Scotland A End Unbeaten Run With Narrow Loss

The Scotland A team surrendered their unbeaten record at the IRB Nations Cup this evening (having won all three games in their first tournament last year) as they lost their opening game of the 2010 tournament in Bucharest this evening.The Scots, with the youngest squad in the tournament, faced another experimental side in the full Georgian national team as both countries seek to improve their pool of players for selection ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.An impressive opening half, in which Scotland had to deal with the 41 degree Romanian heat, ground the Georgians down, but a resurgent performance from the opposition and an irresolute second half from Scotland saw them throw away a 13-0 lead.The Scotland A team surrendered their unbeaten record at the IRB Nations Cup this evening (having won all three games in their first tournament last year) as they lost their opening game of the 2010 tournament in Bucharest this evening.Head coach Sean Lineen reflects on tonight’s game.The Scots, with the youngest squad in the tournament, faced another experimental side in the full Georgian national team as both countries seek to improve their pool of players for selection ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup.An impressive opening half, in which Scotland had to deal with the 41 degree Romanian heat, ground the Georgians down, but a resurgent performance from the opposition and an irresolute second half from Scotland saw them throw away a 13-0 lead.After the game, head coach Sean Lineen said: In the first half we botched three or four tries just from poor decisions and you can’t do that at any level.’the guys know that theyve let their country down, theyve let themselves and each other down.Were using this tour as a development tool and this is where you find out about players and if you have to take a bit of pain then so be it. The players forgot about the game and how hard it is.Georgia played a very simple game. They didn’t play rugby, they just kicked. We were trying to move the ball about a bit, a lot of individual errors.We lost the platform in the second half. We scored near the end which was good. But then just the composure in that last five minutes we panicked a little bit and gave them back the ball when we needed to keep it.In their best period of the game by far, Scotland started brightly in soaring temperatures.They worked an overlap out on the left wing where a wide pass from Alex Blair found Jack Cuthbert. The Bath fullback released Mark Robertson who hit the ball at pace to cross in the corner. Greig Laidlaw converted, 7-0.Penalties either side of the statutory 20 minute water break capped off a positive start for Scotland which saw the Georgian players strewn across the field unable to cope with the Romanian heat and the Scottish intensity, 13-0.However, two penalties from Georgia fullback Irakli Kiasashvili signalled their return to the match, 13-6.Scotland soon went from bad to worse as they conceded a penalty at the scrum inside their own 22. Scrum-half Bidzina Samkharadze took a quick-tap and sent the ball out wide to Shalva Sutiashvili who cut a great line. Robertson tried to haul him back but the flanker’s momentum was enough for him to stretch over. Kiasashvili converted to level the scores and negate all Scotland’s hard work in the opening exchanges, 13-13.Playing little rugby and choosing to kick rather than run, Georgia clocked up three penalties. Scotland replied once through replacement David Blair, 16-22.A glimmer of hope came at the death when debutant Chris Fusaro crossed the line.Working up the right wing, Mark Robertson popped the ball back inside to Cuthbert who unselfishly sent Fusaro in for the score, 21-22.A testy conversion attempt awaited David Blair, but despite being on his preferred side, he couldn’t find the target.Another crucial attempt at goal followed but the replacement stand-off didn’t connect with the ball and the final whistle blew.Scotland A: Jack Cuthbert; Colin Shaw, Rob Dewey, John Houston, Mark Robertson; Alex Blair, Greig Laidlaw; Ed Kalman, Fergus Thomson, Bruce Douglas, James Eddie, Steve Turnbull, Scott Newlands, Roddy Grant, Allister Hogg CAPTAINSubstitutes: Bryan Rennie for Dewey (6 mins), Andrew Kelly for Thomson, Mark McMillan for Laidlaw and David Blair for A.Blair (all 50 mins), David Young for Kalman (55 mins), Chris Fusaro for Grant (62 mins), Fraser McKenzie for Eddie (68 mins)Georgia: Irakli Kiasashvili; Alexander Todua, Tedo Zibzibadze CAPTAIN, Revaz Gigauri, Irakli Chkhikvadze; Lasha Khmaladze, Bidzina Samkharadze; David Dadunashvili, Jaba Bregvadze, Beka Sheklashvili, Shalva Sutiashvili, Kakha Uchava, Simon Maisuradze, Lasha Tavartkiladze, Viktor KolelishviliSubstitutes : Karlen Asieshvili, Vasil Kakovin, Konstantin Mikautadze, Shota Sakvarelidze, Giorgi Rokhvadze, Giga Korkelia, Mamuka Ninidze