Hogg starts for Scots against Samoa

By Mark Stevens
29/9/19

Exeter Chiefs full-back Stuart Hogg starts for Scotland as they look to kick their Rugby World Cup campaign back into life against Samoa at Kobe Misaki Stadium tomorrow.

After losing their opening fixture 27-3 to Ireland, who subsequently lost to hosts Japan on Saturday, the pressure is on Gregor Townsend’s side to now deliver.

Ahead of kick-off, Townsend has made five changes to his team. Two of the starting changes come in the backline where Edinburgh wing Darcy Graham and Gloucester centre Chris Harris – try scorers against Georgia and France in respective June Tests – start in place of Tommy Seymour and Duncan Taylor, the latter moving to the bench.

Graham will combine with fellow Hawick man Hogg and Saracens wing Sean Maitland in the back-three, with Glasgow Warriors centre Sam Johnson returning to partner Harris in midfield.

Half-backs Greig Laidlaw and Finn Russell start together for the 35th time, equalling the national team record of legendary pairing Roy Laidlaw [Greig’s uncle] and John Rutherford.

A new back-row trio makes up the three remaining changes in the pack. Fit-again Jamie Ritchie starts in place of the injured Hamish Watson (knee), with Watson’s wider squad replacement Magnus Bradbury operating on the blindside, and Blade Thomson at number eight.

“Samoa are a team capable of scoring points from anywhere on the field. They play an ambitious brand of rugby and their team is full of skilful and powerful players,” said Townsend. “We had worked hard in our build-up this tournament to deliver our best rugby but we were well below this level in our opening game against Ireland. We’ll need to be much better on Monday night against such a dangerous opponent.”

He added: “It’s been a long week building towards a game where we intend to put a lot of things right.

“The players have responded well in training, know what is required of them and are hungry to deliver the kind of performance that keeps us in the World Cup.

“The reality is we now have to win our next three games to make it out of our pool, so the knockout stages for us begin this Monday night. I firmly believe this group are ready to take on that challenge.”

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Sean Maitland, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 Blade Thomson, 7 Jamie Ritchie, 6 Magnus Bradbury, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 Willem Nel, 2 Stuart McInally (capt), 1 Allan Dell

Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Scott Cummings, 20 Ryan Wilson, 21 George Horne, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Duncan Taylor