Gregor Townsend reflects on Scotland’s win against Georgia

On Scotland…

We weren’t so good in the first half, destructed well in the second-half and played with a lot of energy in the last 15 minutes.

At times we looked really good in the first half, we had pace on the ball and were getting behind the defence but didn’t hold on to the ball enough. We gave Georgia possession too easily, but in the second half our kicks were much more competitive and got rewards from that.

We adapted very well to having to put three different people in the second row in that second half, scrumming with seven men in the last 10 minutes against the Georgian pack, we did really well, so that was the positive aspect that the players got together in the middle of the field and got us there in the end.

On Georgia…

They had more opportunities tonight to show that they could do. They played a more varied game today and asked questions about our defence, they got a few scrum penalties and we let them in a few times in that first half.

When they got the ball they played well, but it was pleasing that we put things right later on, especially in the second half, and to finish with the tries probably makes it an easier win than what it was.

On what was said at half-time…

It was going back to basics and we were doing the basics well. That was holding on to the ball for four or five phases, staying on the right side of the referee at offsides and at the breakdown, we were in control of that.

Errors will happen whether that’s a handling error not going to hand, it’s a new team and the second game of the season for a number of players, the concern was more that we controlled the speed of the ball and the penalty count by doing our basics well.

That allowed us to get away from Georgia, which we hadn’t managed to do in the first half.

On players leaving the field with suspected injuries…

Jamie [Ritchie] is probably the most concerning and we hope it’s good news when he comes back from his hospital visit later tonight. We had to take a precaution and take him off, if that’s a break or heavy bruising we’ll have to see what the x-rays say.

We’ve had five players come off the field tonight with injuries but let’s hope they’re not serious enough to miss a World Cup.