USA stun Scotland in Houston

USA caused a major shock in their June international clash with Scotland as they won 30-29 at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on Saturday.

Scores from Joe Taufete’e (2) and Hanco Germishuys, bolstered by the reliable boot of the classy AJ MacGinty, saw the Eagles to a memorable win.

Scotland’s replies arrived through Blair Kinghorn, a penalty try, George Turner and Dougie Fife, with Kinghorn missing the late vital conversion.

For USA though this excellent result will be celebrated long into the night, as their impressive form this year continues under coach Gary Gold.

Scotland started well but didn’t have things all their own way in the first period as they went in only 11 points in front at 24-13 to the good.

It had looked like the visitors were set for a handsome points return when Stuart Hogg’s break on two minutes set up Kinghorn for the score.

However, the USA fought back well and enjoyed plenty of possession and territory, which ultimately saw them kick a penalty through MacGinty.

Kinghorn would miss a relatively simple penalty on 20 minutes but the Scots were undeterred and soon had seven points on the board when a penalty try was given.  That decision from Wayne Barnes came after George Horne was tackled high by Samu Manoa, who was also yellow carded.

MacGinty did reduce the arrears to 14-6 with a penalty on 28 minutes but Scotland then struck again seven minutes later, Hogg’s excellent touch finder into the corner leading to Turner edging over from close range.  With Kinghorn’s superb conversion the visitors were 21-6 up.

USA weren’t to be outdone though as the superb Taufete’e did well to spin around tackles en route to a try under the posts for 21-13.  Despite Kinghorn knocking over a penalty before the interval to make it 24-13, USA had definitely shown enough to concern Gregor Townsend.

Those worries were amplified three minutes into the second-half when Taufete’e would cross again, this time from 10 metres out, for 24-20.  And with MacGinty slotting a penalty goal four minutes later, suddenly it was a one-point ball game in Texas, with the result up for grabs.

The Eagles grabbed the lead for the first time on the hour, deservedly too, when MacGinty set up Germishuys for a score in the corner.  That came after a kicking battle between the sides and MacGinty followed up that duel with a fine touchline conversion that made it 30-24.

Scotland thought they’d retaken the lead on 69 minutes when replacement Mark Bennett crashed over, but replays showed he lost it over the line.

And despite a late surge from Townsend’s charges that saw Fife cross in the 80th minute, Kinghorn could not add the extras as the Eagles held on for an historic victory that will do their confidence a power of good.

The scorers:

For USA:
Tries:  Taufete’e 2, Germishuys
Cons:  MacGinty 3
Pens:  MacGinty 3
Yellow Card:  Manoa

For Scotland:
Tries:  Kinghorn, Penalty try, Turner, Fife
Cons:  Kinghorn 2
Pen:  Kinghorn

USA:  15 Will Hooley, 14 Blaine Scully (c), 13 Bryce Campbell, 12 Paul Lasike, 11 Marcel Brache, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Shaun Davies, 8 Cam Dolan, 7 Hanco Germishuys, 6 John Quill, 5 Nick Civetta, 4 Samu Manoa, 3 Paul Mullen, 2 Joe Taufete’e, 1 Eric Fry
Replacements:  16 Dylan Fawsitt, 17 Titi Lamositele, 18 Chris Baumann, 19 Greg Peterson, 20 Ben Landry, 21 Nate Augspurger, 22 Will Magie, 23 Dylan Audsley

Scotland:  15 Stuart Hogg (c), 14 Blair Kinghorn, 13 Nick Grigg, 12 Pete Horne, 11 Byron McGuigan, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 George Horne, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Luke Hamilton, 6 Tim Swinson, 5 Ben Toolis, 4 Lewis Carmichael, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 George Turner, 1 Jamie Bhatti
Replacements:  16 Fraser Brown, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 David Denton, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Mark Bennett, 23 Dougie Fife

Referee:  Wayne Barnes (England)
Assistant referees:  Shuhei Kubo (Japan), Federico Anselmi (Argentina)
Television match official:  David Grashoff (England)