Scotland claimed a comfortable 37-12 victory against Tonga at Rugby Park in Kilmarnock on Saturday.
The Tongans made the better start and raced to a 12-7 lead courtesy of four penalties from the boot of flyhalf Lutiume Fosita. But converted tries from Blair Cowan and Stuart Hogg handed the hosts a 14-12 lead at the break before they pulled away in the second stanza.
Fosita opened the scoring with a penalty after Hogg was penalised for not rolling away. The hosts replied instantly with Cowan's try which skipper Greig Laidlaw converted. If anything, that seemed to spur on the islanders who slotted three consecutive penalties for a five-point lead. Scotland, however, were not finished and upped the ante in the final 10 minutes of the first half despite having Alex Dunbar in the bin for a tip-tackle.
Hogg scooped up a loose ball inside Scotland's 22 and ran the length of the field to level matters and Laidlaw calmly converted before the break.
The second half was a one-sided affair as the Scots scored three further tries from Dunbar, Geoff Cross and Tommy Seymour. Laidlaw also kept the scoreboard ticking along with a conversion and two penalties as they shut out the Tongans, who couldn't cope with Scotland's intensity after the interval.
Scotland – Tries: Blair Cowan, Stuart Hogg, Alex Dunbar, Geoff Cross, Tommy Seymour. Conversions: Greig (3). Penalties: Laidlaw (2).
Tonga – Penalties: Lutiume Fosita (4).
Scotland – 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Sean Lamont, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw (c), 8 Johnnie Beattie, 7 Blair Cowan, 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Geoff Cross, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.
Subs: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Ryan Grant, 19 Kieran Low, 20 Alasdair Strokosch, 21 Chris Cusiter, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Duncan Taylor.
Tonga – 15 Vungakoto Lilo, 14 David Halaifonua, 13 Siale Piutau, 12 Hemani Paea, 11 Fetu'u Vainikili, 10 Latiume Fosita, 9 Sonatane Takulua, 8 Viliami Ma'afu, 7 Nili Latu (c), 6 Sione Kalamafoni, 5 Joe Tu'ineau, 4 Tukulua Lokotui, 3 Paea Fa'anunu, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Tevita Mailau.
Subs: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Sione Lea, 18 Sila Puafisi, 19 Lisiate Fa'aoso, 20 Hale T Pole, 21 Tomasi Palu, 22 Kurt Morath, 23 Sione Piukala.
Photo: Ian MacNicol/AFP Photo
