Samoa vs Scotland match report: Greig Laidlaw secures quarter-final spot for Scots after thrilling victory over Samoans

Samoa 33 Scotland 36

Greig Laidlaw scores the winning try against Samoa (Getty Images)

Of all the ways Scotland envisaged reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup, this was not it. Outplayed by Samoa for the first half, hanging on grimly at the last, afloat only on a tide of penalties of which Greig Laidlaw, their captain, kicked five to carry them through.

Yet they will not care. They are where most envisaged they would be, runners-up in Pool B and now with a match against Australia next Sunday. That Laidlaw, who accumulated 26 points, considered it his greatest day in a Scotland jersey, illustrates what this success means.

But how easy it is to argue that Samoa lost this game rather than that Scotland won it. The Pacific islanders, under no pressure as they exit what has been a disappointing tournament for them, did what they do best and played fast and loose. Ironically they earned a try bonus which will be of no use to them, gave Scotland a first-half try in a three-minute period of madness, and after the interval indiscipline let them down.

Even when Scotland took the lead, after 51 minutes, then scored through Laidlaw what appeared to be a clinching try, Samoa could not rest. With 90 seconds left they scored their fourth try and came running out of their own 22 in a manner that had an overwhelmingly pro-Scotland crowd on the edge of their seats. “We saw a Samoa we haven’t seen all tournament,” said Vern Cotter, Scotland’s coach, “but we stuck to the things we were doing well, hung in there and got the result we needed.”

Maybe the clue to Scotland’s success came in the first-half period when Ryan Wilson was in the sin bin for illegal use of the boot on his opposite number, Maurie Fa’asavalu. When he left, Samoa were seven points ahead but Scotland won 7-6 in the period when they were down to 14 men.

True to form, Scotland started slowly and were sucked into a game that Samoa play rather better. Not one of their main ball carriers, up front or behind, could build a head of steam; nothing was seen of Finn Russell’s game management or Stuart Hogg’s blistering speed, Dave Denton and Richie Gray were chasing shadows all over the pitch.

When a driving maul collapsed, Tusi Pisi kicked the first of his goals and, though Laidlaw levelled matters early, the game entered a dream-like phase when, in a three-minute period, three tries were scored, all of them the creation of Samoa. The first came when Samoa reclaimed their own restart, the powerful Rey Lee-lo made inroads and Pisi finished at the corner.

Scotland restarted long but Samoa decided that anything was possible and began a suicidal passing movement on their own try line. A long, wild pass aimed at Paul Perez on the wing left him flapping with Tommy Seymour and Scotland’s wing claimed the loose ball for a try that Scotland had done nothing to earn.

Their joy, though, remained confined. Again Scotland could not secure the restart, Samoa’s hefty tight forwards carried deep into the opposing 22 and Manu Leiataua found no one in his way as he crossed the line. But Pisi could not convert and the crazy end-to-end play continued when Samoa were penalised, giving Laidlaw the easiest of goals.

No matter. Another restart, another Samoa try, the ball carried right then left, a scything run from Tim Nanai-Williams and Lee-lo was over in the corner. Laidlaw pegged them back and when Wilson was in the sin bin, Scotland marched downfield, Jonny Gray won a lineout and John Hardie was mauled over.

Laidlaw’s conversion levelled matters once more but Samoa’s prop, Sakaria Taulafo, thought he had scored the bonus-point try, only to be told that he had not because one of his colleagues had obstructed Laidlaw as the scrum-half sought to make a tackle.

Samoa settled instead for a penalty and might have scored just before the interval but for a knock-on with Scotland defending their own line. If the gist of Cotter’s half-time talk was not “enough of this nonsense”, it should have been: Scotland asserted themselves at the scrum and Laidlaw’s kicking nudged his side level and then in front.

Scotland heads remained cool. Willem Nel was over the line but held up and, sensing superiority at the set piece, Laidlaw called for an attacking scrum rather than kicking an easy penalty. The surge came on and the scrum-half nipped to his left and stretched over for his team’s third try, which he also converted.

Was it enough, with five minutes remaining? Only just. Samoa forced a five-metre scrum and tapped two penalties – and finally Matu Matu’u broke the Scottish defence, Patrick Fa’apale’s conversion leaving a whisper of hope. The whisper died but Samoa leave with heads high.