Scotland made a bright start, with opportunities opening up early doors, the first of which came after a couple of minutes as Scotland were awarded a penalty for their quick work to dismantle Fiji’s ruck. Adam Hastings nudged the ball nicely into the left corner just shy of the five-metre line for the first line out of the match.

Scotland looked to trick (and not treat!) the Fijian defence with a move round the blindside as they looked to score but Hastings’ pass was knocked on by Fiji’s scrum-half, Lomani, by means which were deemed illegal, warranting a yellow card. Scotland were back to where they started, with a lineout, but Fiji’s defensive maul was more than up to the challenge as they ripped the ball and kicked it in touch on the 10.

After Scotland conceded a penalty, it was quickly tit-for-tat as Scotland earned one back at the scrum, with Hastings kicking this time to the right corner for a line out on the 10. The maul held up well with Pierre Schoeman and Ewan Ashman breaking away in tandem, with the hooker dotting down. However, Schoeman was penalised for obstruction and the try was not given. Scotland were given a second chance to get it right, and that they did, using their maul as a decoy before finding full-back, Kyle Rowe, who dotted down for the five. Hastings lined up for the conversion which he slotted with ease. [7-0, 10 mins].

Fiji tried to make life difficult for Scotland, imposing their physicality at every turn, however they lacked discipline as they tried, conceding a plethora of penalties, for which they were duly warned about by referee Craig Evans. By the 13^th minute, Fiji’s lack of discipline resulted in a yellow card being shown to outside-centre, Vota for repeated team infringements.

With a two-man advantage, it was now time for Scotland to strike, and strike they did as Ashman and Darcy Graham combined in the five metre channel, with Graham dashing across the whitewash to add a 25th Scotland try to his personal collection on his first start since the Rugby World Cup in 2023. Could anything make that try more special? It turns out, yes, as this would mark the 300^th try scored since Gregor Townsend took up the mantle as head coach. Hastings added the extras [14-0, 16 mins].

Just a few minutes later, in classic Darcy Graham style, the winger was across the line for another try, this time as he clutched it from the air and nudged it via the foot down the pitch before gathering and scoring. Unlike the last, the try was cautiously examined by the officiating team, as they tried to deal with the ball was on the ground before it was kicked, but the try was good. With a wider angle to work with, the conversion was missed but Scotland’s lead was firmly cemented [19-0, 19 mins].

Within what was literally seconds of the restart, Scotland were adding to the scoreboard once again, as Huw Jones impressed with both his ability to read the game and intercept, and his rapid pace as he charged from the 10 to the whitewash, diving across the try line in style. With an easy kick in front of the posts, Hastings added two more points [24-0, 21 mins].

After a strong start, Scotland’s defence began to be tested as Fiji looked to push back as Vota returned to the field. Fiji capitalised on errors and poor discipline, and were soon camped on Scotland’s five-metre line with a line out. After stringing together several phases of attack Scotland were penalised again, this time suffering the consequences as Ashman was shown a yellow card and sent to the sin-bin for not supporting his body weight at ruck. Taking advantage for the overlap, Fiji worked the ball wide and full-back Loganimasi dotted down for Fiji’s first try of the match. The conversion fell wide of the sticks [26-5, 34 mins].

It wasn’t long before Scotland added more points to the board as Fiji were penalised for obstructing a box kick. Hastings kick for the posts was solid, gifting Scotland an extra three points ahead of half-time [29-5, 37 mins].

At the restart Glasgow Warriors’ Tom Jordan came on to the field replacing Kyle Rowe to earn his first Scotland cap.

From a Fiji line-out on the five, the maul collapsed, but they continued to put pressure on the Scottish defence. Scotland penalised with Schoeman high tackle. Scotland were back to a full compliment with Ashman returning to the field, but it wasn’t enough to stop Fiji from scoring another try, this time from Derenalagi. Ravula was unable to convert. [29-10, 40 mins]

Half time: Scotland 29 – Fiji 10

The opening exchanges of the first half were back and forth between the two sides, but eventually it was Fiji who got the foothold as they took advantage of a penalty conceded by Ashman for a high tackle, punting the ball deep into the left-hand side of our 22 for the line out. Working a move straight from the training pitch, Ikanivere gathered at the front of the pod and crossed the line after a fantastic dummy. Ravula added the extras [29-17, 50 mins].

