Scotland A 25-0 Usa Eagles
Scotland A recorded their second successive Netherdale win on Friday night, seeing off USA Eagles 25-0 in the first of three fixtures Nick Scrivener’s men will play in Galashiels this season. There was a brace of tries for Borders favourite Lee Jones, one of eight debutants in the Scotland A side, with Kyle Traynor also adding a score. The other ten points were shared between the boots of David Blair (two penalties and a conversion) and Duncan Weir, who added the extras at Jones’ second touchdown. Scotland A recorded their second successive Netherdale win on Friday night, seeing off USA Eagles 25-0 in the first of three fixtures Nick Scrivener’s men will play in Galashiels this season. There was a brace of tries for Borders favourite Lee Jones, one of eight debutants in the Scotland A side, with Kyle Traynor also adding a score. The other ten points were shared between the boots of David Blair (two penalties and a conversion) and Duncan Weir, who added the extras at Jones’ second touchdown. There were plaudits aplenty for the work of the Scottish tight five, who provided a formidable set-piece platform throughout, while first-timers Stuart McInally and Rob Harley impressed with their energy in the back row. The result will allow Scotland A to prepare in confident mood for their two post-Christmas fixtures against Ireland A (Friday 28 January) and Italy A (Friday 4 February). Both the remaining Gala games will again see free admission to all. There was late a personnel change in the Scotland A side going into last night’s clash, with Jack Cuthbert coming into the team in place of Joe Ansbro, who earlier in the day had been summoned to the senior team for Saturday’s EMC Autumn Test against South Africa at Murrayfield. Cuthbert started at full-back, while Jim Thompson moved to the wing. John Houston, his Edinburgh teammate, took up a spot among the replacements. Scotland A made a positive start to the game, immediately pushing into American territory and winning a penalty which David Blair struck over confidently from some 30m range to the left of centre. The Eagles weren’t for being unsettled by this early blow, however. It took some brilliantly precise and attentive Scottish defending across virtually the full length of their 5-metre line to keep the visitors out as they pressed at length for an opening. The siege was lifted when McInally claimed a crucial intercept to allow the Scots to begin playing the game where they wanted to. A period of incisive recycling and quick hands resulted in another penalty, which Blair again stepped up to goal with minimal fuss. The Scottish scrum landed its first real blow shortly after, driving the Americans back on their heels with real intent and creating the platform for McInally to break off and power through. After the No.8 made good ground, the ball was funnelled right to Ben Cairns, whose attempt to offload cleanly to the onrushing Jones didn’t quite work out.Scotland A dominate the first half The tone had been set for a spell of set piece dominance that ended with referee Mathieu Raynal loosing patience with the inability of the American front row to stand the heat and sending loosehead Matekitonga Moeakiola to the sin-bin. Scotland A immediately exploited their numerical advantage to land the first try of the game. Inside centre Alex Grove drove through on a lovely line, drawing enough defenders to create a smidgen of space in the right-hand corner. Jones, making his A team debut, timed his support run to perfection to squeeze himself in by the flag. Blair couldn’t quite make good a challenging conversion, leaving Scotland A’s lead at 11 points. Scrivener’s side regularly threatened to stretch this advantage before the interval. Jones was in terrific form, carving yet more excellent lines, but at times the slippery ball undermined the Scots’ attempts to play a fluid, dynamic game, with minor handling errors interrupting several promising moves. Even so, the front row of Jon Welsh, Scott Lawson and Geoff Cross, in addition to McInally, Grove and Jones further back, had every reason to be happy with their first-half displays. Half-time: Scotland A 11 USA Eagles 0 The second period began pretty much how the first had ended, with Scotland A enjoying the lion’s share of territory and possession. Their attempts to secure quick ball and release the runners in the backs were thwarted by the visitors’ slowing tactics at the breakdown, and while the Scots continued to reign supreme at the set-piece, this didn’t result in the same degree of attacking thrust as had been evident before. Perhaps in an attempt to inject fresh momentum, Scrivener sent on Traynor as part of a double switch that saw Glasgow’s Duncan Weir replace Blair to make his first Scotland A appearance. The Eagles continued to defend stoutly, but still occasionally to the displeasure of Monsieur Raynal. The French official issued a second yellow card in the 58th minute, this time to American blindside Inaki Basauri for some antics at the breakdown.Eagles down to 13 men The visitors were then reduced to 13 men when Paul Emerick, the outside centre, was binned for a high tackle on Cuthbert on the stand-side touchline. The field immediately opened up, allowing Scotland A to attack the far right corner where Traynor slipped across for the second try of the night. Weir, having assumed kicking duties, duly sent over the conversion. Minutes later, the pressure point was shifted to the other side, where Jones had the freedom of Galashiels to meander in and complete his brace. Weir did extremely well to land the conversion from out on the left touchline, giving Scotland A a 25-point advantage. Roused by this quick-fire double strike, the Netherdale crowd also had cause to salute a first Scottish representative appearance for Saracens man Tom Ryder, who entered the fray in place of Kellock to cement his allegiance to the thistle. There were also Scotland A debuts for Steven Lawrie and Henry Pyrgos. Scotland AJ Cuthbert; J Thompson, B Cairns, A Grove, L Jones; D Blair, M McMillan; J Welsh, S Lawson, G Cross, F McKenzie, A Kellock (captain), R Harley, R Grant, S McInally SubstitutesS Lawrie, K Traynor, T Ryder, D Denton, H Pyrgos, D Weir, J Houston
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