Fiji 47, Scotland 12
Samoa 36, Scotland 7
Scotland v Zimbabwe, 4.32pm local time, 12.32pm GMT
Scotland 7s faced a mammoth task in their opening two games of the IRB Sevens World Series event in Dubai this morning as they lined up against Pacific Island powerhouses Fiji and Samoa.
In the curtain raiser for the 2009/10 World Series, the Scots scored two tries through captain Scott Forrest and Glasgow winger Hefin O’Hare. Mike Adamson converted one of his two attempts at goal.
In their second outing, Edinburgh’s Andrew Turnbull touched down. Turnbull’s score was converted by Adamson.
Speaking after the second match, Scotland 7s coach Stephen Gemmell was frustrated by the lack of dominance by his charges in the contact area.
“If you don’t force teams like Fiji and Samoa then they will play direct, “he said. “We knew both teams were going to be physical but we conceded soft tries.
“We need to be more effective at the contact area. Once you’re physically under pressure then you become mentally under pressure.
“All the players in this squad should be able to handle the physicality but we didn’t get people to the contact area early enough.”
It was never going to be an easy task for Gemmell’s side, but he has faith in his squad and has challenged them to pick themselves up and end the day on a positive note against Zimbabwe.
“As the scoreline suggests, when you’re playing two of the top teams in the world and allow them to turnover ball, then they’re going to score tries.
“We prepared well in Delhi and in France but all the teams have upped their game this year.
“The challenge to this team now is to see if we can learn lessons and improve ahead of Zimbabwe and into tomorrow before heading to South Africa next week.”
Starting team v Fiji: Scott Forrest* CAPTAIN, Colin Shaw*, Stuart McInally (Watsonians)**, Peter Jericevich (Glasgow Hawks)**, Mike Adamson*, Grant Anderson (Ayr)**, Andrew Turnbull (Edinburgh)
Subs used: Hefin O’Hare (Glasgow Warriors), David Tait (Sale Sharks), James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors)
Starting team v Samoa: Scott Forrest* CAPTAIN, Colin Shaw*, David Tait (Sale Sharks), Mike Baxter (Bath), Mike Adamson*, Hefin O’Hare (Glasgow Warriors), Andrew Turnbull (Edinburgh)
Subs used: James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors), Lee Jones (Selkirk), Stuart McInally (Watsonians)**
Scotland 7s squad to compete at the IRB Sevens World Series events in Dubai (4 & 5 December) and George, South Africa (11 & 12 December): Scott Forrest* CAPTAIN, Mike Adamson*, Grant Anderson (Ayr)**, Mike Baxter (Bath), James Eddie (Glasgow Warriors), Peter Jericevich (Glasgow Hawks)**, Lee Jones (Selkirk), Stuart McInally (Watsonians)**, Hefin O’Hare (Glasgow Warriors), Colin Shaw*, David Tait (Sale Sharks), Andrew Turnbull (Edinburgh)

* = Fulltime Scotland 7s player.
** = Member of Scottish Rugby’s Contracted National Academy

Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens, Pool B: Fiji, Samoa, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Scotland 7s’ Pool B fixtures on day one (Friday 4 December) of the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens:
Fiji v Scotland, 9.20am local time, 5.20am GMT
Samoa v Scotland, 1.18pm local time, 9.18am GMT
Scotland v Zimbabwe, 4.32pm local time, 12.32pm GMT

This article was posted on 4-Dec-2009, 11:22 by Hugh Barrow.