Sean Maitland admits he nearly blew crucial World Cup opportunity for Scotland
Sean Maitland admits he nearly let Scotland’s bonus point slip by mistiming his slide to the corner.
The Saracens’ wing got the Dark Blues off and running with the opener against Samoa and had a major say as they claimed the vital extras in Kobe.
With three touchdowns in the bag, Gregor Townsend’s team needed just one more score for the additional point that would fire them right back into the race for the quarter finals.
But Maitland almost blew his big moment with six minutes remaining as he threw himself at the line from five yards out.
While the humidity levels in the air nudged 80 per cent at the indoor Misaki Stadium, Maitland says moisture on the ground was in short supply and he did not find the bit of slick turf he was hoping for.
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That allowed Samoa’s Ed Fidow time to dart back and put in a tackle but thankfully for Scotland he connected knee first while dislodging the ball from the Kiwi-born Scotland back’s hands.
Referee Pascal Gauzere awarded the penalty try after viewing the replay – much to Maitland’s relief as he admitted he wasted a chance to land a try double.
He said: “I slid in too early but luckily enough the old penalty try was the saviour.
“Looking back I should have dived a bit later.
“Maybe if (Fidow) didn’t come in with the knee I’d have got it.
“But I’m just delighted to help the team win. I knew we had that performance in us.
“It was the reaction we needed and the most pleasing thing was that we kept them to zero points. That was pretty special.”
Wales' improvement in the last 18 months was exemplified by their ability to close out a game that historically, they would have more than likely lost, says @OwainJTJones https://t.co/5Xua1hkCnA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 30, 2019
Maitland’s first try came 30 minutes in after Finn Russell picked him out with a cross-field kick measured to perfection.
Greig Laidlaw followed that up with the second four minutes later after more sublime work by Russell, while Fidow – who was sent off for a second yellow card as he clattered into Maitland – then handed Scotland their third via a penalty try as he dragged down a driven maul.
Maitland said: “We scored a couple during the first half and probably should have scored a third just right before half-time.
“But we had patience. We stripped it right back and used our kicking game to our advantage. Guys like Hoggy, Greig and Finn were just constantly putting Samoa on the back foot.
“Finn set me up for the first but it was no surprise. If I had to buy him a beer every time Finn sets me up I’d be broke. His kicking game is unreal and he put it on the spot.
“It’s not something we’ve worked on. It’s just the way the games have been going. With defences rushing you there have been backfield spaces to exploit.”
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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 30, 2019
Scotland faced a pounding from pundits and supporters in the wake of last week’s dismal defeat by Ireland.
But Maitland said: “We’ve not worried about the criticism. We’ve just worried about what’s been said in that changing room.
“We know the support is there. You saw it there today – the support in the stadium was amazing.
“You’re going to see the flak through social media. I’m guilty of going on the old BBC rugby website just to see what’s going on in the rugby circles.
“Yeah you do see what’s been said but you accept criticism is going to come after a result like the Ireland game. It’s funny how things can change in a week.
“But this is just a start. We need to crack on and keep building.”
– Press Association
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Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments