KEY POINTS:
Scotland 56
Portugal 10
ST ETIENNE - Scotland joined New Zealand at the top of Pool C with a lively win over World Cup debutants Portugal at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard yesterday. The Scots scored three early converted tries and powered home late in the game to finish with eight.
The Six Nations strugglers are fighting it out for the runners-up spot in the group behind the rampaging All Blacks in the race to reach the last eight.
Steered around the field by first five-eighths Dan Parks and with free-running fullback Rory Lamont claiming a brace of tries, the Scots always had the measure of Portugal's willing yet outgunned Los Lobos novices.
It was just the start Scotland needed ahead of their next group match against the Romanians at home on September 18.
Scotland began powerfully and led 21-0 in almost as many minutes with three converted tries as their forwards dominated the set pieces and mauls and monopolised lineout possession.
Lamont grabbed the opening two tries, bursting through two tackles to score in the 12th minute and Parks scored three minutes later.
Hooker Scott Lawson claimed a spectacular try, running on to Parks' high kick to the left corner to catch the ball and score to stretch the Scots' advantage to 21-0.
But the pro-Portuguese crowd went into raptures when winger Pedro Carvalho crashed over between two tackles in the 28th minute.
Scotland's reply was immediate, second five-eighth Rob Dewey regained possession from the kick-off and broke a couple of tackles to plant the ball over the line and restore his team's advantage.
Portuguese first five-eighth Duarte Cardoso Pinto landed a penalty to trail 28-10.
The Scots lost prop Allan Jacobsen with an ankle injury minutes before halftime. He was replaced by Gavin Kerr.
Portugal were reduced to 14 men when open-side flanker Joao Uva received a yellow card nearing halftime, with Scotland in the driving seat heading into the second half.
The Portuguese thought they claimed another uplifting try minutes after the resumption but Carvalho's 75m intercept was called back for offside, cutting short his celebrations.
Portugal had more of the play early in the second half before Parks darted over midway throug,h off winger Simon Webster's pass to push the Scots out of any danger at 35-10. Replacements Hugo Southwell, Kelly Brown and Ross Ford also scored converted tries.
- AFP
