Scotland v Samoa, 10 October

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SCOTLAND V SAMOA
10 October 2015
KO: 14:30 BST
St. James' Park, Newcastle

Live on ITV

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Touch judges: JP Doyle (England) & Marius Mitrea (Italy)
Television match official: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)

A. Head to Head

9 Played 9
7 Won 1
1 Drawn 1
1 Lost 7
218 Points 122

B. Recent Form

8 June 2013
Mr Price Kings Park, Durban, South Africa
27 – 17 Samoa

23 June 2012
Apia Park, Apia
16 – 17 Scotland

27 November 2010
Pittodire, Aberdeen
19 – 16 Scotland

20 November 2005
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
18 – 11 Scotland

4 June 2004
Westpac Stadium, Wellington, New Zealand
3 – 38 Scotland

18 November 2000
Murrayfield, Edinburgh
31 – 8 Scotland

C. Teams

SCOTLAND

15 Stuart Hogg 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Tommy Seymour, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw (capt); 1 Alasdair Dickinson, 2 Ross Ford, 3 Willem Nel, 4 Richie Gray, 5 Jonny Gray, 6 Ryan Wilson, 7 John Hardie, 8 David Denton.

Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Jon Welsh, 19 Tim Swinson, 20 Josh Strauss, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Sean Lamont.

SAMOA

15 Tim Nanai-Williams, 14 Paul Perez, 13 George Pisi, 12 Rey Lee-Lo, 11 Fa'atoina Autagavaia, 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i (c); 1 Sakaria Taulafo, 2 Ma'atulimanu Leiataua, 3 Census Johnston, 4 Teofilo Paulo, 5 Kane Thompson, 6 Maurie Faasavalu, 7 Jack Lam, 8 Alafoti Faosiliva.

Replacements: 16 Motu Matu'u, 17 Viliamu Afatia, 18 Anthony Perenise, 19 Faifili Levave, 20 Vavae Tuilagi, 21 Vavao Afemai, 22 Patrick Faapale, 23 Ken Pisi.

I'll re-post:
The IanBru guide to Newcastle

Good evening friends, I've prepared this little guide to some of the finer establishments in the great city of Newcastle. Despite turning into a bit of a magnum opus, it is by no means comprehensive - it's just the things I've enjoyed in the four months I've lived here. Except for the stuff below, if you tell me where your hotels and hostels are I can get some recommendations from people at work who are a bit more immersed in the Toon. Also, any other questions about the place, whether it's about transport, shopping or where to avoid, just ask.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

City Centre – Newcastle feels a lot like Glasgow, with very similar architecture and people. It has a ‘small city’ feel to it, and the area around Grey Street and the Monument is stunning. I’d recommend the Tyneside Cinema, probably the best old-fashioned picturehouse I know of – it serves beer and soft food which will delight any Kermode fans among us).

Bars
The Botanist  – Probably one of the best cocktail bars I’ve been to. Pretty pricey, but if you’re entertaining the fairer sex it’s quite a place. Good live music, particularly jazz (although I did see a band absolutely murder ‘Call Me Al’ – I was ready to kill), great food, this place has some of the best drink presentation you’ll see, and the top floor interior is stunning. Very busy at weekends, so you’ll have to book a table, but it’s worth it. I also saw the bouncer turn away a really gobby ‘Geordie Shore’ star saying “Aye, I know your name’s on the list, and I know who you are, but the list doesn’t mention that you’re a ***t.” Top marks for me.
Recommended for: RDW and RuggerRadge – basically those young f***ers who have girlfriends/fiancés and have something to celebrate.

The Bridge Tavern  – Located right underneath the steel supports for the Tyne Bridge, the Bridge is part of the re-birth of micro-breweries in the North East. It’s a great city pub that caters for the young professionals on a Friday night, and has a fantastic beer selection. Anywhere that serves Hoegaarden on draft is special, but you should try the local ales as well – though don’t be fooled by their names, they tend to be fairly dark and heavy, but a taste you really should acquire. Recommended also for the quality restaurants on the street. (Top tip: approach from the east. No seriously, the pub to the west (Akenside Traders) is famous for sitting beneath both a bridge and a five-storey Victorian office, and is home to hundreds of seagulls. It’s a sight to see, so avoid unless you want your home strip to very quickly resemble an away strip.)
Recommended for: Jimbo, Schitz and ASBO (in memoriam et absentium), just so Jim has another story to tell people that doesn’t involve pubs in Exeter and burning dogs…

