WXV2: Japan 13-19 Scotland
10/10/2024 03:44 AM
Scotland battled through sweltering conditions to come out on top of a tight contest with Japan and set up a title-deciding finale with Australia. Here are the talking points from a nail-biting game.
Scotland find a way to win
As the coach and captain were clear to state after, this wasn't as good a performance as the team aim for, but they found a way to win on an off day.
In a 2019 matchup at Scotstoun, Scotland looked well in control in the first half before gradually falling away (and to be honest falling apart) against an organised Japanese team that ultimately deserved to win. Although some of the playing personnel remain, this is a very different Scotland team, and it's a confident one that expects to win.
It really does reinforce the feeling that, when going through their bad losing run a couple of years ago, they only were one confidence-boosting win from things changing dramatically, which is what we have seen since. We were shown a lot of celebration shots from the Japan coaches' box as particular plans for the game came off, but Scotland drew on the resilience they developed in the bad times and had enough to hold out.
Scotland's discipline could have been a lot better but there was also heroic defence at key periods, such as in the minutes late in the first half after Japan's try, and some impressive maul disruption to stop Japan getting another platform, most importantly in the 79th minute. And although they were in positions that Scotland should have prevented, there was also some good scramble defence when Japanese players broke through.
These ensured Scotland led for nearly the whole match, putting the pressure on the Sakura XV to make the running and take the risks. There was a lot of storm to weather, but the Scotland defence was fiercely committed, and earned the successful outcome.
High standards melt in the heat
Scotland started like an absolute train, and after a few minutes, it looked like they could be on for a convincing victory. First there was the early try, territory for which had come from some excellent kicking. This was immediately followed by an incredible 50-22 from Lisa Thomson.
There were two good line outs (the second bizarrely had Francesca McGhie and Thomson in as a dummy pod!) and Scotland knocked at the try line for all of the first 10 minutes, full of energy, with pace in the attack and effective running lines.
But the game was played in decidedly un-Scottish weather and it felt like temperatures over 30 degrees affected Scotland's ability to keep up the pace and tempo that has characterised these recent matches.
As the match went on, the pacy, ferocious carrying seemed to wane a bit and it occasionally looked like players were running in sand rather than on grass. The heat may have also accounted for a few uncharacteristic brain farts from senior players as well. These temperatures are unlikely at the Rugby World Cup and most teams will not play at their best when it is that warm.
The forecast for Cape Town on Saturday is a more manageable 23 degrees, so let's hope it stays around that mark, as you'd imagine significantly hotter would favour the Wallaroos.
It feels like Scotland's less convincing performances this year have been significantly weather-affected and I'm on the fence as to whether that means the team could work on being better at adapting their tactics to the weather conditions, or it shows that their progress continues to be steady and positive, with understandable blips when it is blowing a gale/ chucking it down/ absolutely boiling.
On the attack
The other concern this year is that Scotland have not yet gained a try-scoring bonus point in a game where it has been available. That is a frustration because there is so much good in their attack when it clicks.
It was enjoyable to see how smart the tries were on the weekend. On the first try, there is a brief glimpse of how Scotland have flooded the right-hand side with players after some good carries on the left side of the field. Japan start to number up in defence, but the detail from Scotland is excellent –McGhie has come off her wing to add those numbers and Rachel Malcolm runs an excellent deceptive dummy line. Because of the numbers, both Alex Stewart and Rhona Lloyd are also able to run great support lines if McGhie needs them. McGhie’s perfect angle means all she needs is her own pace and she is helped by the Japanese defence failing to deal with the multiple viable try-scoring options they might need to tackle.
It was a similar pattern with the try just before half-time. A great kick had given Scotland territory and their organised defence forced Japan to kick for touch near the half-way line. A decent line out and some good carries in the centre of the field and then Scotland numbered up on the left. There were great hands from Meryl Smith and with McGhie and Stewart again in the right place on brilliant lines and there were too many attackers for the defenders to contain. After patient interplay, the latter ultimately got her first try for Scotland
The third try started closer to the try line but again, once a few defenders had been sucked in by good carries in the centre of the pitch, the attack is organised quickly. Leia Brebner-Holden upped the pace a little and a fantastic dummy line from Alex Stewart sucked in defenders, while Meryl Smith was able to perfectly pick out Emma Orr to pull in the final defender and offload to Lloyd.
This team has been great over the past couple of years in scoring tries from set piece or from counter attack, and this game really stood out as one where it was their organisation and detail in attack that made the difference.
Midfield conundrum continues
It seems wild to say this, but I do wonder if we'll see player of the match Smith on the bench this weekend.
She showed she could also do an excellent job at 13, as well as 10 and 12, but it seems hard to conceive that any of Orr, Thomson or Helen Nelson wouldn't start against Australia.
Smith has been one of Scotland's real stand-out players this autumn, but her versatility could mean we see her introduced around 50-55 minutes when the coaches have had time to work out where she can best be deployed to stress the Australian defence.
The other option is to play her at 15, but Chloe Rollie has looked back to her best and Scotland benefit from Smith being consistently in the attacking line. Whoever ends up on the bench, it means there is going to be a seriously good player coming on at some point and allowing Scotland to switch up their attacking approach, which could make a big difference in what could be a very tight match.
Opportunity awaits
Having won WXV2 last year, it doesn't feel like Scotland really have anything to prove this year by winning it again. But it is a fantastic opportunity to play in a match which directly has the title on the line – bar a specific set of results, the winner of this match will be the winner of the title.
Scotland will be facing high pressure matches in the World Cup and this is a chance to show they can bring a good performance when there is a lot riding on the match – something they didn't quite manage against Ireland in the Six Nations when a place in WXV1 was on the line.
Scotland have never beaten the Wallaroos so it is also a chance to make history on that front, as well as avenge defeat from their heartbreaking loss in the last Rugby World Cup.
Australia have been improving during the tournament: turning a narrow defeat to Wales in the warm-ups to a big victory and holding out a determined South Africa team on their home patch.
Scotland will know how wary they have to be of Australia's pacy outside backs who will be lethal in a bit of space, as well as their dynamic forwards, most notably Eva Karpani, who is usually front and centre in any Wallaroos win. But they will also know that Australia's maul defence can be soft and that we possess our own pacy, talented back three.
I wouldn't say Scotland are favourites by any means, despite a slightly higher current world ranking, but they should believe that if they raise their standards back up, they have a very good chance.
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