Scotland Summer Tour Squad 2022 – Argentina 34-31 Scotland

Sarah Mockford

Last-second defeat in third Test means the Scots lose the series 2-1

Scotland Summer Tour Squad 2022

Scotland were left to rue their decision-making and game management after losing the third Test 34-31 to Argentina in Santiago del Estero – and the series 2-1.

They had looked in control early in the second half as two tries apiece for Ewan Ashman and Duhan van der Merwe gave the tourists a 28-13 lead with half an hour to go.

However, they were not able to hold out the Pumas, who scored through Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro and Gonzalo Bertranou to narrow the gap to four points (31-27) going into the last ten minutes.

The Scots had opted for the posts from one penalty to extend their lead but when awarded another in the 70th minute they went for the lineout, their set play misfired and they were held up over the line.

From there the Pumas piled on the pressure and from a last-minute penalty they opted for a five-metre scrum, spread the ball wide and Emiliano Boffelli scored the match-winning try with the clock in the red.

Scotland team to play Argentina – Saturday 16 July

Ollie Smith; Rufus McLean, Mark Bennett, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Blair Kinghorn, Ali Price; Rory Sutherland, Ewan Ashman, Zander Fagerson, Scott Cummings, Jonny Gray, Rory Darge, Hamish Watson (captain), Matt Fagerson.

Replacements: Dave Cherry, Pierre Schoeman, Javan Sebastian, Glen Young, Andy Christie, George Horne, Ross Thompson, Sam Johnson.

Second Test – Argentina 6-29 Scotland

Scotland levelled the series with Argentina with a convincing 29-6 victory over the Pumas in Salta.

It was a scrappy first half but a Hamish Watson try before the break gave the visitors an 8-6 half-time lead.

Then they showed their authority in the second half scoring three tries – through Mark Bennett, Matt Fagerson and Sam Johnson – and holding out the Pumas.

Watson and Rory Darge disrupted Argentina at the breakdown, while the Scottish defence ensured the hosts couldn’t score any tries themselves. They got close on a few occasions but their own errors and Scotland’s scrum, which won a couple of important penalties, denied them a score.

As Ben White put it post-match, Scotland were able to “right some wrongs” from the first Test defeat and the series will now be decided next weekend.

In other news, Kyle Rowe came on to win his first cap late in the first half, replacing the injured Rory Hutchinson, but he too had to depart with injury just ten minutes into the second period.

Scotland team to play Argentina – Saturday 9 July

Rory Hutchinson; Darcy Graham, Mark Bennett, Sam Johnson, Duhan van der Merwe; Blair Kinghorn, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, Dave Cherry, Zander Fagerson, Sam Skinner, Grant Gilchrist (captain), Rory Darge, Hamish Watson, Matt Fagerson.

Replacements: George Turner, Jamie Bhatti, Javan Sebastian, Scott Cummings, Andy Christie, Ali Price, Ross Thompson, Kyle Rowe.

First Test – Argentina 26-18 Scotland

Scotland trail 1-0 lead in their three-Test series against Argentina after losing 26-18 in Jujuy.

Gregor Townsend’s side recovered from a disappointing first half, in which Jeronimo De La Fuente and then Santiago Carreras scored for the Pumas, to draw level at 18-18 midway through the second period with two quick-fire tries of their own.

First Mark Bennett marked his first Test start in six years by gliding through Argentina’s defance and then Rory Hutchinson crossed after combining with Blair Kinghorn in a classic switch move.

However, Argentina scored their third try from the restart, Gonzalo Bertranou stretching for the line in the corner, and an Emiliano Boffelli penalty with ten minutes to go ultimately put the match out of reach for the visitors.

They will now be looking to regroup ahead of the second Test in Salta.

Scotland team to play Argentina – Saturday 2 July

Rory Hutchinson; Darcy Graham, Mark Bennett, Sam Johnson, Duhan van der Merwe; Blair Kinghorn, Ali Price; Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Grant Gilchrist  (captain), Jonny Gray, Magnus Bradbury, Luke Crosbie, Matt Fagerson.

Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, Javan Sebastian, Sam Skinner, Rory Darge, Ben White, Ross Thompson, Sione Tuipulotu.

Chile 5-45 Scotland A

Wing Damien Hoyland scored a hat-trick as Scotland A beat Chile 45-5 in Santiago.

