(Reuters) -Scotland proved far too strong for Samoa as they completed their three-match Pacific tour with a comprehensive 41-12 triumph in their test at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.
The Scots, with nine players away with the British & Irish Lions on tour in Australia, outscored Samoa seven tries to two with Ewan Ashman, Rory Hutchinson, Arron Reed, Kyle Steyn, Grant Gilchrist, Kyle Rowe and George Turner all going over. Fergus Burke put over two conversions and George Horne one.
Benjamin Petaia Nee-Nee and Duncan Paia'aua scored tries for Samoa, who had plentiful support but put on a disjointed showing in their first international since last September.
Four first half tries had Scotland enjoy a healthy 22-0 lead at the break as nippy scrumhalf Jamie Dobie played a central role in setting up their scores.
It was his clever kick after eight minutes that won a lineout and set up the subsequent maul for the first try forAshman, who along with prop Rory Sutherland flies to Australia on Sunday to join the Lions as forward cover.
Hutchinson’s try five minutes later came after a clever chip through the Samoa defence by his centre partnerStafford McDowall with Dobie’s long pass toReed on the left wing seeing Scotland going over again in the 31st minute.
Another kick from Dobie won Scotland a lineout near the Samoa tryline from which a series of long passes found space for Steyn to run in on the opposite wing.
Scotland continued the scoring five minutes into the second half through Gilchrist but then a rare mistake in defence allowed Samoa lockNee-Nee to intercept near the line and cross over for their first score.
A spectacular dive in the corner from Rowe in the 55th minute kept the tourists well in command but five minutes later centre Paia'aua wriggled free from tired looking Scots tacklers to get Samoa’s second try.
Scotland, however, finished the game with another display of forward power with Turner pushing over for their final try three minutes from time
They had started their tour in New Zealand with a win over the Maori All Blacks but then lost last weekend in Fiji.
Samoa, who had six debutants in their starting line-up including former England international Jacob Umaga, played the match in New Zealand because their stadium in Apia is undergoing renovations.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Casablanca; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
