THE HERALD REPORTS

Scotland A too powerful as they demolish tough Georgia

KEVIN FERRIE, Chief Rugby Writer November 15 2008
On a rainy, windswept night, Scotland A enjoyed an easy win over a rugged, but relatively, clueless Georgia side.

The home team rattled in 11 tries to their opponent's none as they demonstrated that Scottish players can take their chances once they get some confidence into their play. Yet, against the world's 14th-ranked side, that confidence took time to materialise.

While they dominated both in terms of possession and territory from the outset, 16 minutes had elapsed in which a string of opportunities had been spurned before the Georgian defence was sufficiently stretched to let Richie Vernon plough over on the left for the home side's opening score.


However, the visitors were living up to their image as tough customers who love contact whenever they were able to line Scottish players up and responded with a penalty from Otar Barkalaia, but that was as good as it got for them.

In terms of technique and structure, Georgia understandably looked a very different proposition to the side that came close to beating Ireland in the World Cup in France last year.

That was partly because many of their first-choice players were unavailable, while they had nothing like the time to prepare for this match that they had for that tournament.

Consequently, when the ever-elusive Max Evans carved his way through the first line of defence as he cut infield from the right, the cover was unable to get to him as the centre streaked in for his side's second touchdown.

Mark McMillan's ample alertness at close range produced the third try and after Kelly Brown powered away on an angled run from halfway for the fourth, a chant of "Glasgow, Glasgow" rose from the far from packed grandstands, with only 847 in attendance. At that stage, players from the Warriors had claimed all four of the tries scored.

That sequence ended when Rob Dewey was sent clear by Gordon Ross just before the interval, albeit Colin Gregor, on briefly as a blood replacement for club-mate McMillan, had made the initial break.

The Georgian resolve had been broken by this stage as Scotland continued to slice open their defence, allowing Simon Webster, a half-time replacement, to score his side's fifth try soon after the interval.

The second half turned into something of a procession with Nikki Walker, Andy Henderson twice and Scott Newlands all crossing the opposition line before Vernon finished what he started in the closing moments.

Scotland A R Jackson; N Walker, MEvans, R Dewey (A Henderson 56), M Robertson (S Webster 40); G Ross (CGregor 63), M McMillan (C Gregor 28-40); E Kalman, P Fitzgerald (A Kelly 59), GCross (G Kerr 40), C Hamilton (DTurner 56), A Kellock, R Vernon, K Brown, JBeattie (S Newlands 59) Georgia O Barkalaia (M Kvirikashvili 55); I Chkhikvadze, D Kacharava, A Todua, I Machkhaneli (G Shkinin 59); L Malaguradze, I Abuseridze (B Samkharadze 63); D Gasviani (DDadunashvili 47), I Natriashvili (VKakovin 40), G Kavtidze, I Zedginidze, KUchava, R Urushadze (S Maisuradze 56), S Sutiashvili, D Basilaia (B Udesiani 56) Referee J Jones (Wales) Scorers. Scotland A. Tries Vernon (2), Evans, McMillan, Brown, Webster, Dewey, Walker, Henderson (2), Newlands Cons Ross (5), Gregor (2) Georgia. Pen Barkalaia

This article was posted on 15-Nov-2008, 08:45 by Hugh Barrow.