Local rugby fans are unlikely to react well to a record loss by the Samoa U20 team to Scotland at the opening match of the World Trophy Rugby tournament for the younger age group.
International media reports highlighted how the high scoring drama at kickoff caught the attention, when the World Rugby U20 Trophy records were shattered as 372 points were scored at opening day at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Tuesday.
Japan began their quest to win a fourth World Rugby U20 Trophy title, setting the biggest team total in the history of the competition as they beat Hong Kong China 105-20.
But that points record, breaking a total that had stood the test of time for 15 years, lasted only a matter of hours as Scotland ran in 19 tries of their own to beat Samoa 123-15 to record the largest victory margin since the competition started in 2008, in a match that featured 21 touchdowns.
Relentless Scotland smashed the U20 Trophy points-scoring record Japan had set in the opening match of the day, as they kicked off their title challenge with a 123-15 win over Samoa at the Hive Stadium.
Winger Finlay Doyle and full-back Fergus Watson both scored hat-tricks, while hooker Jerry Blyth-Lafferty got two as Scotland ran in 19 tries, en route to the second century tally of the day, some 15 years after the tournament saw the 100-point barrier broken for the first time.
The game started on a sombre and respectful note, with a moment’s silence held for former Samoa U20 player Visesio Penitito, part of the squad that helped Junior Manu Samoa qualify for the World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024, who died recently.
It took the host nation 10 minutes or so to find their rhythm on a blustery afternoon, but once they had gone through the gears – their forwards gave them plenty of go-forward in the set-piece – they scored heavily, running in nine tries in the first half alone.
Powerful winger Doyle scored two in the first 40, and unselfishly created the opening for hard-working centre Johnny Ventisei to cross for the half-century of points towards the end of the opening half.
Scotland had already made efficient use of their dominance up front. A training ground lineout maul move ended up with second-row Ryan Burke powering round the corner for the game’s opening try. Hooker Jerry Blyth-Lafferty came up with the ball at the back of another dominant maul a few minutes later. His tight-head brother Ollie and loose-head Robbie Deans also got their names on the scoreboard in the first 40 – the latter doing a fair impression of a centre as he charged in from distance.
Scrum-half Conor McAlpine sniped over after his forwards had got close, Andrew McLean – who also kicked 12 conversions – slalomed through a static defence, and Fergus Watson finished off a scything move straight from kick-off, before Deans’ try took the score to 66-3 at the hooter.
Hooker Blyth-Lafferty bullocked over for his second with barely a minute of the second half on the clock.
Defiant Samoa worked hard, and showed they could stretch Scotland when they strung some phases together – but errors kept handing the advantage back to the hosts, allowing Doyle to race clear for his third, before second-row Totoa Auvaa wrestled his way over to give Junior Manu Samoa something to show for their efforts.
Scotland responded immediately, as Ruaraidh Hart forced his way over. Watson then went in for his second, and Callum Norrie broke the century before the clock passed 65 minutes.
Auvaa repeated his muscular try trick soon after, but captain Liam McConnell took the hosts past the points record Japan had set earlier in the day. And they weren’t finished. The rangy McConnell broke clear again to set up a score for Jack Hocking as Samoa tired, and Gavin Parry rounded off the festival of tries three minutes from time.