U20s: Scotland 30 - 11 Tonga: Junior Scots ease to key victory

Scotland achieved the result they needed and deserved with a comfortable win over Tonga in Rovigo last night to guarantee their place in next year's Junior World Championship.

"We made a few errors but we scored some good tries and kept the scoreboard ticking over," said Scotland coach Peter Wright. "Overall defensively I thought we were pretty good."

The former Lions prop was able to watch his scrum more than match the powerful Tongans in the tight, providing good ball for the backs to express their talents. Outstanding for Scotland were scrum half Sean Kennedy, winger Kerr Gossman, lock Mitch Todd and stand-off Duncan Weir, who finished with a 20-point tally.

Weir said: "I thought tonight we at last got the final connections - the wee offloads and clinical passes. They stuck tonight. We perhaps should have scored more but we're just happy to get the win."

Scotland moved the ball with skill and used the pace of Stuart Hogg to cut holes in the Tongan defence. But the Scots also had to defend well against a Tongan side that drove the line-out with power and which came close to scoring on several occasions.

Scotland build a 13-3 interval lead with a try, a conversion and two penalty goals all by Weir, Tonga having scored their first-half points from a penalty goal by centre Pita Ahki. A third penalty goal by Weir increased the Scotland lead before a charged-down clearance kick allowed Tonga's power pack to drive over for their only try of the match. With their confidence lifted Tonga put pressure on the Scotland line and were rewarded with a second penalty goal by Ahki.

Scotland recovered their composure with some superb handling from Todd, Rob McAlpine and Kennedy and then, after good work by Hamish Watson, the ball was spun wide for Hogg to race over, Weir adding the conversion.

Glasgow Hawks wing Gossman then showed fine pace to step through the Tongan defence and score. Appropriately, Weir provided the final points with the conversion.

Scorers: Scotland Tries Weir, Hogg, Gossman Cons Weir (3) Pens Weir (3); Tonga Tries Toumohuni Pens Ahki (2)

Scotland: S Hogg (Glasgow Warriors); M Bennett (Ayr), S Atkin (Edinburgh Accies), D Gilmour (Stirling County), K Gossman (Glasgow Hawks); D Weir (Glasgow Warriors) captain, S Kennedy (Stirling County); A Allan (Loughborough University), R Ferguson (Melrose), C Phillips (Stewart's-Melville), M Todd (Nottingham), R McAlpine (West of Scotland), M Eadie (Filton College), H Watson (Leicester Tigers), J Tyas (Bath).Subs M Liness (Edinburgh Accies), G Hunter (Glasgow Hawks), R Hislop (Edinburgh), J Swanson (Boroughmuir), J Stevenson (Westcombe Park), S Edwards (Stirling County), M Doneghan (Stirling County)

Tonga: K Hala (Auckland Marist); S Talakai (Toloa OB), P Ahki (Massey), N Lavemai (Auckland Marist), T Afu (Tepepapa); O Katoa (Spartand), M Taufa (Manekau); M Talia'uli (Karaka), S Kioa (Toloa OB), E Pulu (Pakuranga), L Toumohuni (Fanga o Pilolevu), L Tukufuka (Havelu), O Finau (Toa-ko-ma'afu) captain, M Faeamani (Spartans), S Finau (Auckland University). Subs S Sakalia (Marist), S Koloamatangi (Ngele'ia), L Fetuani (Spartans), M Howling (Ponsonby), S Ma'ake (Havelu). T Sili (Marist)

Referee: M Raynal (France)