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From Andy Burke
BBC Scotland in Murrayfield
Scotland pulled away from a stubborn Georgia from the second half to make their third win in four World Cup warm-up matches.
It was a one-point game at the rest, with Blair Kinghorn met by three Tedo Abzhandadze penalties and unconverted tries by Ali Price.
But Sam Johnston darted over to edge the Scots apparent, and attempts by Darcy Graham, along with the Horne brothers – George and Pete – sealed success in Scotland’s final game against Ireland on 22 September.
It was a demanding performance in part from the side of Gregor Townsend, together with the Georgians proving more belligerent than in last weekend’s reverse fixture in Tbilisi.
The story of the summer series of Scotland was one of constant improvement. A disheartening hammering at the hands of France in Nice followed by a gutsy win over then, and Les Bleus in Murrayfield a dismantling of Georgia.
Having called his closing 31-man squad to the World Cup on Tuesday, Townsend chose to take many of his big guns – the likes of Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw, Hamish Watson, John Barclay and Stuart McInally – out of this line of fire.
With so many changes, the Scots took some time to get into their stride, however following a frustrating opening 15 seconds they started to cut. Kinghorn established the counter-attack and, even following incursions from Graham and Johnson, Price dived around for a try.
Seconds later, Adam Hastings’ crossfield-kick that was pinpoint found Graham, who did to offload.
Three penalties from Abzhandadze meant, despite those two Scotland tries, we had a sport and the buoyancy turned into stress in the audience as the people ended the half stronger. Fly-half Abzhandadze has been growing in influence and his eye for a difference was giving Scotland difficulties.
A try to shoot some wind in the Georgia sails was had by the hosts, plus they obtained it 10 minutes . Blade Thomson and ryan Wilson punctured the defence and, for the very first time, Scotland showed good patience to continue prodding and probing until Hastings was able to ship Johnson through untouched beneath the sticks.
The attempt did little to raise the air of frustration inside Murrayfield, together with all the error count through the roof as the home side fought to stitch five phases of play.
This wasn’t exactly the try-laden display the fans came to see into Japan for the big send-off, also at 17-9 going in the last 15 minutes that the first priority only secured the win.
The game was safe when Duncan Taylor whipped out a long pass to Chris Harris, who brought two defenders and slipped to race from Graham the touchline.
The people’ opposition was now disintegrating and substitute George Horne darted through a ropey fringe defence to touch down for test number five, before brother Peter came from the bench to get in on the action, capitalising on some crazy Georgian play deep in their own territory.
Ultimately a thorough victory for the Scots ahead of the serious stuff begins in Japan. If their men return They’ll be better, and they’ll have to be when they take on the first up.
Scotland: B Kinghorn; T Seymour; D Taylor, S Johnson; D Graham; A Hastings, A Price; G Reid, G Turner, Z Fagerson; S Cummings, J Gray; R Wilson (capt), J Ritchie, B Thomson.
Replacements: C Harris, G Stewart, A Dell, S Berghan, B Toolis G Horne, P Horne.
Georgia: S Matiashvili; Z Dzneladze; D Katcharava, L Malaghuradze; M Modebadze; T Abzhandadze, V Lobzhanidze; M Nariashvili (capt), S Mamukashvili, B Gigashvili; K Mikautadze, G Nemsadze; S Sutiashvili, G Tkhilaishvili, B Gorgadze.
Replacements: G Kveseladze, T Mtchhedlidze, G Aprasidze, V Karkadze, G Gogichashvili, G Melkidze, L Lomidze, B Saghinadze.
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