Scotland vs Romania LIVE: Rugby World Cup result and reaction as Darcy Graham stars in thrashing
Gregor Townsend’s must take a bonus-point to set up a decider against Ireland next week
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Your support makes all the difference.Darcy Graham climbed from sixth to joint-second on Scotland’s all-time try-scorer list with four touchdowns in a resounding 84-0 victory over Romania which sets up a mouth-watering Rugby World Cup shootout with Ireland next weekend.
The Scots ran in six tries in each half in Lille to inflict another demoralising defeat on their opponents, who were similarly outclassed by both Ireland and South Africa in their first two matches in Pool B.
Graham, who started the evening on 20 international tries, wreaked the most damage on the eastern European minnows as his first-half hat-trick and another after the break took him ahead of both Duhan van der Merwe and Chris Paterson and up to 24.
The prolific Edinburgh wing is now level with Tony Stanger and Ian Smith, and just three shy of record-holder and fellow Hawick native Stuart Hogg, who recently ended his career on 27.
The Scots were so confident of getting the result they required at Stade Pierre Mauroy that they made 13 changes from the side that started against Tonga the previous Sunday, preserving most of their A-listers for the Ireland match in Paris which they must win with a bonus point or by denying their opponents one in order to reach the quarter-finals.
Follow live reaction from Scotland vs Romania below and get all the Rugby World Cup odds here
FULL-TIME – Scotland 84-0 Romania
Graham reacts
Darcy Graham says the dressing room is buzzing, adding that it was nice to climb up the try-scoring boards.
On the game against Ireland, he says that they need to focus on recovery and “getting our game right”.
He says they’re excited ahead of the crunch tie.
FULL-TIME – Scotland 84-0 Romania
Townsend speaks to media
Gregor Townsend credits his players and their attitudes, calling it “a professional job”.
“I thought the individual tries, and more importantly the teamwork, were excellent”, he said, going on to praise Romania’s physicality.
Regarding Ireland, he says that Scotland have to produce “one of our best ever performances”.
“It’ll be a cracking game, [at the] Stade de France...I hope to see everyone again next week”.
FULL-TIME – Scotland 84-0 Romania
Pool B makes for interesting reading, with Scotland currently in third place on 10 points.
South Africa are currently in second, although they also have 10 points. They play Tonga tomorrow evening.
Ireland are top of the group on 14 points, and are on fine form.
Scotland will need a huge performance to get a positive result – they’ll be hoping Darcy Graham performs in the same vein as today.
FULL-TIME – Scotland 84-0 Romania
With South Africa looking nailed on for a win against Tonga tomorrow, Scotland will likely need to beat Ireland in order to qualify.
Ireland are one of the on-form teams at the tournament and one of the favourites, having beaten South Africa in impressive fashion last week.
80 + 4’: FULL-TIME – Scotland 84-0 Romania
And that is that. A valiant effort at times from Romania, but Scotland get the bonus point they needed – and some – with the added benefit of a huge addition to their points difference.
They head into that showdown with Ireland in good spirits. That game kicks-off at 8pm on Saturday, 7 October.
80’ – Scotland 84-0 Romania
Romania are ending by building some decent phases, moving from their own 22’ to halfway. They have a penalty here; they’re not quitting before getting something.
Line-out near Scotland’s five-metre line.
77’ – TRY! Scotland 84-0 Romania
Scotland continue to apply pressure, and there’s another crunching tackle on Healy from Simionescu.
Horne picks up and runs across before offloading the ball behind himself to the onrushing Graham, who goes over under the posts. Easy conversion.
73’ – TRY! Scotland 77-0 Romania
Straight away, Scotland get the 11th.
Another breakaway – Romania are really tired now – and replacement forward Rory Darge goes over.
George Horne converts this one.
71’ – TRY! Scotland 70-0 Romania
And Scotland turn it around just like that. Kinghorn breaks through a tired Romanian defensive line before passing to Horne, who quickly offloads for Matthews. No challenge again, and Healy converts for 70-0.
68’ – Scotland 63-0 Romania
Romania are wasteful from the line-out, and after a bit of testing the Scotland line, we have another line-out in a similar position, this time for Scotland.
However, Romania have the ball again and are probing. They’re within the Scottish 22’, but lose the ball and Healy kicks for a line-out near halfway.
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