Scotland edges Samoa 44-38 at Murrayfield

EDINBURGH, Scotland (AP) Scotland needed a record score against Samoa to edge the Pacific island side 44-38 at a packed Murrayfield on Saturday.

The Scots, the overwhelming favorite, squandered a 32-10 lead with half an hour to go with poor defense around the rucks.

To the credit of Manu Samoa, in a week in which their oft-criticized administrators declared their union bankrupt, they never gave up. They didn't threaten to win their first test this year, but they made Scotland extremely uncomfortable.

Scotland split its six tries evenly in each half, but just when each second-half try seemed to herald safety, the Samoans replied within three minutes each time with a try of their own. The Samoans finished with five, their highest score against Scotland, and their highest score anywhere in more than four years.

After hooker Stuart McInally's second try from a rolling maul made it 32-10, Scotland appeared supreme. It wasn't dominating possession or territory but using lineouts effectively, turning over ruck ball, and taking its chances in the 22.

But within three minutes, Scotland's close-in defense was shown up again as Samoa flanker Piula Fa'asalele crossed after several pick-and-goes.

When Tim Nanai-Williams, usually a fullback but playing flyhalf for the first time like a veteran, angled off ruck ball and sped in, Samoa cut the gap to eight with less than a quarter to go.

When Alex Dunbar crashed over between two Samoans, Samoa hit straight back through counterpart Kieron Fonotia, and was only six behind.

When replacement Pete Horne finished a counterattack launched by fullback Stuart Hogg with six minutes left, Scotland looked safe once more. But Samoa hit back quickly again, replacement flanker Ofisa Treviranus running in untouched from a ruck with three minutes to go.

In the end, fulltime came as a relief for Scotland, even though it surpassed its previous highest score against Samoa, 38 in 2004 in Wellington.

Scotland had not only home advantage but also cohesion, with five Edinburgh players in the pack and an all-Glasgow backline. The knowledge showed in the first half. Scotland scored after only 94 seconds, when a Finn Russell grubber-kick was chipped on by wing Tommy Seymour and the ball bounced kindly for Hogg to pouch and score.

Samoa lock Josh Tyrell scored a try on debut between the posts from a quick-tap.

Then Scotland prop WP Nel walked off with a suspected broken forearm, and his teammates finished the half in a rush. Hogg set up center Huw Jones to score in the left corner, and McInally scored in injury time from a lineout drive.

It all looked promising for Scotland.