Pleased To Meet You  – A really good bar that specializes in gin – the music selection is a tad random so the hipsters bloody love it, but it has a good atmosphere and serves some great craft beers.
Recommended for: Glove – when he arrives it’ll be like the coming of Jesus

As You Like It  – I took a girl here last week, and it was really pleasant (the bar, not the girl. She gave me a headache). I’ve included this as it’s large (with three floors and a roof terrace) and is within walking distance of St James’ Park, but is a little bit out of the way. If everywhere else is rammed you’ll still have a good chance of finding space here without resorting to a Wetherspoons. It’s actually on the boundary between Jesmond and the city centre.
Recommended for: George Carlin – just so he can go around to every young couple clearly on their first date and show them pictures of the bliss of parenthood. The bar will close in a week.

Restaurants
Dabbawal  – The best curry restaurant I’ve been to so far, it’s a bit more ‘authentic’ than your average tikka masala joint, and the service is great.
Recommended for: EWT Spoons

Café 21  – A quality restaurant serving really good British food. This place has a great wine list and a killer chocolate mouse.
Recommended for: CakeOrDeath

Piccolino  – A very upmarket Italian restaurant, like Carluccio’s, only better and less affordable. Inevitably there will be someone whose anniversary falls on the weekend of a Scotland match, so make it up to her (or him – I’m open-minded (or them, for that matter)) by booking a table here. Great Tiramisu.
Recommended for: FES

Longhorns  – a Texan smokehouse that serves anything that once walked on four legs and now no-longer does. This is the protein capital of the free world, and the food is great. I didn’t like cole slaw before, and now I do. However, I hate it with the fire of a thousand suns because my office building shares a rear courtyard with this place, so on any hot day have to choose between baking in my office or relenting by opening the fire-escape and breathing the delightful and tempting aroma of slow-roasted cow and pig all day.
Recommended for: Highland Scot

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Jesmond – home to IanBru and the Scotland training base at RGS Newcastle, this area is either painfully middle-class or unbearably studenty. Still, there are trees, parks and some lovely Victorian houses. There’s also a Waitrose. That’s not the only reason why I choose to live here (being within walking distance of the city centre has its advantages), but I like to think that eating organic free-range prosciutto crudo from a sustainable source makes me a better person. I’d recommend a good walk around the Town Moor, as it’s full of cows and the hills at one end give a brilliant view of the city, all the way to the sea.

Restaurants:
Avanti  – probably my favourite restaurant in Newcastle, this is a real ‘mom and pop’ Italian restaurant that serves the classics very, very well. You’ll want to book ahead as it isn’t huge. Go for the lasagne, stay for the affogato, then pass out from too much awesome food. The only downside, and I’m nit-picking here, is the four-track ‘Swing When You’re Eating Italian Food’ sample CD that runs Sinatra, Dean Martin, Billy Holiday and Bing Crosby on a continuous loop (I’m pretty sure Camp X-Ray copied this as a torture technique). Otherwise it’s fantastic.
Recommended for: NickJ

Komal  – I haven’t been to this Indian restaurant, but it comes highly recommended and it’s basically always packed – surely a good sign.
Recommended for: BigGee

Cherry Tree  – Across the road from me, this place has possibly the prettiest French waitress I’ve ever seen. Book your tables now, lads. Excellent continental food, though the portions are a wee bit skimpy. You’ll see the great and the good of Newcastle here – during graduation season this place is rammed.
Recommended for: VinceWLB

Bars:
Jam Jar  – I knew I wouldn’t like this place as soon as I went in. The food is served on a plank, and the drinks come in jars. Christ on a bike. The only thing is, the food really is good, the staff are very friendly, and it all kind of works without being swallowed in its own cookie-ness.
Recommended for: TJ – there’s bound to be a nice waitress who wants to hear why the current European Rugby rules are an abomination, unfairly geared towards the English clubs.

