Townsend applauds Scotland's 'True Identity' after winning tour finale

Scotland sealed their Pacific tour with a strong 41–12 victory over Samoa at Eden Park in Auckland on Friday.

This win followed their disappointing 29–14 loss to Fiji in Suva, making the result a significant rebound for the team.

Head coach Gregor Townsend praised his players for showing who they truly are.

“You rise to a challenge and you show your true identity when you’ve got that challenge of backing up a defeat and the players showed that,” he said.

He noted how the squad grew closer during the quick turnaround—just six days with one training session—adding they “were really aligned and focused on delivering a better performance” and they did just that.

Scotland made a fast start, with Ewan Ashman and Rory Hutchinson scoring within the first 13 minutes. They never looked back, eventually running in seven tries. Arron Reed, Kyle Steyn, Grant Gilchrist, Kyle Rowe, and George Turner all scored, cementing a strong team effort. Samoa scored two tries in the second half but couldn’t change the outcome.

Townsend also praised their defence against Samoa’s physical attack: “They were direct, they were physical and they moved the ball well … so that set us up really well for us to move the ball when we had it.”

He applauded the team’s execution inside the 22 m and forward work, which added structure before the backs finished clinically.

He singled out standout efforts, noting: “Jamie Dobie was great … battling with cramp near the end … [and] Fin Richardson in his first cap, showing real energy.”