Samoa coach insists all not lost after Scotland defeat

Samoa coach Steve Jackson insisted his side could still qualify for the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals despite a 34-0 loss to Scotland on Monday.

Defeat in Kobe was the first time the Pacific islanders had been ‘nilled’ in a World Cup match, with Scotland scoring four tries to secure a bonus point that could yet prove vital in the tight Pool A.

Samoa were 20-0 down at half-time and their loss was made worse by two second-half penalty tries conceded as a result of yellow-card offences by Ed Fidow that meant the wing was sent off with five minutes left.

But with Samoa having beaten Russia 34-9 in their opener they, like Ireland and Scotland, have one win from two games.

Samoa have a quick turnaround before taking on in-form hosts Japan, fresh from their shock 19-12 victory over Ireland, in Toyota on Saturday.

But Jackson told reporters: “We are one win from two games. Scotland and Ireland are exactly the same. We’ve got to get back on the horse and prepare for Japan.

“If we get a result against Japan, we are right back in it. By no means do we think we are down and out.”

As for failing to register a point, Jackson said: “One changing room is singing, the other is pretty sombre. No one likes losing.”

Both sides struggled to maintain possession under the closed roof of the Kobe Misaki Stadium, with Samoa captain Jack Lam comparing the ball to a “bar of soap” before stressing Scotland had coped better with the humid conditions.

And Jackson said: “I think you saw a very good Scotland side out there tonight. You’ve got to give credit where credit’s due. They executed everything they did, showed great skill and moved the ball well.

“They chanced their arm at times, but I thought they played extremely well.”

Samoa have now received four yellow cards in two games, with centre Rey Lee-Lo and hooker Motu Matu’u, who didn’t play against Scotland, given three-game bans for shoulder hits in a bruising victory over Russia.

“I suppose we can have a look back at it, would Scotland have scored those tries? — it’s hard when a player dives five metres out from the line,” said Jackson in a reference to Fidow’s knees-first challenge on Scotland wing Sean Maitland that led to a red card five minutes from time.

“We don’t go out to give away yellow cards and by no means do we coach or train that.”

Jackson added: “We’re a squad of 31 and it’s tested us.

“But we’ve got Japan in four days’ time. There’s no point dwelling on what we don’t have, we’ve just got to move forward.”

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