MCKILLOP PRAISES TEAM AFTER EMPHATIC WIN
Saturday, 03 April 2010
Scotland's under-19 squad delivered an emphatic 32-3 win over Italy at the Centro Sportivo Venegoni in Parabiago and head coach Bob McKillop praised their performance.
Man of the match Duncan Weir, who has recently signed for Glasgow Warriors, contributed 12 points - three conversions and two penalties - while Kerr Gossman, James Tyas, Danny Gilmour and Duncan Morrison all managed to score tries.
McKillop highlighted the team's dominance at the set-piece and execution of their attacking strategy as being two of the key positives that emerged from the display.
But he stresses he was equally proud that his team refused to concede a late penalty - even though the outcome of the match had already been decided.
McKillop said: "In the last 10 minutes of the game, Italy were camped out on our line and it would have been easy for us to have conceded a try.
"But the boys put their bodies on the line and defended superbly to keep them out and that shows the spirit in our squad.
"We started strongly and our set piece was very good - we won two scrums against the head. That set the foundations for a very good performance and a great result."
At centre, Weir attracted plaudits aplenty and McKillop says he was pleased with the teenager's contribution but also singled out fellow backs Danny Gilmour and Kerr Gossman for special praise.
He added: "Duncan carried the ball well and distributed the ball well, but I was impressed with the performance from the whole midfield. I thought Danny Gilmour had a very good game and Kerr Gossman also really shone for me.
"But overall it was a geat team performance and I'm very proud of the way the team played."
In their first competitive match of the year, McKillop's team applied themselves positively from the start and employed an effective brand of attacking rugby which kept Italy on the back-foot.
Gossman opened the scoring with a well-worked try after just 10 minutes with Weir adding the extras to hand Scotland an early lead.
Weir kept the scoreboard ticking over with a penalty before flanker Tyas crossed over the whitewash to extend the visitors' advantage.
Gilmour then scored two minutes before half-time to hand Scotland an 18-3 lead heading into the break.
In the second half, prop Duncan Morrison - handed a starting spot after original first choice prop Nick Fraser, who was ruled out through illness - scored the fourth and final try.
With slick handling and some incisive line breaks, Scotland raced into a huge lead and, although they didn't managed to score any further tries, deservedly won the contest.
Scotland under-19: Glenn Bryce (Stirling County); Michael Doneghan (Stewart's Melville FP), Danny Gilmour (Stirling County), Duncan Weir (Glasgow Hawks), Kerr Gossman (Glasgow Hawks); Stuart Edwards (captain, Stirling County), Stevie Turnbull (Hamilton); Duncan Morrison (North Walsham), David Cherry (Edinburgh Academicals), Steve Quigley (Hull Ionians), Blair McPherson (Ayr), Robert McAlpine (West of Scotland), James Tyas (Brighton College), Robbie Boswell (Stirling County), Cammy Orr (Boroughmuir).
 Substitutes: Richard Ferguson (Melrose) for Cherry on 59 minutes, Chris Keen (Kelso) for Morrison 51 minutes, Andrew Kirkland (Glasgow Hawks) for Boswell on 45 minutes, Lewis Crosbie (Dunfermline) for Turnbull 59 minutes, Jamie Forbes (Watsonians) for Bryce 61 minutes, Craig Jackson (Melrose) for Weir on 55 minutes.
 

This article was posted on 3-Apr-2010, 18:03 by Hugh Barrow.