Scotland’s Gordon Reid has urged his side to be physical when they go toe-to-toe with Samoa in Newcastle on Saturday.
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Samoa scrum-half Kahn Fotuali’i will captain the side against Scotland in their final Rugby World Cup Pool B game on Saturday.
Cotter has made seven changes to the starting line-up that lost out to South Africa last weekend (34-16) – three of which are returning from injury: back-row John Hardie (return-to-play protocol), wing Sean Maitland (hand) and stand-off Finn Russell (ankle).
Stuart Hogg also limped off at St James’ Park with cramp but is another who has been given the thumbs up to take on the Samoans in their final Pool D fixture. The fact is that the courageous Blossoms have continued to deliver and they have captured their nation’s attention with 25 million TV viewers in Japan tuning in for their match against Samoa. The manner in which Japan defeated South Africa on the first weekend will remain in all of our memories forever; their courage of conviction and their ability to play exactly the right sort of rugby to nullify one of the game’s giants.
“They can play from anywhere, they can offload, they are big boys and can hit”, Hardie says.
On Sunday, Eddie Jones’ vastly-improved Japan will take on an American line-up coming off the back of a 64-0 thumping by the Boks and could snatch second place from Cotter’s men if Scotland fail to see off Samoa.
“I’ve a couple of mates who have had head knocks and they have been really bad, so I treated it with a lot of respect”, Hardie said.
While Samoa weren’t ideally positioned to get a lead against South Africa, Betham appeared to be disenchanted with the mess up to really Japan.
They even went on to score again in the second half, but Fiji won the game 47-15.
“It’s not often you get the chance to play at a World Cup and I’m lucky to be doing that now at the age of just 23”.
A fan who wanted to buy a scarf at the Rugby World Cup Shop in Milton Keynes said he was “embarrassed” that staff would not accept his £20 Scottish note. We know there are always little things that put a stick in your spokes but we’re hoping they will come through okay. So this game is critical for us.
“We need to perform in certain areas perhaps better than we have done”.
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“It’s been three years in the planning with our colleagues at Milton Keynes Council and other agencies and there were a few great learning curves for us throughout which will no doubt stand us in good stead as we look to fulfil Milton Keynes’ global sporting city ambitions”.
