80 • WWW.SCRUMMAGAZINE.COM • ISSUE 113 2019
FROM THE SIDELINES
cotland came within two minutes
of a place in the 2015 Rugby World
Cup semi-finals, only for Craig
Joubert’s penalty award to deny Vern Cotter’s
side and allow Australia to march on
to the last four.
In one of the most remarkable games in recent
memory, Scotland stunned the two-time
champions at Twickenham, and took the lead
with seven minutes to go when Mark Bennett
intercepted a loose pass to score Scotland’s
third try.
A place in the semi-finals for the first time since
1991 seemed on the cards, and with Argentina
already waiting, Scotland fans would have been
daring to dream of a place in the final, only
for Foley’s penalty - awarded after an offside
following a dubious knock-on - saw Australia
snatch victory.
For Scotland, though, the 2015 Rugby World
Cup represented the restoration of pride that
had been damaged badly by their first-ever
pool stage exit in New Zealand four years
earlier, and the world’s first glimpse of a more
potent attacking game, introduced by then
Head Coach Vern Cotter.
How the 2015 Rugby World Cup unfolded...
Scotland 45-10 Japan
23 September; Kingsholm, Gloucester;
Having watched the Brave Blossoms stun
the world and beat South Africa just days
earlier, Scotland went into their pool opener
at Kingsholm knowing only a top-notch
performance would do.
A nervy opening 40 minutes saw Japan score
the game’s first try, but four Greig Laidlaw
penalties had Cotter’s men 12-7 ahead at
the break. A second-half double from Mark
Bennett, plus tries from John Hardie, Tommy
Seymour and Finn Russell ensured Scotland’s
campaign got off to the perfect start.
Scotland 39-16 USA
27 September; Elland Road, Leeds;
Just four days after their opening match,
Scotland headed north to the home of Leeds
United to take on the USA for another match
they were expected to win comfortably.
The first half did not go quite to plan, with USA
scoring the only try through prop Titi Lamositele
to lead 13-6 at the break.
Early in the second half, with no change to
the score, Cotter turned to his bench and
introduced Matt Scott, Laidlaw and Fraser
Brown, who added calm to a performance
littered with mistakes throughout.
Scotland eventually pulled away, and tries from
Tim Visser, Sean Maitland, WP Nel, Scott and
Duncan Weir ensured a second bonus point
victory in a row.
The game was, though, marred by a
competition-ending injury to Grant Gilchrist,
while Finn Russell also picked up a knock
that forced him to miss Scotland’s next
game, against South Africa.South Africa 34-16 Scotland
3 October; St James’ Park, Newcastle;
Cotter once more rotated his squad for the
clash with the Springboks, with Duncan Weir
taking the place of the injured Russell at stand-
off.
Schalk Burger’s early try and eight points from
the boot of Handre Pollard put the Springboks
13-0 up, and a second try, from JP Pietersen,
ensured their advantage was 20-3 at the
interval.
Greig Laidlaw cut the gap with a penalty early in
the second half, before Tommy Seymour struck
following a Weir interception to bring it back to
a seven-point game (20-13).
Scotland were on the ascendancy at that
stage, but lost Laidlaw to the sin-bin, and while
they were up a man, South Africa took control,
Pollard kicking two penalties and a drop-goal to
extend their advantage, before a late try from
Bryan Habana sealed victory for the two-time
winners.33-36 Scotland
10 October; St James’ Park, Newcastle; Samoa
Having lost to the Springboks, Scotland knew
they needed to beat Samoa to book their
place in the quarter-finals and avoid a second
consecutive pool stage exit.
Russell returned as Cotter turned to his first-
choice XV for the clash in Newcastle, which
also saw Sean Lamont become the second
Scotsman to make it to 100 caps, coming on for
Stuart Hogg in the game’s closing stages.
The game started at a whirlwind pace, with
Tusi Pisi and Tommy Seymour exchanging
early tries, before Samoa scored twice in quick
succession to hit the front (20-13) once more.
Laidlaw and Pisi exchanged penalties once
more before John Hardie scored Scotland’ssecond try. Samoa, though, had the last laugh
as Pisi’s penalty ensured they led 26-23 at the
break.
It was a case of ‘cometh the hour, cometh the
man’ for Cotter’s side in the second half, as
Laidlaw scored all 13 points - a try, conversion
and two penalties - to book Scotland’s place in
the quarter-finals and set up a meeting with the
Wallabies.Australia 35-34 Scotland
18 October, Twickenham, London;
Scotland’s preparations for their first Rugby
World Cup quarter-final in eight years were
hampered by the suspensions of Ross Ford
and Jonny Gray for a dangerous tackle against
Samoa - their bans were, on appeal, lifted on
the eve of the quarter-final, and the pair took
their place in the team.
Adam Ashley-Cooper crossed less than 10
minutes in to give the Wallabies a perfect start,
before Pete Horne snuck through at a ruck
to hit back for Scotland either side of a pair of
penalties from captain Laidlaw.
A try from Drew Mitchell made it a three-point
game (10-13) on the half-hour before Laidlaw
doubled Scotland’s lead with a penalty. The
Wallabies had the half’s final say, though, as
Michael Hooper went over, but Bernard Foley
missed the conversion and Scotland led by a
point at half-time.
A minute into the second half, disaster struck as
Scotland lost Sean Maitland to the sin-bin and
Australia capitalised immediately as Mitchell
went in for his second. Laidlaw and Foley then
exchanged penalties, before Tommy Seymour -
one of the stars of the tournament - dived over
following a Russell charge-down.
A try from Tevita Kuridrani with quarter of an
hour left had seemingly sealed Australia’s place
in the last four, but Laidlaw kept Scotland in
touch with another penalty, before Bennett’s try
sent the Scots inside Twickenham into hysteria.
It was not to be, though, as referee Craig
Joubert penalised Scotland for being offside
after a knock-on and Foley kicked the penalty
to break Scottish hearts.S
2015 RUGBY WORLD CUP RECAP
SCOTLAND DENIED LAST FOUR
PLACE BUT PRIDE RESTORED
80 • WWW.SCRUMMAGAZINE.COM • ISSUE 116 2019
RUGBY WORLD CUP - SCOTLAND PREVIEW