Rugby Union: Scotland flattered by victory

SCOTLAND put their tour firmly back on track with a comprehensive 42-13 victory over Victoria at Olympic Park yesterday. But the Scots were flattered by a scoreline which disguised a number of shortcomings in the tourists' performance.

However, the result was all that mattered to the Scotland camp after the bitter disappointment of the Test defeat in Fiji last Tuesday.

"A win was what we needed," said tour captain Rob Wainwright, who also slammed his side for losing concentration in the latter stages of the game.

"We showed the now typically Scottish trait in the last quarter. With all due respect to Victoria lapses like this in the last twenty minutes would cost us dear against better sides."

Scotland's points flow dried up on the hour mark after the tourists seemed set to mount a massive scoreline, having run in six tries up to that point.

Full-back Glenn Metcalfe ran in two tries in a dazzling performance that earned him the man-of-the-match award and confirmed that his shift six months ago from wing has paid off.

Alan Bulloch, Rowen Shepherd, Cameron Mather and stand-off Duncan Hodge also touched down for the Scots, and Hodge, with three conversions and two penalty goals, finished with a points tally of 17 to head the top scorers' list for the tour.

Former Scotland full-back Shepherd will again be at inside centre for the match tomorrow against New South Wales Country XV and will play outside Gregor Townsend.

SCOTLAND XV (to play NSW Country XV): D Lee; H Gilmour, C Murray, R Shepherd, C Joiner; G Townsend, G Burns; G McIlwham, K McKenzie, M Stewart, S Murray, S Campbell, R Wainwright (captain), G Simpson, S Holmes. Replacements: D Officer, D Hodge, I Fairley, A Roxburgh, R Metcalfe, D Hilton, S Brotherstone.