Whereas the loss to Fiji was damaging to Scotland, a loss to Samoa would have been unthinkable. Nevertheless, Ashman’s early rating eased any jitters.

The Australia-bound hooker latched on to a driving maul to place Scotland within the lead after seven minutes, however in these early levels they’d needed to stand as much as some surging Samoa assault.

However after they landed the primary blow, the backline kicked into gear. Stafford McDowall kicked by way of for Hutchinson to gather with the Northampton man darting over for Scotland’s solely central rating of the primary half.

The following one was a lot wider, because the spectacular Jamie Dobie looped a protracted miss move out to the scampering Reed to dot down within the nook.

5 minutes later, they’d their fourth. Dobie, Fergus Burke and Rowe all timed passes to perfection, with Steyn cantering in untouched.

They began the second-half in equally medical style. Pounding on the Samoan barricades, the battering ram of Gilchrist finally broke by way of to timber over for under his second worldwide rating.

Any hope of shutting out the hosts was quickly snuffed out as substitute George Horne threw a blind move on his personal five-metre whereas being bundled into contact. Samoan lock Nee-Nee was available to intercept, gleeful at such a chance being handed to him.

Scotland responded instantly. From a scrum they went left, then proper, then left once more. Andy Onyeama-Christie carried arduous, as did Matt Fagerson, but it surely was Burke’s pop-up offload from the deck which gave Rowe the possibility to leap into the nook and contact down.

Toulon centre Paia’aua was capable of get one again for Samoa, spinning out of the arms of two Scotland tacklers, however Turner bought the seventh from the again of a driving maul.

The scoreline might have been much more comfy, however Burke forgot his kicking boots and will solely land one in every of his 4 conversion makes an attempt. It was a greasy floor, in equity to the Scotland newbee.