WINNING START FOR SCOTLAND IN HONG KONG
Posted: 28/Mar/08
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The Scotland 7s team got off to a winning start against Portugal on the first day of international competition at the Hong Kong Sevens today.

The Scots opened the scoring through James Thompson, Mike Adamson converting, before Pedro Bial crossed the line to bring Portugal back to within two points.

Thompson crossed once more, Adamson again converting, to give the Scots a 14-5 lead at half-time.

In the second half, Glasgow Warriors duo Richie Vernon and Colin Shaw both scored with substitute Ali Warnock finding the target with his second conversion attempt.

Bial then had the final word but it wasn't enough as Scotland took the win.

After the game, Scotland 7s coach Stephen Gemmell said: "Its a positive start to the competition in what was always going to be a tough game.

"Weve got four players here who have never experienced the Hong Kong Sevens so its been good for them to start the competition successfully.

Our next game is against China tomorrow who have just been beaten 47-0 by Kenya so we will not only be looking to win that game but win it well.

Scotland 7s: Scott Forrest (Ayr)* CAPTAIN, Roddy Grant (Heriot's)*, Richie Vernon (Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh), Mike Adamson (Glasgow Warriors), James Thompson (Heriot's)*, Colin Shaw (Glasgow Warriors)
Substitutes: Chris Fusaro (Heriot's)** for Grant, Scott Newlands (Edinburgh) for Vernon and Ali Warnock (Edinburgh) for Adamson

* = Member of Scottish Rugby's Senior National Academy
** = Member of Scottish Rugby's Junior National Academy and supported by Area Institute of Sport

Scotland 7s' remaining Pool E fixtures at the IRB Hong Kong Sevens:
Day 2 - Scotland 7s v China, kick-off 10:52am
Day 2 - Kenya v Scotland, kick-off 5:28pm
(All times are local time.)

This article was posted on 29-Mar-2008, 08:39 by Hugh Barrow.