Scotland 42 Romania 0
KEY POINTS:
What will the All Blacks have learnt from Scotland's display against Romania yesterday?
Probably not much they didn't already know. The temptation is to ignore the scoreline on the basis Romania were ordinary. But the Scots did have some good periods and the encouraging aspects included some eye
catching individual performances.
But one thing is beyond dispute: if they cannot hang on to the ball when they arrive at contact points, they'll be roasted by the All Blacks at Murrayfield on Monday morning.
Scotland scored a pleasing six tries but could have had another two or three with a bit of care and attention to detail.
"Ball retention definitely needs to be improved," wing Sean Lamont said. "We are still offloading 50-50 balls."
Lamont - aka Roberto Duran, as in Hands of Stone - would know. He was among the wasteful but got in some decent runs on a mixed night.
Scotland will have picked up a decent dose of confidence from the scoreline, especially the nil bit. But the tricky part is figuring how many of these players will be chosen against the All Blacks.
Coach Frank Hadden again evaded the issue of whether he'll rest key players, as Scotland are embarking on a 3-in-11-day match schedule which will make or break their campaign.
Hadden will name his team tomorrow night but insisted whoever runs out to a packed 67,500 Murrayfield "will undoubtedly do our country proud on Sunday".
Here's a clue to his thinking: if Scotland have decided to have a real lash at the All Blacks, then you will see the names Rory Lamont, Simon Webster, Hugo Southwell, Dan Parks and Mike Blair in the backline.
Several players last night talked up Scotland's chances if they can play at their optimum and continue the progress they believe has been made in the last couple of weeks.
That won't happen if those players aren't included.
Scotland's pack lack pace but have enough capable players to be competitive.
Lock Jim Hamilton is a giant slab who should ensure they win their share of lineout ball.
Fullback Rory Lamont, the younger of the two brothers, scored two tries against Romania. The second was a fine 50m weaving run past admittedly dispirited defenders, but he showed he is a class footballer.
Webster, a wing tried out for the first time in Scotland's problematic backline spot of centre, was sparky, quick and gutsy; Southwell is too solid a footballer to leave out.
Parks is an average No 10 but produced a fine kicking game against Romania, prompting Hadden to claim him as "the best kicker from the hand in the world". That's a huge call with which a couple of All Black first five-eighths for starters might quietly beg to differ.
Blair produced a moment of genius, a one-handed pickup at full speed, on a night of strong work and was involved in much of Scotland's best bits.
He'd love to face the All Blacks but Hadden's word is final. The end game is making the last eight; if Hadden pulls his best players to prepare for Italy at St Etienne on September 30, that's okay with them.
The first choice loose forward trio, No 8 Simon Taylor, captain Jason White and three-try opensider Ally Hogg are reliable and combative without being scintillating; but the scrum was far from convincing.
Read between the lines from Blair and you sense he's up for a clash with Byron Kelleher.
"We play three games in quite a short space of time and that gives us a chance to build momentum," Blair, who won his 40th cap yesterday, said.
"And if you go in thinking you're going to lose against them, there's no point pitching up. I'm confident of putting in a good performance."
The All Blacks will reckon they will have a decent workout on Monday.
Just how decent is entirely in the hands of Hadden.
