- Pool B: Scotland 45-17 Tonga
- Scots’ quarter-final hopes still alive as Tonga pick up red card
It could certainly be said that Scotland were dealt a bad hand when you consider the Pool B draw combined with its scheduling. But it’s all about controlling the controllables, so coaches say, and the possibility remains that Gregor Townsend’s men will play their unforgiving cards remarkably well. This sunny, satisfying victory against game opponents on the Côte D’Azur means another bonus-point win, against Romania in Lille next Saturday, will set up a decisive clash against Ireland in Paris on 7 October.
On this sort of form Scotland will back themselves to have a strong chance, at the very least, of surviving the pool of death. To the considerable credit of all concerned they looked like a team who had two weeks of constructive warm-weather training in the tank after the opening loss against South Africa. Prompted by their uniquely gifted fly-half, Finn Russell, passes were fizzed around with abandon and the dirty work, at the breakdown and set piece, was done plenty well enough to give their talented back division a platform. Seven Scotland tries were scored and it could easily have been more.
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