Scotland vs Tonga - 2nd half Analysis

40:00 - start 2nd half, Scotland kick off. Tonga gather, pass to full back, boot up field. Hogg catches, goes for a run into Tongan half. ruck, short pass and drive. ruck short pass and drive, ruck, laidlaw gets ball and does a chip kick over Tongan defence for Visser to run on to. Tonga gather easily. Tongan fullback manhandles Scottish player, nearly breaks 2nd tackle and even mages to off load. ruck, Tonga pass out deep, good rush defence from scotland. Tonga panic, kick high, Scotland eventually gather ball. Laidlaw gets ball from brown, throws good pass to Hogg who running on to it at pace making good ground. Slow ruck, kills momentum. Pygros passes bad pass, bounces and Gray gathers.ruck. flat wobbly pass to Strockosh who knocks on. Tonga scrum.

42:10 - Tonga win scrum, pass out to backs and make very good ground, Scottish defence don't seem to be there at all. Tonga try grubber, Scotland gather boot up field. Tonga gather short kick to laidlaw. Laidlaw kicks for territory, misses touch but Tonga are put under pressure. Tonga boot up field. Scottish lineout just inside Tonga half.

43:20 - Lineout won, gose to backs. nice flat pass by Laidlaw results in some ground. ruck. series of pick and drives follows. Good inside pass by Laidlaw to Denton. ground made, nearly gets ball ripped by Tonga. Scotland dive over in ruck. Penalty Tonga.

45:00 - bad lineout by Tonga. Laidlaw boots ball up field. Tongan full back gathers,boots up field to lamont who makes a cracking run right into the Tongan 22. ruck, ball out to backs. Scott does very long dodgy pass which is luckily just gathered by Visser. he pops out left to Evans. ruck, short passes inside, Tonga penalised for going off feet in ruck. But Tongan defence is very good! Scotland opt for points. laidlaw kicks penalty.

46:30 - 9-3, Tonga kick off. Scotland gather well, take their time at ruck. Scottish hooker picks and drives, gets battered by Tonga who turnover ball. short pick and drives before grubber kick which fails. Scotland boot up field. Tonga gather, short passes. Scotland penalised at ruck 50m line. Tonga opt for points, goes short, Scotland kick up field. Tonga gather drive forward well and pass out to backs who have lots of space to pass and manoeuvre. Tonga do a series of good pick and drives on left side of filled before knocking on close to try line. Scrum Scotland.

51:25 - early engagement by scotland. Tonga free kick. Tap and go, series of short simple passes. Tonga get over the gain line overtime and score easy try making it all look very simple.

52:40 - 9 -10. Scotland restart. Tonga gather, box kick, Scotland gather. Pyrgos passes to Laidlaw who boots up field, going for territory. misses touch, straight into Tongan player hands who runs up fast. ruck. Tonga do box kick ptting scotland under pressure. knock on Tonga. Scrum Scotland.

54:20 - Penalty Scotland. Tonga pull scrum down. Scotland opt for lineout.

55:00 - lineout won, good set piece inside pass. Tonga penalised outside 22. Scotland opt points which they get.

56:00 - 12-10 - restart, scotland gather box kick. Tonga run up. ruck. out to their .10 who kick up and under on 10m line. Tongans rush up well putting pressure on Hogg who manages to catch it. ruck. out to Scott who kick out on full. Tongan lineout Scotland 22.

57:55 - Gray steals lineout. High box kick lawson. Tonga gather. Short passes. pick and drives. Tongan goes for run, Scotish missed tackles. Tonga penalised. Scotland kick to touch. lineout just past 50m line.

59:40 - lineout won, rolling maul. out to backs who link series of good passes to other side pitch. slowish ruck. more passes towards middle pitch, scotland player runs forward gaining some ground. ruck. Tonga penalised right in front of posts. Laidlaw gets points

61:00 - 15- 10 - Tongan restart. scotland gather, box kick. Tonga get ball and make very good ground via a fantastic chip kick. ruck into Scotland's 22. ruck. two long passes left, Scottish defence run up towards Tonga but seem to stop as the pass is made instead of continuing to rush forward putting Tonga under no pressure at all. ruck. good passes back right side of field, 15m made, Tonga deep in Scottish 22. Long passes left, missed Scottish tackle Tonga almost through, luckily Gray saves the day. Scotland off feet, Tonga penalty. Tonga take easy points.