Osborne Road  – this area has lots of pubs and bars, filled with either stag and hen parties or lots of students – the drinks are cheap and generally pretty good (this is Jesmond after all, not Byker) and you’ll get caught up on the latest hippety-hop music that the kids are listening to on the wireless. It’s worth bearing in mind that the Scotland matches will coincide with freshers’ week, so get ready for some mixed emotions – disgust at what they’re doing, and envy that it would be rather inappropriate for you to do the same. (I live there at the moment, but I’m moving a couple streets over as soon as I can arrange it)
Recommended for: TigerTattie and Alive555

The Brandling – A pleasant pub with reasonable food, notable mostly for the occasional appearance of a young Scottish trainee solicitor at their open mic nights. On a sunny evening, the roof-top terrace is great,
Recommended for: cp10

Amazing, young Bru, simply amazing.

The fact that I've already been to As You Like It makes it all the more so.

Jeez Bru ! The only thing you missed out was the best place for the more ...ahem...clandestine liaisons !

Bru omitted the Nicholson Hotel, right opposite the train station. A good selection of beers and is the bar where Michael Caine filmed "that scene", so it's a good place to start/finish a weekend in the Toon. but in a thin glass.

Match day; , Hoggba, Schlong to score with Hornee Furra bonus try.

In Noocastle, few pints down already... May have to make for Pleased to meet you- sounds good!

Ok - I'd happily stay here all day if it wasn't for needing to go to a rugby game! Their coconut porter is certainly delicious...

Coconut porter in a Thin Glass, eh?

Times have changed. In my day, you were given a muddy pint of Old Moorhen's Scrotum and had to eat the glass afterwards or you weren't allowed another one and were called a big jessie for the rest of the evening. And that was just by the women.

Good luck lads! After the disgraceful performances of England, I'm jumping on the Scotland bandwagon.

Good luck to Scotland today and all the Scottish fans on here. Really hope you get a good win today.

Rooting for Samoa but if you guys win I'll switch to you guys for the Quarters. As always, just hope both play well and the unforced errors are low.

I am hoping that all ( the rest of NH )teams do well this week end. i do think that Samoa could well push Scotland close today.

Lets hope it is a good game no matter what the score is.

I'm going for the team in blue too. Think this match will be special. Samoa will throw as much as they can at Scotland but cool heads should prevail.

Why is Wilson shooting out the line all the time?

Actually why is he in the team? He's pish!

Good start by Samoa... This is going to be a tough match

Samoa on the front foot.

Scotland not doing very good at the moment.

Samoa have been generally unfocused and lacking discipline (just sloppy play). If they can maintain it, I can see it being close. Otherwise Scotland will pull away I think. Good try by Samoa.

Seems tackling is optional for us today

Excellent try by Samoa; they might have saved their best till last.

Stupid play from Samoa. What were they thinking?

That is the stupidest rugby I've ever seen.

Does that count as another interception for Seymour ?

Goodness, this is a game!

Try fest.

Not so sure about that decision, Seymour knocked it over the Samoan player, which should be a knock on even though he caught it.

Erm. Tackling?

And restarts?

Helllllllooooooooooo

Yesssss! Samoa


Cutting Scotland to pieces.

What the hell is going on here...

Crazy start to the game

Crazy game, like England-France at the Six Nations.

Great ambition by Samoa, superb hands and tempo, but where's the Scottish defence?

Hell, if Scotland get 2 BP I think they'll go through anyway if Japan win and don't get one!

Have I passed out and woken up watching a 7s match? Seymour badly at fault defensively for that first try.

Hoping Samoa win this because
A - I'd love to see Japan make it to the playoffs
B - I'm always in favour of a team resting players for a "big game" then ending up with egg on their face by losing the "really big game"

This is ridiculous, what's going on? They're imploding

Have Scotland practised defending together? Or just alone in their rooms?

Where have this Samoa team been all tournament?

They were woeful against Japan.

Samoa really playing well. Scotland are all over the place at the moment.

So is Visser the new Scotland defense coach?

Samoa unbelievably confident running it. They are blitzing Scotland. Can they keep it up for 80 minutes? I'm not so sure. Worth a try though.

Dickinson was way too tight for the last try.

Sigh

Tackling?

Do we know what that is these days?

Scotland not defending the best, but to be fair to Samoa, they're playing some really attractive attacking rugby. Lovely try.

Wilson you moron.

Should be a red.

Bit silly from Wilson.

Well done Wilson. Obviously your rehabilitation was a great success.

Off you trot you Muppet

Few inches to the side and that would have been a straight red. Stupid.

Lucky not to be a red there.

This is a cracking game!

Definitely not a yellow. Ridiculous call - it's a contact sport, that was just a tap!

Finally the real Samoa is standing up.