Sunday, October 4, 2015 31

SPRINGBOKSNewcastle BEAT THE SCOTS Scotland must beat Samoa Wearing their white andre Pollard kept next week to go into the quarter away strip, the Springboks ’s World finals and Cotter was happy to announced their forward HCup revival on track landing get seven days to prepare. dominance from the start 19 points with the boot in a “There are a few things to as they set up camp deep in 34-16 victory over Scotland sort out,” he said. Scotland territory. yesterday. But South Africa’s opening Even after being driven The win took South Africa loss to Japan has been put back to their own 22 by a a point ahead of the Scots in behind them as they improved couple of quick penalties, a Pool B as they took a new step to two wins from three games, tighthead allowed them to back from the brink after their the same as Scotland. Japan ram their way back up field devastating loss to Japan in beat Samoa 26-5 earlier to stay with a try awarded to Schalk their first match. in the Pool B qualifying race. Burger after a mass drive over , JP Pietersen Scrum-half , the line. and scored tries stepping up to captain South The signs were ominous for to bring the match alive in front Africa after the inspirational Scotland that they were well of more than 50,000 people suffered a out muscled up front. at Newcastle. But Pollard’s career ending broken jaw A forward drive that deadly accuracy secured the against Samoa, directed play marched the Scots back key points. with surety. nearly 15 metres eventually Scotland staged an heroic produced a penalty which comeback in the second half Scots muscled out Pollard duly slotted from in after trailing 20-3 at the break front of the posts. and twice hauled themselves to He used South Africa’s Facing an early 10-0 deficit, within seven points against the pack led by man-of-the-match Scotland tried to up the pace Springboks. South Africa’s fly half Handre Pollard (centre) runs while he is being tackled by the Scots Lodewyk de Jager to out-muscle of the game to upset the But each time Pollard denied 50-metre penalty the second their pathway from Pool B to United States to go through. the Scots, dominating scrums Springboks rhythm but for them the chance for what time. the play-offs more clear even “Hats off to South Africa,” said and mauls, while raking kicks every metre they gained by could have been be a crucial It was the first defeat in though they did not get a Scotland’s sporting coach Vern from fly-half Pollard were used running the ball they lost many losing bonus point, landing a the tournament for the Scots bonus point. Cotter after the defeat. “They to turn Scotland wings Tommy more as South targeted the drop goal the first time and a and for South Africa it made They just need a win over the played very well.” Seymour and Tim Visser. Scots wings with deep kicks. Goromaru’s boots fire Battered All Blacks in QFinals could have done better for sure. Japan over Samoa Our execution at times was not great,” said Hansen. Georgia Barnes signalled for a forward physically matched the world pass leaving coach Eddie Jones champions, forcing them into fuming. elementary errors. South Africa referee Craig Joubert, who had been playing Not all black an advantage anyway, awarded the Japanese a penalty instead Lost lineouts and scrums, and Goromaru shrugged off passes fired into empty spaces the disappointment to slot over and penalties not finding the penalty. touch -- missed Samoa were reduced to 14 three conversions out of seven men for 10 minutes when No8 -- showed the All Blacks were Failfili Levave was sin-binned well out of tune with only one for making no attempt to tackle game against Tonga left before hooker Shota Horie simply the knockout stages. bending his shoulder into the Starting their top available Japanese player and sending side against a Georgia team Japan’s full-back Ayumu Goromaru (left) is tackled him flying. New Zealand’s wing (left) runs with the ball resting many of their best Milton Keynes to the sin bin in the game. Joubert read the riot act and coach both players, the All Blacks were yumu Goromaru scored 16 The win at Milton Keynes to Samoan captain Ofisa ulian Savea scored a hat-trick admitted that it was not a great expected to win comfortably. points to keep Japan in the takes the Japanese -- who Treviranus about conceding of tries but New Zealand’s night for the team seeking to But they were only 22-10 up at Arace for a historic appearance in before this World Cup had won penalties and the South African Jrugby superstars took a become the first to win back- half-time before adding three the quarter- just one match and that back in wielded another yellow card battering before they overcame to-back World Cups. But both tries in the second half. finals as they beat Samoa 26-5 1991 -- onto eight points ahead when prop Sakaria Taulafo Georgia to become the first said there was no reason to They were rattled by a yesterday. of their final game with United took out a Japanese player in nation into the World Cup panic. Georgia team that used bone- The 29-year-old, who starred States next weekend. the air -- leaving the Samoans quarter-finals. “I was a little disappointed jarring tackles and their in the epic win over South Table-toppers Scotland -- with just 13 men on the pitch. The 43-10 result did not with some of the errors we powerful forward pack to shake Africa two weeks ago, became who have 10 points from two The Pacific islanders reflect the struggle by the made, but that’s an easy thing the All Blacks. the leading tournament points matches -- face the Springboks, defended stoically as the All Blacks in the Millennium to fix,” McCaw said. With his first touch of the scorer with 45. who have seven points, later on Japanese pounded away at Stadium where the biggest “We’re under no illusions it ball in his comeback game after The Japanese also scored two Saturday. them. The Asian champions cheer went to Georgia’s wasn’t perfect out there but I a leg fracture in his maiden Test tries, a penalty try and one Goromaru looked to have eventually came away with a tough tackling hero Mamuka thought the intensity around three months ago, Waisake from wing Akihito Yamada. given Japan a dream start as penalty try which Goromaru Gorgodze as he was named some of those contact areas was Naholo sped 55 metres through Samoa paid for their lack of he went over in the left hand converted for 10-0 after 24 man-of-the-match. a definite step up.” the Georgian defence to touch discipline losing three players corner but linesman Wayne minutes. Captain Richie McCaw “There’s a lot of things we down after just 80 seconds.