Scotland rookie scores brace in Fiji win

Updated June 16, 2012 16:56:52

Winger Tim Visser marked his debut with a pair of tries while fly half Greig Laidlaw scored 22 points as Scotland continued its strong southern hemisphere tour with a 37-25 win over Fiji in Lautoka on Saturday.

Visser's second try in the 72nd minute took the sting out of a Fiji fight-back after the hosts had rallied from 24-11 down at half-time to just a two-point deficit with 12 minutes remaining.

Laidlaw's third penalty had given Scotland some breathing space at 30-25 before Visser crossed for his second try, which Laidlaw converted to cap the scoring.

Andy Robinson's side beat Australia 9-8 in a rain-drenched game in Newcastle on June 5, a result that caused consternation amongst Wallabies supporters as they prepared for their series against Six Nations champion Wales.

Laidlaw, who booted three penalties in that victory over Australia, finished the match against Fiji with 22 points from four conversions, three penalties and his side's first try after some good build-up work by the outside backs.

Fiji fly half Jonetai Ralulu had given the home side an early 6-0 lead before Laidlaw's try and Scotland was never behind for the rest of the match.

Scotland was awarded a penalty try to give them a 14-6 lead before replacement forward Josefa Domolailai grabbed a try to drag the hosts to 14-11.

Edinburgh winger Visser, who was born in the Netherlands and qualifies for Scotland through residency rules, then scored his first try, which Laidlaw converted before he added a penalty to take the visitors into the break with a comfortable 24-11 lead.

However, Fiji was fired up after the break and while Laidlaw slotted his second penalty the hosts got back into the game with some good work by their forwards resulting in winger Waisea Nayacalevu crossing.

Fiji threatened to take control when replacement Metuisela Talebula finished a sweeping movement to get them to 27-25 after Ralulu converted.

Laidlaw, however, extended the lead with his third penalty before Visser crossed for his second try two minutes later to seal the Scottish win.

Reuters

Tags: rugby-union, sport, fiji, scotland, united-kingdom

First posted June 16, 2012 16:56:52

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Waratahs brace for Shark attack

Posted May 27, 2011 11:26:00

The Waratahs are focusing on overcoming a physical onslaught from the Sharks in a crucial Super Rugby clash in Durban on Sunday morning (AEST).

The fifth-placed Waratahs (45 points) have the Highlanders, Sharks (both 43) and Bulls (40) all trying to chase them down with four rounds remaining.

And the Sharks, who have struggled for consistency after starting the season with four straight wins, are expected to challenge the Waratahs with an abrasive style of play.

"What we're concentrating on is really the physical side of it," Waratahs lock and acting captain Dean Mumm said.

"The Sharks are an extremely physical side, they've got some wonderful ball carriers in Bismarck du Plessis and a number of other top forwards.

"With South African sides, if you don't front up physically then you're gong to struggle."

The South African leg of their campaign looms as a season-defining one for the Waratahs, who play the Bulls in Pretoria next week.

"If we do the job this weekend and the Waratahs lose to the Bulls, that puts them out," Sharks' coach John Plumtree said on his team's website.

Plumtree, whose side plays its last three games away to domestic rivals, said the Sharks could not afford to drop another match.

He will be missing Jannie du Plessis, Ryan Kankowski, Odwa Ndungane and Adrian Jacobs, but has regained the services of veteran front rower John Smit and number eight Keegan Daniel.

Following the firestorm of comment on the Waratahs' style of rugby and the feisty fans' forum last week, Mumm was not unhappy to be out of Sydney.

"It's nice to get away and have time and do what we want to do, without everything on the periphery," Mumm said.

Lock Sitaleki Timani returns to the run-on side for a NSW team striving to build on successive home wins over the Rebels, Force and Lions.

"I think we've got some momentum, we had to earn our wins," Mumm said.

He emphasised the Sharks were exceptional at scoring off turnovers.

Coach Chris Hickey also stressed the need for his competition-leading defence to minimise mistakes and retain discipline to starve promising five-eighth Patrick Lambie of goalkicking opportunities.

"Our defence is going to have to be very good because they are a strong attacking side," Hickey said.

- AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

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Waldrom brace sinks Lions in thriller

Posted April 24, 2011 06:55:00

Waikato Chiefs flanker Scott Waldrom scored two first-half tries to inspire the New Zealanders to a 34-30 win over the Lions in their Super Rugby match.

In a game between the bottom teams in the South African and New Zealand conferences, the visitors outscored their hosts by five tries to three to kick off their two-match African tour in style.

It was the Chiefs' third win in nine outings while the Lions suffered their ninth loss in 10 matches under former All Blacks coach John Mitchell.

"To get a win like this was pretty pleasing," said Chiefs skipper Mils Muliaina.

"Any team that comes over here must win the physical battle and we did that tonight."

Last year's corresponding match at the same venue produced an extraordinary 72-65 win for the Chiefs, but this was an altogether tighter affair between two sides who stand little chance of advancing to the play-offs.

As was the case in last year's 137-point affair, the result was in the balance until the final whistle when a last-gasp Lions attack was snuffed out just a few metres from the Chiefs' line.

The Lions opened up an early 6-0 lead via two penalties from fly half Burton Francis but the visitors wrested the initiative back with two tries in the space of eight minutes by flanker Waldrom.

The opensider struck in the 22nd minute when he burrowed over from close range before running a perfect angle from first receiver to score from 20 metres out on the half hour.

Mazy run

Fly half Stephen Donald converted to make it 12-6, but the Lions were soon in the lead once again when full-back Michael Killian darted over following a mazy cross-field run from winger Lionel Mapoe after he expertly fielded an attempted touch-finder.

Francis's conversion looked to have given the Lions a morale-boosting one-point lead at the break but the Chiefs had other ideas, lock Romana Graham picking up from a ruck in injury time and stretching over for his team's third try.

Francis cut the deficit to three points when he slotted a third penalty in the 44th minute. The Chiefs replied with a bonus-point try to prop forward Toby Smith with half an hour left.

The Lions' poor defence, which has been their downfall all season, was in evidence once again when Chiefs winger Lelia Masaga cut through with ease from a line-out move before passing to centre Dwayne Sweeney to finish off.

Donald added his third conversion to increase the lead to 15 points. The Lions refused to throw in the towel, replacement flanker Josh Strauss barging over on the hour for his team's second try.

Flanker and former skipper Cobus Grobbelaar dotted down from a line-out drive with eight minutes left to make it a one-point game before Donald ensured much-needed breathing breathing room for his tiring troops with a 76th-minute penalty.

"We spoke this week about letting in too many soft tries and it happened again today," said Lions captain Doppies la Grange.

"I think the guys need a break."

- Reuters

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