Graham scores four as Scotland send warning to Boks
MATCH REPORT: Scotland made a big statement, beating the Fiji 57-17 at the Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Saturday.
Scotland wing Darcy Graham scored four tries while Duhan van der Merwe extended his record as Scotland's top try-scorer to 29.
*To recap all the action CLICK HERE!!!
The win is an incredible result for Scotland, who will host the World Champs South Africa next week in the Nations Series.
Scotland probed the Fijian defence with some smart running in the opening minutes, and after hammering away at the Fijian line, the ball zipped out for what seemed a sure try – but for a deliberate knock-on by Frank Lomani, which led to a yellow card for the scrumhalf.
Frustratingly for Fiji, Lomani was less than a minute away from returning from his spell in the sin-bin when outside centre Apisalome Vota received a yellow card of his own, temporarily leaving them with 13 men on the pitch.
The home side were initially unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage after opting for a line-out and losing possession, easing the pressure on Fiji. Scotland appeared to be rewarded for all this early pressure as hooker Ewan Ashman was driven over for a try, only for the TMO to call it back for an infringement.
However, moments later it was nimble fullback Kyle Rowe touching down. Flyhalf Adam Hastings added the easy two points.
A smart move off the back of a line-out served to confuse the Fijian defence, with openside Rory Darge peeling off the back of the maul.
The ball made its way to Ashman who burst up the wing, before releasing the returning Darcy Graham – who missed two campaigns for his country this year through injury - for Scotland’s second try.
Hastings converted from out wide to make it 14-0 inside the opening quarter.
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The clock wasn’t even up to 20 minutes when a Hastings cross-field kick found Graham, whose effort to grubber kick the ball was confirmed by the TMO to have grazed his boot and thus not considered a knock-on. So when the Fijian fullback attempted to tackle the right wing and slid off his man, Graham was free to regather the ball and score his second, for a 19-0 lead.
A shell-shocked Fiji momentarily lost all shape in attack, conceding an intercept try just moments later when centre Huw Jones snaffled their ball to race in for Scotland’s fourth try, which Hastings converted.
Scotland now held a more-than-healthy 26-point lead with just over a quarter of the match gone.
Ashman, so unlucky not have notched up his fifth Test try of the year earlier in the match, then got shown a yellow card. Almost instantly, Fiji showed their dangerous selves, shipping the ball wide and sending fullback Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula over for their first points of the match in the 34th minute.
Hastings kicked another successful penalty, leaving the scores at 29-5 to the hosts going into the second half, but not before Glasgow Warriors fullback Tom Jordan replaced try-scorer Rowe for his Test debut – and there was still time for one final flourish.
Lomani atoned for his earlier yellow card when, with the clock deep in the red on 44 minutes, he fed blindside Meli Derenalagi the ball to dive through the Scottish defenders and score their second try.
At 29-10, there was a sliver of hope for the visitors going into the next 40 minutes.
That hope wasn’t unfounded when ten minutes into the second half, the Scots were caught napping at the front of the line-out as hooker Tevita Ikanivere threw a quick one-two and set off up the left wing for a wonderful try, converted by Caleb Muntz to narrow the deficit to 12 points.
Darcy Graham was well and truly making up for lost time when he took a flat ball off Huw Jones in the Fijian 22 and raced away for a well-deserved hat-trick. A fourth successful conversion from Hastings burnished the Scots’ lead 36-17.
Fiji almost struck back in less than a minute when a risky grubber from No.8 Jack Dempsey from the restart proved just that, as the visitors gained possession and, but for some desperate Scottish defence by the flag, would have scored in the corner through wing Vuate Karawalevu.
After an hour, Scotland had been reinvigorated by some replacements, one of whom, scrumhalf Jamie Dobie set Graham up for a significant try: one that took him level with teammate Duhan van der Merwe as his country’s top try-scorer. Hastings, enjoying a pleasing night with the boot, was on song with the conversion.
Van der Merwe, up until then somewhat quiet by his own lofty standards, soon reclaimed his record when a sumptuous backdoor pass from Hastings allowed Jones to find space in the Fijian 22, the centre throwing a long pass to the winger to score. With six minutes to go, Scotland could enjoy an insurmountable 50-17 lead.
The match become even more of a record-breaking one when Hastings - his tail very much up by this point - produced yet another accurate cross-field kick for Jones to pluck from the air and run in his second try, and in the process break Scotland's points record for a match against Fiji. Hastings' good night continued when he converted for a 17-point personal haul.
There was still time for Van der Merwe to produce a trademark scything run for yet another try, before the TMO called it back for a foot in touch by Jones, but Scotland would have been good for it, such was their dominant form after an admittedly shaky opening.
Man of the match: Darcy Graham was incredible and the cog in Scotland's attack. He set up one of his team's tries and, scored four - taking his try-tally to 28, just one short of the leading try-scorer Duhan van der Merwe.
Moment of the match: Tevita Ikanivere's try in the second half. The hooker showed some great skills, sold a dummy and beat a defender before scoring the five-pointer.
Villian of the match: Frank Lomani's attempted intercept which saw him knock down the ball and ultimately was handed a yellow card in the fourth minute. The early yellow card put his team under enormous pressure and they conceded two tries during his absence. His team just couldn't not recover after that.
The scorers:
For Scotland:
Tries: Rowe, Graham 4, Jones 2, Van der Merwe
Cons: Hastings 6
Pen: Hastings
For Fiji:
Tries: Ravula, Derenalagi, Ikanivere
Con: Muntz
Yellow cards: Frank Lomani (Fiji, 4 - knockdown), Apisalome Vota (Fiji, 14 - deliberate infringement). Ewan Ashman (Scotland, 31 - deliberate infringement)
Teams:
Scotland: 15 Kyle Rowe, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ali Price, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Matt Fagerson, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 D’Arcy Rae, 19 Max Williamson, 20 Gregor Brown, 21 Jamie Dobie, 22 Tom Jordan, 23 Stafford McDowall.
Fiji: 15 Isaiah Ravula; 14 Vuate Karawalevu, 13 Apisalome Vota, 12 Inia Tabuavou, 11 Ponipate Loganimasi; 10 Caleb Muntz, 9 Frank Lomani; 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Ratu Meli Derenalagi, 5 Ratu Leone Rotuisolia, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Samuela Tawake, 2 Tevita Ikanivere (captain), 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Mesulame Dolokoto, 17 Livai Natave, 18 Jone Koroiduadua, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Vilive Miramira, 21 Simi Kuruvoli, 22 Kemueli Valetini, 23 Waqa Nalaga.
Referee: Craig Evans
Assistant referees: Christophe Ridley, Luc Ramos
TMO: Brett Cronan
*Additional source: Nations Series