65:00 - Scottish restart. Kick deep. Tonga boot up field straight to laidlaw who catches on halfway line. laidlaw decides to boot a high up and under, play is very scattered. Tonga get ball and score a fantastic, easy try.

67:00 - Scottish restart. short to left side, gathered well by kellock. ruck. thrown wide and, messy ruck due to Tonga defensive pressure. Tonga penalised. 50m line. Heathcote subbed on. Scotland opt for territory and lineout. lineout won, Tonga penalised for jumping on maul. Tongan Yellow. Scotland opt for points, Heathcote narrowly misses.

69:00 - Tongan restart. Scotland gather and run up. ruck on 50m line. Tonga turn over ball. grubber kick down field into open space. Gathered by Scotland who are pushed out by Tonga. Tonga lineout in Scottish 22.

71:00 - Long lineout by Tonga, gathered and Tongan player is tackled in air. penalty Tonga. Tonga take points.

73:00 - 21-15. Scottish restart gathered. box kick down middle field. gathered by Hogg, goes for run. ruck 50m line. Passes left, bit slow, Tongan defenceonce again rushes up well putting good pressure on Scotland. ruck. passes left, good quick ball, gaps appear, Scotland make good ground. ruck on Tongan 22. series of passes and rucks. Scotland gain 5m. passes through backs, player makes mini break no no one there for off load. ruck. short passes. ruck, slow ball. short pass. ruck. Scotland penalised for diving over ball. Tonga kick for territory and lineout.

75:30 - lineout won. driving maul, 5-7m made, passes to backs, Tonga knock on. Scotland scrum.

76:30 - Tonga penalised, pulling scrum down. Scotland kick for territory and lineout.

77:30 - lineout won. short pass and driving. ruck. ball out to heathcote who runs up and throwing nice delayed pass to lamont who met once again by fantastic Tongan rush defence. ruck. lawson to heathcote who passes to gray. ruck. Scotland penalised. not releasing ball. ref speak to touch judge. Tonga penalised. Yellow card. Tonga down to 13 men. Scotland opt for lineout on Tongan 5m line.

78:20 - lineout successful. once again, rolling maul from Scotland. maul collapsed. penalty to Scotland. Scotland opt for scrum. Tonga penalised for wheeling scrum. Scotland opt for scrum again. Scotland get good scrum but as it turn tongan no.9 runs round and pinches ball. Tonga run up field attempt fancy round the back pass, turn over ball. Scotland have possession. ruck. lawson to heathcote who throws nice flat pass to brown. Scotland gain 15m or so. ruck. lawson throws long pass to Heathcote who wasn't expecting to have to run forward to get it, knocks on. Game over!

2nd half analysis:

Tonga really stepped their game up and built on the confidence of Scotland giving them easy points. Laidlaw up and under at halfway line sealed the deal for Tonga. Noticeably, when Tonga do their one up and under in the game, they do it into space and their players run up fast to ensure pressure is applied. Scotland constantly fail to apply any sort of pressure in the match, especially in defence.

Tongan defence is very good! Scotland could not deal with the rush defence and their own defence was very stagnant. Tonga get a few turnovers and put Scotland under a lot of pressure in rucks. They give away a few penalties by doing this but they still win in the end. I think narrow pitch was definitely a factor in the match and did inhibit Scotland slightly, although this should not be an excuse.

The Tongan physicality totally overwhelms Scotland, but instead of responding Scotland bury their heads in the sand and try to just weather it through. Scotland play with absolutely no intensity or with any sense of urgency. Every time Tonga get the ball they look hungry for points.

By far the daftest thing is Scotland going for mauls and scrums when Tonga are down to 13 men at end of match. That simply says they have no faith in their backline which is just ridiculous!!