Darcy Graham ties Scotland’s try record with 29th career score; Arron Reed notches quick-fire second-half double as Scotland make it two wins from three in Autumn Nations; Gregor Townsend’s men sloppy at times but register nine tries; Scotland end campaign against Australia next Sunday
Last Updated: 16/11/24 7:18pm
Darcy Graham notched one of Scotland’s nine tries against Scotland as he registered a record-equalling 29th score for his country
Scotland scored nine tries – including a record-equalling effort for Darcy Graham – as they beat Portugal 59-21 at Murrayfield and teenager Freddy Douglas became their youngest player since 1963.
Back-rower Douglas, 19, came on for the last 15 minutes to make his first senior appearance in the sport, having not yet played a club game for the Edinburgh first team.
Wing Arron Reed notched a quick-fire brace in the second half, while Graham, Will Hurd, Stafford McDowall, Josh Bayliss, Jamie Bhatti and Jamie Dobie also crossed the whitewash in addition to a penalty try.
Arron Reed scored twice in the second half as Scotland beat Portugal 59-21 at Murrayfield
Graham touched down after jinking through Portugal’s defence to match Duhan van der Merwe’s record of 29 Scotland tries.
The home side were sloppy at times – their line-out was a cause for concern – and they conceded three tries as Luka Begic, Raffaele Storti and Samuel Marques scored for Portugal.
But coach Gregor Townsend – who made 14 changes – saw his side dazzle in attack and they now have two wins from three in the Autumn Nations Series, after following an opening-round victory over Fiji with a spirited loss to world champions South Africa.
Scotland conclude their campaign at home to Australia next Sunday before turning attention to their Six Nations opener against Italy on Saturday February 1.
Stafford McDowall touches down for Scotland, helping his team to a second win in three Autumn Nations Series matches
Scotland see off plucky Portugal at Murrayfield
Hurd scored Scotland’s opening try after just four minutes, while captain for the day, McDowall, seized on a loose pass from Storti to register the second.
Portugal’s difficult start continued when they conceded a penalty try in the 27th minute after Duarte Torgal was penalised – and sin-binned – for deliberately collapsing a maul.
In Torgal’s absence, Graham waltzed effortlessly past three Portuguese players to score, while Bayliss then breezed over on the right for Scotland’s fifth try after lovely play by Tom Jordan and Rory Hutchinson.
Portugal eventually got off the mark in the last action of the first half through hooker Begic, only for Bhatti to push over and reassert Scotland’s authority four minutes into the second half.
Portugal refused to capitulate, with Marques wriggling his way over off the back of a scrum in the 55th minute before adding a conversion.
Reed then put daylight between the teams with tries down the left before Portugal scored their third try when Storti found a gap on the right and darted over.
Scotland flexed their muscles again in the 73rd minute as replacement back Dobie went over the line.
Townsend: Scotland depth better than ever
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend: “Portugal brought a lot of physicality and line speed that we had to just
adjust to and find solutions and the players did that.
“The first half was probably more clinical at times, once we got through a sticky five, 10 minutes. The second half, with the changes and the fact we didn’t have as much possession, maybe it wasn’t as fluent.
“But that was a good performance and a very good win against a Test team.
“I think it’s definitely the most strength in depth we’ve had across the board. We’ve made 14 changes- it would have been 15 if Harry Paterson had been fit.
“We were selecting players that hadn’t played for us before, hadn’t played many games and they performed well. So I think our depth is better than I’ve ever seen it.
“It was really pleasing that [Douglas] didn’t go looking for things. He stuck to the defensive system, came up, put his tackles in. I’ve been very impressed with his maturity and professionalism this week.”
