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Summer Review: Scotland

Stuart Hogg 17/3/2018
Scotland’s intentions were simple heading into the summer internationals, maintain their promising form from the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations.

Scotland’s intentions were simple heading into the summer internationals, maintain their promising form from the 2018 NatWest 6 Nations.

The tour would start and end on a high note as Gregor Townsend’s men swept aside Canada before romping to victory in Argentina.

A defeat against underdogs USA was a wakeup call but there were plenty of positives to take from two victories this summer.

Flying start

Blooding young talent has always been paramount when it comes to the summer Tests and a contest against Canada presented the perfect opportunity to do just that.

There were plenty of debutants but perhaps most impressive was the return of Glasgow Warriors hooker George Turner, who produced the first Scottish hat-trick since Ally Hogg against Romania in 2007.

Byron McGuigan and Ruaridh Jackson crossed in the first half before Magnus Bradbury and debutant Lewis Carmichael scored late on to serve up a 48-10 victory in Edmonton.

A positive performance from so many new faces was very pleasing for Townsend and the perfect start to the summer tour.

Lessons learned

But Scotland’s positive start would be put into context as they let a 24-13 half-time lead slip against the United States in Houston, going down 30-29.

Blair Kinghorn scored an early try before a penalty try and Turner put the Scots in command at the break. But Scotland would suffer their first ever defeat to the US as Joe Taufete’e’s double inspired a second half comeback.

Captain Stuart Hogg was bitterly disappointed with the outcome and called on his side to respond quickly against Argentina.

He said: “For us we’ve got to learn, and learn quick.

“We weren’t good enough from the get-go. We scored a nice try early on and after that shut off and went to sleep.”

Finish on a high

Scotland were determined to prove a point when they headed to Argentina and they did so in some style, picking up a record 44-15 victory over Los Pumas in Resistencia.

Townsend couldn’t have wished for a better start from his charges as George Horne scored his first of two tries with barely a minute gone.

Four more tries from the visitors, including a second of the tour for Bradbury, ensured Scotland would finish on a high note.

It gave them a positive finish as Townsend turns his focus for the autumn internationals against Wales, Fiji and Argentina.