Scotland (15) 41
Tries: Walker 2, Cairns, Barclay, Strokosch, Lamont
Cons: Godman (3), Parks Pens: Godman

Canada (0) 0




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Walker earned the man of the match award for his two-try display
Nikki Walker touched down two scores as Scotland produced a six-try performance to comprehensively thrash an impotent Canada in Aberdeen.

The hosts took a 15-0 lead at half-time courtesy of tries from winger Walker and centre Ben Cairns.

Further tries in the second half saw John Barclay, Alasdair Strokosch, as well a second for Walker saw Scotland dictating the tempo of the match.

And Rory Lamont scored the final try, with Phil Godman adding nine points.

Despite the resounding victory, Ireland's win against Argentina at Croke Park sees Scotland finish outside the IRB's top-eight rankings, meaning they will be drawn against two top-eight teams when the 2011 World Cup draw is made on 1 December.

Coach Frank Hadden made four changes to the side that courageously came close to defeating world champions South Africa at Murrayfield last Saturday, with Strokosch, Walker, Simon Webster, and Simon Taylor all coming into the starting XV.

Walker put Scotland in front in the third minute after Taylor was hauled down five metres from Canada's tryline, but quick recycling saw the ball fashioned to Walker to ground a classic winger's try, although Godman missed the conversion attempt.

Despite their dominance in possession, Scotland's next score did not arrive until the 32nd minute when Godman stroked over a simple penalty in front of the posts after Adam Kleeburger was penalised for offside at the ruck - not for the first time in the half.



Hadden predicts promising Scotland future
Television match official Nigel Whitehouse had earlier disallowed a Scotland try when Canada second row Mike Pletch had just about pulled Jon Barclay's right foot into touch a fraction of a second before the flanker touched the ball down.

The snow-strewn Pittodrie pitch, a good seven metres shorter than Murrayfield, meant a big clearance kick could eat up valuable ground, a tactic Canada were willing to use all too regularly as Scotland pressed.

But the visitors' paper-thin defence was cut to shreds two minutes before half-time when a wonderful sidestep saw Nick de Luca burst through before sending through the ideal inside pass for centre partner Cairns to touch down, with Godman adding the extra two points.

A half-time talking to from Frank Hadden had its desired effect as Scotland opted for direct running for their third try to open up a 22-point lead two minutes after the restart.

Lamont was hauled down just before the tryline, but the resulting ruck saw Barclay take a low body angle to barge over for a simple score, with Godman converting from the right-hand touchline.

606: DEBATE
Why in blazes was Alasdair Strokosch not included earlier in the Tests?

rambo32
With no tactical option other than to kick for territory, Canada invited wave after wave of Scotland attack, which eventually led to the fourth try of the match scored by Strokosch.

The Gloucester flanker opted for an American football-style score, bundling over a number of bodies in a ruck right on Canada's tryline to touch down in the 57th minute, with Godman adding the extras.

With Scotland completely in control, Hadden rung the changes with a series of substitutions, including Max Evans, brother of Tom, a former golf professional in Portugal two years ago, as well as Scott Gray.

The flanker had a hand in Walker's second try on 70 minutes, courtesy of a lovely offload in the tackle to give the winger a simple run to the corner from 20 metres.

And Lamont finished off the scoring seven minutes before time with a powerful burst, ensuring Scotland's final game before the 2009 Six Nations ended with a comprehensive victory.



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Scotland: R Lamont; S Webster, B Cairns, Ni De Luca, N Walker; P Godman, M Blair (capt); A Jacobsen, R Ford, E Murray, N Hines, J Hamilton, A Strokosch, J Barclay, S Taylor.
Replacements: D Hall, A Dickinson, M Mustchin, S Gray, R Lawson, D Parks, M Evans.
Canada: J Pritchard; S Duke, C Hearn, R Smith (Calgary Irish), J Mensah-Coker; M Evans, E Fairhurst (capt); K Tkachuk, M Pletch, S Franklin, T Hotson, J Jackson, J Sinclair, A Kleeberger, A Carpenter.
Replacements: Robertson, Walsh, Burak, Stephen, Williams, Hirayama, Keys,

This article was posted on 22-Nov-2008, 19:29 by Hugh Barrow.