Scotland takes on Samoa in a vital Pool A clash at the Rugby World Cup at Kobe’s Misaki Park Stadium. Both got to win as they are secured in an exceedingly many-sided battle with hosts Japan for the second qualification spot for the quarterfinals.
With eire on target to win the pool, the team which finishes second are all but certain to face the All Blacks in the last eight.
Scotland, the 1991 semi-finalists, were demolished 27-3 by Ireland in their opening game and while they remain firm favorites to join their Celtic neighbors in the knockout stages, Japan and Samoa will fancy their chances of springing a surprise.
Japan has never contested the quarter-finals – Samoa have twice in their first best World Cup finishes in 1991 and 1995.
Samoa recovered from a first-half spell wherever they compete with thirteen men to beat Russia 34-9 last Monday and that they baby-faced Scotland in 2015 in their Third World Cup meeting, losing 36-33.
In 11 previous clashes, Scotland has won nine, with one draw in a 1995 test, and Samoa’s only win over the Scots came in a quadrangular tournament in South Africa in 2013.
Where: Kobe Misaki Stadium, Kobe.
Kick-off: 11:15 pm on Monday (NZ time).
How to watch: survive Spark Sport (coverage from 10:45 pm).
Live stream: Available via sparksport.co.nz or the Spark Sport app.
NZ TAB odds: Scotland $1.10, Samoa $6.30.
Weather forecast at kick-off time: Cloudy and humid with possible thunderstorms floating around and gusts up to 17km/h. The Temperature of 22-degree celsius.
Prediction (Joseph Pearson): Scotland has crushed Samoa 5 times out of six in tests since 2005 however not by over seven points. Their last meeting was in Edinburgh in 2017 when Scotland won a high-scoring test 44-38.
It’s unclear whether or not the shut nature of their previous games can have any impact on their fourth tournament meeting, but it ought to fuel Samoa’s fire after overcoming a determined Russian outfit in an unpleasant gap win.
Scotland’s forwards were intimidated off the park by eire however Samoa doesn’t possess identical talent or power, that the Scots can make a comeback with a success to kickstart their tournament.
