lee-Lo scoring his own try on the wide left after Nani-Williams’ break.
Laidlaw again reeled the Samoans back with a penalty, but Ryan Wilson’s stray boot on Maurie Fa’asavalu was spotted by the TMO, the flanker saw the ywllow card and Pisi kicked Samoa into a 23-16 lead.
Down a man the Scots finally showed some sense and coherence in their play, rolling mauls forcing penalties down the line and eventually a try for John Hardie, Laidlaw converting to tie the scores.
But Samoa were denied a fourth try for a marginal TMO call for blocking and Pisi kicked them into a 26-23 lead at half-time, a scoreline that plainly flattered the Scots.
In the second half the Scots dominated possession and territory, but contrived to struggle to make it count against the tenacious Islanders.
Two penalties from Laidlaw got them into the lead but not until after a series of poor mauls and basic errors wasted good possession.
Laidlaw missed two more penalties before the skipper finally dummied his way over the line after WP Nel had been denied by the TMO, converting for a crucial ten point lead.
Still it wasn’t enough to calm the verves as Samoa came right back with a try from replacement hooker Motu Matu’u before a knock-on mercifully allowed the Scots to close out the game.
Att: 51,982
Samoa: T Nani-Williams; P Perez, G Pisi, R Lee-Lo, F Autagavaia (K Pisi 71); T Pisi (P Fa’apale 71), K Fotuali’I (capt, V Afemai 79)); S Taulafo (V Afatia 59), M Leiataua (M Matu’u 73), C Johnston (A Perenise 59); F Paulo, K Thompson (F Leavave 30); M Faasavalu, J Lam, A Faosiliva (V Tuilagi 59).
Scotland: S Hogg (S Lamont 71); S Maitland, M Bennett, M Scott (P Horne 76), T Seymour; F Russell, G Laidlaw (capt); A Dickinson, R Ford (F Brown 66), WP Nel; R Gray, J Gray (T Swinson 63); R Wilson (J Strauss 53), J Hardie, D Denton.
Ref: J Peyper (SA)