Scotland "desperate" to secure World Cup quarter-final berth

Scotland skipper Greig Laidlaw has issued a rallying call to his international teammates demanding a final push to clinch a Rugby World Cup quarter-final slot.

Victory over Samoa – who currently sit fourth in Pool D - in Newcastle on Saturday will send Vern Cotter's side into the knockout rounds of a World Cup for the first time since the 2007 competition.

The Scots kicked off their campaign with two bonus point victories over Japan and the United States but were clinically demolished by a rampant South Africa outfit 34-16 last weekend as they blew their first chance of qualifying out of the pool stages.

Laidlaw however insists his Scotland team are ready to complete the job at the second time of asking when they run out at St James' Park to face Manu Samoa whose hopes of escaping Pool B are already over following their defeat at the hands of Japan, 26-5 last Saturday.

The scrum-half, who plies his domestic trade with Gloucester in the Aviva Premiership said: "We are extremely motivated. We players are desperate to win this match as we want to be in the World Cup quarter-finals. We've worked very hard to come from where we were to get to where we are at the moment.

"Now we need one more push this weekend.

"We need to put the fact we are regarded as favourites to one side and just look at Samoa. I still think they are a dangerous team.

"Maybe the fact they have nothing to play for will make them slightly loose this weekend but if we defend properly we feel there will be opportunities for us to attack.

"They have dangerous individuals and we will be on guard to make sure we cover up. We'll give respect to Samoa but I feel if we get our part right we'll put ourselves in the best position to win the game."

On Sunday, Japan, a side who have made rapid improvements since being helmed by Eddie Jones, will take on an American line-up coming off the back of a 64-0 thumping by South Africa. Should Scotland fall to Samoa the day before, there is a chance the Brave Blossoms could snatch second place from Vern Cotter's men.

But Laidlaw insists his side will not be overawed by the task in hand.

"It's different to the Six Nations because it's now knockout rugby," he said. "But if you look through the squad, the Glasgow boys clearly know what that's about'

"They have been to the Pro12 play-offs a few times recently. I won the Challenge Cup with Gloucester last season and the Edinburgh boys got to the final.

"So all the little things add up within the squad. The Glasgow boys can fall back on their experiences, so can the Edinburgh boys and myself. That can only help when it comes to a game like Saturday."

It appears Scotland will have nearly a fully-fit contingent to field on Saturday with injury fears regarding some of Scotland’s most influential players appearing to not have materialised after the Kiwi named Finn Russell, John Hardie, Ross Ford and Matt Scott in his starting XV.

Influential fly-half Russell has shaken off the ankle knock which kept him out of last weekend's 34-16 loss to South Africa and reclaims the No.10 shirt Mike Weird deputized for last week. Flanker Hardie, who has not featured since the opener with Japan, has recovered from a head knock, while hooker Ford and inside centre Scott were  given a final thumbs up late on Thursday as they look to complete their return-to-play concussion protocols they both suffered during the Springbok defeat.