'Proper Test match': Townsend praises ‘sharp’ Scotland after victory over Chile

Gregor Townsend praised his experimental Scotland side for finding their stride in the second half after they put Chile to the sword in Santiago.

The Scots made a slow start to the third test of their summer tour of the Americas but recovered impressively to record a 52-11 victory, with five of their eight tries coming after the break.

Kyle Rowe scored his first two international tries and Jamie Dobie also chipped in with a double, while Josh Bayliss, Matt Currie, Dylan Richardson and Kyle Steyn each crossed the whitewash.

“I thought it was a proper Test match in terms of the atmosphere, the physicality that Chile brought, the pressure they put us under early on but I was really pleased with how we responded and how our accuracy improved as the game went on,” said head coach Townsend.

“It was a new team but they gelled on the field. I thought the communication was very good and then we showed our fitness in the second half.

“I thought we could have played for another 10 or 20 minutes as well, our players are looking really sharp even this close to the end of the season which is a credit to them.

“It was a pleasing final 60 minutes of the game, particularly the second half when we went through the gears and looked really sharp.”

Townsend was pleased to see six of Scotland’s tries scored by backs as they made it three wins from three on their summer tour following comfortable victories over Canada and USA.

“Matt Currie made his debut a couple of weeks ago and then today he ran a couple of cracking lines, one to score a try,” noted the head coach.

“Jamie Dobie as well was very sharp on the wing and then played half an hour at scrum-half where he looked very busy and physical.

“It was good that our backs got more touches of the ball in the second half. I think Arron Reed didn’t get a touch in the first half but he was more involved in the second half. It was also pleasing that we left the field as well with everybody fit.”