Visser Try Brace As Scotland Seek To Complete The Job

Visser Try Brace As Scotland Seek To Complete The Job

Andy Robinson started his role as Scotland coach on a chill November day at Murrayfield in 2009.  The opponents were Fiji and the winning margin was 23-10. Today in sweltering Lautoka, Robinson at the helm, Scotland doubled their try tally from three years ago and eased away 37-25 victors, showing resolve in the dying embers of the game to close it out and silence the exuberant 15,000 crowd at Churchill Park.   It was a notable debut for 25-year-old Tim Visser, who grabbed a try brace and made an instant transition from Edinburgh hero to Scotland finisher. Greig Laidlaw had darted in cheekily, a la his first international try against Wales at Cardiff earlier this year, to restore some equilibrium to the Scots after a nervy opening, and that was enhanced when the pack’s effort for a pushover try early in the second quarter was thwarted illegally by the Fijians as John Barclay was poised to pounce. A penalty try was duly awarded by South African referee Jaco Peyper. Yet, in current parlance when Fiji scored a cracking converted try – their second of the second-half – through new winger Metuisela Talebula which narrowed the gap to 27-25 to the Scots with 12 minutes remaining it was “squeaky bum” time.   And quite how the Fijian coach could replace his scrum-half, Nikola Matawalu, after that score was a mystery to this observer, given that the number nine had orchestrate counter-attacks with aplomb. But, as Robinson noted in an exclusive interview with www.scottishrugby.org, an important tackle by Stuart Hogg and the fresh impetus of Sean Lamont, steadied Scotland when it was needed most. There were also good contributions from everyone on the bench, including Glasgow Warriors’ latest cap, Tom Ryder. You can listen to Robinson’s interview here: Laidlaw, who goes about his business in international rugby as if to the manner born – a reminder again of the coach’s mantra that the best players do the simple skills frequently and well – slotted a penalty which was a reward when Scotland’s dominant scrum reasserted its authority to extend the Scots’ advantage to 30-25. Then we had Visser chasing hard on a high kick and finishing off the match with the Scots’ fourth try and Laidlaw shutting the door with 22 points. Visser swapped shorts with his former flatmate, Edinburgh Rugby’s No 8 and Fijian captain Netani Talei, at the end and it was tempting to suggest that was the closest the hosts got to the big fellow, when the try line was beckoning. The manner in which he took his first try – Visser acknowledged in a video interview with www.scottishrugby.org the part Nick De Luca had played in that score – suggested Scotland only needed to find more chances to release him in space to have the scoreboard ticking. Robinson is hard-nosed enough to accept that Scotland, as befell the tourists of the 1998 vintage, could have been ambushed at Lautoka today and the loss of Euan Murray with a knee injury as the game entered its finale would have tested the courage of lesser teams. As it is, though, the job now is to go to Samoa next week – a country currently two places above us in the IRB world rankings – to complete the tour in style and make history by becoming the first Scottish side to win a three Test tour in the Southern Hemisphere. Scotland team (sponsor RBS) to play FijiChurchill Park, Lautoka on Saturday 16 June, kick-off 2pm local time (3am BST) 15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 14 Max Evans (Castres) 13 Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby) 12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby) 11 Tim Visser (Edinburgh Rugby) new cap. Scotland cap number 1032? ? 10 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) ?9 Mike Blair (Edinburgh Rugby) ?1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) ?2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) Captain?3 Euan Murray (Newcastle Falcons) 4 Alastair Kellock (Glasgow Warriors) 5 Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors) ?6 Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester) 7 Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) ?8 John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors) Substitutes: 16 Scott Lawson (Gloucester) (on for Ford, 77m) 17 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby)(on for Murray, 66m)18 Tom Ryder (Glasgow Warriors) (on for Gray, 78m) new cap. Scotland cap number 103319 Richie Vernon (Sale Sharks) (on for Barclay, 58m)20 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) (on for Blair, 55m)21 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) (on for Laidlaw, 77m)22 Sean Lamont (Scarlets) (on for Evans, 62m) Tries: Laidlaw (16m), penalty try (21m), Visser (36m, 72m)Cons: Laidlaw(17m, 22m, 38m, 73m)Pens: Laidlaw (32m, 46m, 69m) Fiji Isimeli Koniferedi; Waisea Nayacalevu, Wereniki Goneva, Aloisio Buto, Watisoni Votu: Jonetai Ralulu, Nikola Matawalu; Jeremaia Yanuyanutawa, Viliame Veikoso, Setefano Somoca, Apisai Naikatini, Leone Nakarawa, Iliese Ratuva, Malakai Ravulo and Netani Talei CaptainSubstitutes (all used)Tuatpati Talemaitoga, Waisea Daveta or Graham Dewes, Josefa Domolailai, Kelepi Ketedromo, Nemia Kenatale, Kameli Ratuvou, Metuisela Talebula. Tries: Domolailai (24m), Nayacalevu (48m), Talebula (64m)Cons: Ralulu (50m, 65m)Pens: Ralulu (5m, 7m) Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa).  Assistant referees: Ian Smith and Andrew Lees (both Australia).

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