But Scotland soon responded, and Graham was in for a hat-trick. Some excellent combination work from van der Merwe and Huw Jones put Graham into space on the right wing and he sprinted over for his third try of the match. Hastings converted with ease to add the extras [36-17, 53 mins].

The elation of Graham’s 27^th Scotland try was quickly silenced at the kick-off as Fiji gathered from the restart and came within inches of scoring, but thanks to quick work from debutant Tom Jordan, his opposite man was taken into touch.

It wasn’t long before Scottish Gas Murrayfield were back on their feet to celebrate the magic of Graham. A slick switch-move between replacement scrum-half Jamie Dobie and Graham on the fringes of the Fijian five metre line saw the winger drive over from close range for his fourth try of the match to draw level with van der Merwe as Scotland’s top try scorer. Hastings’ conversion sailed across for the extras [43-17, 63 mins].

Despite Fiji trying to get back into the game, Scotland had engaged another gear with some pure champagne rugby to score arguably the best try of the night. Captain Sione Tuipulotu fed the back from behind his back to Adam Hastings, who miraculously did this same, before Huw Jones combined with Duhan van de Merwe with the winger driving across the line for this 29^th Scotland try, quickly getting the outright try title back. Hastings added the extras. [50-17, 72 mins]

After being a play maker for many of the tries scored during the match, it looked like Huw Jones might have bagged himself another try, this time in the left corner, but after replaying the footage on the screens, the officiating team deemed the motion a double movement.

Just a few minutes later however, Jones was over for his brace as Hastings fired a cross field kick into the left hand corner for the centre. Hastings converted once again to extend [57-17, 79 mins].

There were just seconds left on the clock, but enough to restart the game. Scotland were keen to keep the ball alive, and eventually it was in the hands of van de Merwe, who rocketed down the pitch to score a score a final try. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, as the officials rewatched the footage and found Huw Jones had been marginally brought into touch, and so the try was disallowed.

Despite the disappointment of a 30^th Scotland try for Duhan being denied, it was a fantastic showing for the Scots in the first of their Famous Grouse Autumn Nations Series games of 2024.

Full-time: Scotland 57 – 17 Fiji

Scotland: Kyle Rowe (Glasgow Warriors), Darcy Graham (Edinburgh Rugby), Huw Jones, Sione Tuipolutu (captain) (both Glasgow Warriors), Duhan van der Merwe; Adam Hastings (Glasgow Warriors), Ali Price; Pierre Schoeman, Ewan Ashman (all Edinburgh Rugby), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey (all Glasgow Warriors).

Replacements: Dylan Richardson (Sharks) (for Ashman, 49mins), Rory Sutherland (Glasgow Warriors) (for Schoeman, 49 mins), D’Arcy Rae (Edinburgh Rugby) (for Z. Fagerson, 60 mins), Max Williamson (for Cummings, 60 mins), Gregor Brown (for Dempsey, 68 mins), Jamie Dobie (for Price, 49 mins), Tom Jordan (for Rowe, 42 mins), Stafford McDowall (for Graham, 66 mins) (all Glasgow Warriors).

Fiji: Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, Vuate Karawalevu, Apisalome Vota, Inia Tabuavou, Ponipate Loganimasi; Caleb Muntz, Frank Lomani; Haereiti Hetet, Tevita Ikanivere (captain), Samu Tawake, Isoa Nasilasila, Ratu Rotuisolia, Meli Derenalagi, Kitione Salawa, Elia Canakaivata.

Replacements: Mesulame Dolokoto, Livai Natave, Jone Koroiduadua, Mesake Vocevoce, Vilive Miramira, Simione Kuruvoli, Kemu Valetini, Waqa Nalaga.

Famous Grouse Player of the Match: Darcy Graham (Scotland)

Attendance:  67,144