Gregor Townsend’s side scored seven tries in all. Scrum-half George Horne crossed for two while Rufus McLean and Ali Price also scored tries. Santiago Edwards scored Chile’s only try.

Scotland have now moved on to Argentina to prepare for a three-Test series against the Pumas, while Chile are building up to a two-legged play-off with the USA to determine who will qualify for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Scotland A team to play Chile – Saturday 25 June

Ollie Smith; Damien Hoyland, Matt Currie, Sione Tuipulotu, Rufus McLean; Ross Thompson, George Horne; Jamie Bhatti, Dave Cherry, Javan Sebastian, Jamie Hodgson, Scott Cummings, Ben Muncaster, Luke Crosbie (captain), Matt Fagerson.

Replacements: Jonny Matthews, Pierre Schoeman, Murphy Walker, Glen Young, Magnus Bradbury, Ali Price, Blair Kinghorn, Mark Bennett.

Scotland Summer Tour Squad 2022

Gregor Townsend has named a 40-player squad for Scotland’s tour to Chile and Argentina.

Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell are not part of the touring squad, which will be captained by Edinburgh second-row Grant Gilchrist and includes six uncapped players – Matt Currie, Ben Muncaster, Kyle Rowe, Ollie Smith, Murphy Walker and Glen Young.

On resting the likes of Hogg, Townsend said: “Someone like Stuart Hogg, he’s played more minutes than anybody else that’s available to us and when you put that on the back of the Lions tour the year before, we believe the best thing for him and others is to rest this summer.

“Stuart and others are going to get a break this summer and we believe that will be of big benefit to them.”

While Hogg, who has been Scotland captain since the last Rugby World Cup, fly-half Russell and centre Chris Harris are not involved, fellow British & Irish Lions Zander Fagerson, Ali Price, Duhan van der Merwe and Hamish Watson will travel to South America.

Openside flanker Watson is in line to win his 50th Scotland cap against the Pumas as he is currently on 49 appearances for his country but fellow back-rower Jamie Ritchie misses the tour through injury.

Huw Jones and Adam Hastings were both ruled out of the tour due to injury before the squad departed.

Forwards

Ewan Ashman (Sale Sharks, 3 caps)

Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors, 23 caps)

Magnus Bradbury (Edinburgh, 19 caps)

Dave Cherry (Edinburgh, 6 caps)

Andy Christie (Saracens, 2 caps)

Luke Crosbie (Edinburgh, 2 caps)

Scott Cummings (Glasgow Warriors, 22 caps)

Rory Darge (Glasgow Warriors, 6 caps)

Matt Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, 23 caps)

Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, 49 caps)

Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh, 55 caps)

Jonny Gray (Exeter Chiefs, 68 caps)

Jamie Hodgson (Edinburgh, 5 caps)

Jonny Matthews (Glasgow Warriors, uncapped)

Ben Muncaster (Edinburgh, uncapped)

Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh, 11 caps)

Javan Sebastian (Scarlets, 3 caps)

Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs, 22 caps)

Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, 19 caps)

George Turner (Glasgow Warriors, 27 caps)

Murphy Walker (Glasgow Warriors, uncapped)

Hamish Watson (Edinburgh, 50 caps)

Glen Young (Edinburgh, uncapped)

Backs

Mark Bennett (Edinburgh, 26 caps)

Matt Currie (Edinburgh, uncapped)

Darcy Graham (Edinburgh, 29 caps)

Adam Hastings (Gloucester, 26 caps) Ruled out with a hamstring injury

George Horne (Glasgow Warriors, 17 caps)

Damian Hoyland (Edinburgh, 4 caps)

Rory Hutchinson (Northampton Saints, 7 caps)

Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors, 26 caps)

Huw Jones (Harlequins, 31 caps) Ruled out with a back injury

Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh, 33 caps)

Rufus McLean (Glasgow Warriors, 2 caps)

Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, 53 caps)

Kyle Rowe (London Irish, 1 cap)

Ollie Smith (Glasgow Warriors, uncapped)

Ross Thompson (Glasgow Warriors, 2 cap)

Sione Tuipulotu (Glasgow Warriors, 5 caps)

Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, 18 caps)

Ben White (London Irish, 6 caps)

Scotland Summer Tour Fixtures 2022

Saturday 25 June Chile 5-45 Scotland A

Saturday 2 July Argentina 26-18 Scotland

Saturday 9 July Argentina 6-29 Scotland

Saturday 16 July Argentina 34-31 Scotland

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