Scotland under-20 ran in five tries at the Hanazono Stadium, Osaka, today to defeat Fiji under-20 39-26 in the IRB TOSHIBA Junior World Championships.

Tries from hooker Finlay Gillies (2), Grant Anderson (2) and stand in captain, Chris Fusaro, combined for Scotland’s most convincing performance of the championship so far and sets the Scots up for a ninth place play-off against Tonga on Sunday.

Captain and try-scorer, Chris Fusaro, gets to grips with the Fijians

An assured kicking display from Peter Horne saw the full back add the remaining 14 points from four conversions and two penalities. 

Scotland under-20 head coach, Rob Moffat, said: “I was very pleased with the first half. We played the type of rugby that we’ve played in parts in this tournament but more consistently and for longer periods.

“We attacked at the pace and with the tempo we’ve been looking for and basically made very few mistakes. We did the right things at the right time and finished off some very good team tries.

“That was our best performance together so far in the championship. I can’t fault the boys’ commitment throughout and today they got the rewards for that effort.”

Scotland under-20 will face their third South-Seas Island opposition of the championship, Tonga, at the Hanazono Stadium, Osaka on Sunday (21 June, kick-off 6am BST).

Moffat added: “To come here and face the likes of Samoa, Fiji and Tonga is great for the players as these are all experiences that many of them will take into the professional game as senior players.”

Scotland team v Fiji at the Hanazono Stadium, Osaka
Peter Horne (Glasgow Warriors); Grant Anderson (Ayr) *; Ashleah McCulloch (Aberdeen Grammar) **; Alex Dunbar (Selkirk) **, Tom Brown (Edinburgh Accies) *; Andrew White (Glasgow Hawks) **, Henry Pyrgos (Wimbourne); Gavin Cameron (Stirling County) **, Finlay Gillies (Heriot’s) **, David Morton (Bridgwater and Albion), Rob Harley (West of Scotland) *, Richie Gray (Glasgow Warriors), Ryan Wilson (London Scottish), Chris Fusaro CAPTAIN (Heriot’s), *Struan Dewar (Heriot’s) **
  
Replacements (all used)
Alun Walker (Currie), Grant Shiells (Kelso), Grant Gilchrist (Stirling County) *, Stuart McInally (Watsonians) *, Peter Jericevich (Glasgow Hawks) *, Robbie McGowan (Stirling County), James Knight (Bedford)

* Denotes a member of the Scottish National Contracted Academy
** Denotes a member of the Scottish Rugby National Academy supported by the Scottish Institute of Sport
 
Scotland under-20 continuing match schedule
Sunday 21 June – Scotland v Tonga or Argentina, Hanazono Stadium, Osaka (kick-off 6am BST)