Scotland get set for Uruguay test

By BEN JAYCOCK

Scotland, Spain and Uruguay maintained their unbeaten records on day two of the U20s World Trophy.

POOL A: SCOTLAND 40-13 USA

Kenny Murray's Scotland continued to look like the team to beat in the second tier tournament with a six-try win against USA in Nairobi ahead of their final pool game against Uruguay on Tuesday.

In the first round of matches, Scotland ran out comfortable winners despite a second-half comeback by Zimbabwe, while USA were looking to bounce back from a last-gasp loss to Uruguay.

An enterprising USA team had the better of the early exchanges but, in what would be the theme of the first half, failed to capitalise on several line breaks as their offloading game let them down.

Scotland took advantage to open the scoring when winger Finn Douglas burst over following a rolling maul.

Back came USA, Corbin Smith's flying finish coming after a break down the short side from outside centre Aisake Tukuafu. Hugh O'Kennedy added the conversion, then kicked two penalties.

But it was Scotland who edged ahead at half-time, centre Findlay Thomson crashing over after his team laid siege to the USA line from close quarters.

With Scotland starting to take control through their set-piece, scrumhalf Ben Afshar twice sniped over off the back of driving lineouts.

An injection of pace from fly-half Andrew Mc-Lean gave Scotland a fifth try and the sixth summed up the second half as hooker Corey Tait finishing off another imperious rolling maul.

“I was very frustrated coming up to half-time,” Murray said. “We didn't really stick to our game plan, we probably tried to win the game in the first 10 minutes using a few lineout options, so there is a learning in that for some of our decision makers at nine and 10.

“Then we missed a couple of tackles to hand over cheap points, so we need to be more clinical there. At half-time we spoke about respecting the ball, getting into corners, using our drive and getting off the line in defence.

“So, we put ourselves under a bit of pressure and it was a really good learning for the boys to find a way to win. We pretty much dominated the second half which was really pleasing to see. I think it was about realising that we don't need to force things, it is about backing our game plan.”

POOL B: SAMOA 30-27 HONG KONG CHINA

Samoa needed two tries in the final 10 minutes against Hong Kong China to maintain their 100 per cent start.

The Pacific Islanders found themselves 22-15 behind in the closing stages, having been reduced to 12 players for five minutes at the start of the second half. However, late tries from captain John Mata Samuelu and replacement prop Robert Jr. Robertson helped the Pacific Island nation close out a 30-27 victory.

POOL B: SPAIN 48-18 KENYA

Spain joined them on a maximum 10 points at the top of Pool B when they rounded off the day with a 48-18 win against hosts Kenya courtesy of tries by Beau Finnian Peart, Diego Gonzalez, Alvaro Garcia Albo, Eloy de la Pisa, Javier Lopez de Haro and braces from Gabriel Rocaries and Diego Gonzalez.

Los Leones face Samoa next week, while Kenya meet the competition's whipping boys Hong Kong.

POOL A: URUGUAY 51-14 ZIMBABWE

Uruguay also made it two wins from two as they recovered from going 14-0 down against the Junior Sables to run in six unanswered tries to secure a 51-14 victory in Nairobi.

Los Teritos scored their tries through Jeronimo Noseda, Dante Soto, Guillermo Juan Storace, Alonzo Chahnazaroff and two penalty tries.

As a result, Uruguay set up a potential Pool A decider with Scotland while bottom side Zimbabwe play USA.