SCOTLAND CLASH WITH SAMOA: Oceania Test Rugby

23.06.2012
Scotland v Samoa in Apia

Venue: Apia Park

Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

Preview
It has been nine long years since a Tier 1 rugby test nation visited Samoa. Ireland came in 2003 and lost 12-40. Before that France visited in 1999. This test match has been a long time coming. The IRB are targeting a Tier 1 nations to tour the Pacific each year. About time!

Samoa are undefeated and holders of the 2012 Pacific Nations Cup. This side has been strengthened by the inclusion of a few overseas-based players available only for this game.

Scotland are also undefeated on their three-test tour of Australia and Oceania. So far they have defeated Australia 9-6 and Fiji 37-25. This will be another bruising encounter.

It will be a fantastic scene at Apia Park. Samoans will turn up in their thousands. The scenes will be similar to what I experienced in downtown Auckland and outside Eden Park when any of the Island teams played. I expect an upset!

Previous Encounters
27.11.2010 Scotland 19-16 in Aberdeen
20.11.2005 Scotland 18-11 at Murrayfield
04.06.2004 Scotland 38-3 in Wellington
18.11.2000 Scotland 31-8 at Murrayfield
20.10.1999 Scotland 35-20 at Murrayfield (World Cup, Quarter-final)

This is not the first time a Scottish side has played in Apia. In 1993 a Scottish XV played a non-test in Apia against Samoa and lost 11-28.

Scotland Last Five
16.06.2012 v Fiji W 37-25 in Suva
05.06.2012 v Australia W 9-6 in Newcastle
17.03.2012 v Italy L 6-13 in Rome (6 Nations)
10.03.2012 v Ireland L 14-32 in Dublin (6 Nations)
26.02.2012 v France L 17-23 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)

Samoa Last Five
17.06.2012 v Japan W 27-26 in Tokyo (Pacific Nations Cup)
10.06.2012 v Fiji W 29-26 in Tokyo (Pacific Nations Cup)
05.06.2012 v Tonga W 20-18 in Nagoya (Pacific Nations Cup)
30.09.2011 v South Africa L 5-13 in Albany (World Cup, Pool D)
25.09.2011 v Fiji W 27-7 in Auckland (World Cup, Pool D)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-Scotland 2nd, Samoa 11th

IRB Ranking Points
Samoa 77.64, Scotland 76.56

Prediction: Samoa by 3 points

Teams

SCOTLAND

15		Stuart Hogg	Glasgow Warriors
14		Sean Lamont	Llanelly Scarlets, Wales
13		Nicholas De Luca	Edinburgh Rugby
12		Mathew Scott	Edinburgh Rugby
11		Timothy Visser	Edinburgh Rugby
10		Greig Laidlaw	Edinburgh Rugby
9		Christopher Cusiter	Glasgow Warriors
8		Richard Vernon	Sale Sharks
7		Ross Rennie	Edinburgh Rugby
6		Alasdair Strokosch	Gloucester, England
5		Alastair Kellock	Glasgow Warriors
4		Richard Gray	Glasgow Warriors
3		Euan Murray	Newcastle Falcons, England
2		Ross Ford (Capt.)	Edinburgh Rugby
1		Ryan Grant	Glasgow Warriors
16		Scott Lawson	Gloucester Rugby
17		Geoffrey Cross	Edinburgh Rugby
18		Thomas Ryder	Glasgow Warriors
19		Robert Harley	Glasgow Warriors
20		Michael Blair	Edinburgh Rugby
21		Duncan Weir	Glasgow Warriors
22		Max Evans	Castres, France
		HEAD COACH: Andy Robinson

 

SAMOA

15		Fa’atoina Autagavaia	Marist Samoa
14		Paul Perez	Vaigaga
13		Fautua Otto	Bristol, England
12		Paul Williams	Stade Francais, France
11		David Lemi (Capt.)	Glasgow Warriors, Scotland
10		Tusi Pisi	Wellington, New Zealand
9		Kahn Fotuali'i	Neath Swansea Ospreys, Wales
8		Kane Thompson	Southland, New Zealand
7		Maurie Fa'asavalu	Harlequins, England
6		Benjamin Masoe	Papatoetoe RFC, Ak, New Zealand
5		Daniel Chricton	Counties Manukau, New Zealand
4		Fa’atiga Lemalu	Papatoetoe RFC, Ak, New Zealand
3		Census Johnston	Toulouse, France
2		Ti'i Paulo	Clermont-Ferrand, France
1		Sakaria Taulafo	Wasps, England
16		Wayne Ole Avei	Bordeaux, France
17		Logovii Mulipola	Leicester Tigers, England
18		Joseph Tekori	Castres, France
19		Afa Aiono	Leulumoega
20		Jeremy Sua	Tasman, New Zealand
21		Ki Anufe	Marist RFC, Ak, New Zealand
22		Lolo Lui	Moata'a
		HEAD COACH: Stephan Betham