Scotland reaction: Gregor Townsend's big admission, 15 costly moments and injuries to key players

Gregor Townsend bemoaned his side’s indiscipline but conceded Fiji were the better team as they beat Scotland 29-14 at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.

Darcy Graham was sent off for two yellow cards and Ewan Ashman was also sin-binned during a torrid 80 minutes for the Scots as their Pacific tour turned sour.

It is only the third time in their history that Fiji have beaten Scotland and the previous two wins also came in Suva, the island nation’s capital and an outpost which seems to bring out the worst in touring Scottish sides.

Fiji's Josua Tuisova manages to offload despite the attentions of Scotland pair Tom Jordan and Fergus Burke. | SNS/Scottish Rugby

Townsend retained only one player from the starting side which beat the Maori All Blacks in New Zealand last week and the coach admitted there was an element of risk in making such wholesale changes. The new-look team never got to grips with their hosts who dominated for long spells.

“I think Fiji deserved to win,” said Townsend who was in charge when Scotland last lost in Suva, in 2017. “They had a lot of opportunities to put us under pressure in our 22. They were physical and obviously they're a quality team, and they showed that last week [in a narrow defeat by Australia], but we're disappointed in our own performance, that we gave them so many opportunities to put pressure on us. The penalty count was too high, three yellow cards, it makes it very tough to win any Test match. Up against a quality side at home, it's going to be really difficult.

A whopping 15 penalties

“That'll be the biggest area of improvement for us, is making sure we don't let a team like Fiji and Samoa get chances in our 22, because we've given away a penalty for whatever reason.”

Scotland, who started each half brightly, gave away a whopping 15 penalties in total. Kyle Rowe bagged a try in the third minute but Fiji wrestled back control in the final four minutes of the first half with tries from Tevita Ikanivere and Kalaveti Ravouvou. Both were scored while Graham was in the sin-bin for tackling Sireli Maqala before the Fiji centre had gathered the ball. It seemed harsh and worse was to follow for the Scotland wing, who returned to the sin bin during second half for going offside as he intercepted a pass. The second yellow card meant he was sent off.

Tom Jordan’s try early in the second half brought Scotland back to within a point at 15-14 but Fiji’s wing Jiuta Wainiqolo scored a brilliant third try and they were then awarded a penalty try for Graham’s offside interception.

Townsend admitted it had been a frustrating afternoon. “We felt up front with our scrum and our maul, that was creating go-forward,” he said. “Maybe we could have got more penalties out of it, because we were certainly the dominant team on scrum and maul.

“Outside of that, our defence at times looked really in control. Some very good tackles going in, a lot of effort, and then we just had an offside penalty, a breakdown penalty, and then the three yellow cards in our own 22.

Darcy’s yellow cards ‘very harsh’

“They have a big effect on what you can do in the next 10 minutes, because you're having to change things around lineout and personnel. For the second one [yellow card] I thought we got through that okay, because we got the try, when Darcy was still off. But we needed to capitalise more on that. We didn't do that, which is disappointing.”

Graham dislocated his finger to add to his misery, and Townsend felt both the winger’s yellow cards were harsh.

“I'd have to look at it again,” said the coach. “At the time I thought they were very harsh. I'm not sure if the first one was going to hand anyway. But the referee makes his calls, and as soon as he's made the call in that area, you know it's going to be a yellow card, a potential penalty try. That really affected the scoreline for them.

“I think the game is a compact game, and players are body-to-body a lot in the game. I don't know how we can then make that one an incident that’s a yellow card.

Scotland line up for the anthems before the match against Fiji in Suva. | SNS/Scottish Rugby

“But the referee has to make these calls. I don't want the focus to be on the referee. It's got to be how we can change things and make sure that our discipline, which has been really good in recent games, stays under 10 penalties and there's no yellow cards.”

Townsend is hopeful there will be no further disciplinary repercussions for Graham, with Scotland due to play Samoa on Friday in New Zealand in their final match of the tour.

Matt Fagerson injury concern

“We believe it'll be fine for next week, but we'd need clarity on that,” said Townsend. “It wasn't foul play, so we wouldn't have thought that he would be suspended for being an inch offside, if that's what he was called by the referee.”

Scotland picked up two injuries during a hugely physical match. Jamie Ritchie went off early in the first half with a foot injury and Matt Fagerson was withdrawn in the second half with an ankle problem.

Regarding Fagerson, it is the same ankle he injured playing for Glasgow against Leinster in April. The Fiji match was his first game back and will now be assessed to see if it is just a twinge or something more serious.