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Duhan van der Merwe becomes Scotland’s top scorer in win over Uruguay

Pirineus
Duhan van der Merwe becomes Scotland’s top scorer in win over Uruguay

Duhan van der Merwe became Scotland’s top scorer before Gregor Townsend’s side recovered from an unlikely Uruguay comeback to end their tour of the Americas with a 31-19 victory.

Van der Merwe scored his 28th try and surpassed Stuart Hogg as Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer.

The South African-born winger only made his international debut in October 2020 and was earning his 41st call-up in Montevideo.

The 26th-minute try followed earlier scores from Ewan Ashman and Luke Crosbie to put Scotland 19-0 ahead. But the home side went on to score the next 19 points to threaten a major upset, despite being without several key players who were competing in the Sevens event at the Olympics.

Scotland’s strength in depth, however, was demonstrated when substitutes Patrick Harrison and Pierre Schoeman crossed in the final quarter of the match.

There was a late change to Townsend’s team with Scott Cummings going off with a foot injury. Gregor Brown came in and Ewan Johnson was promoted to the 23-man squad, which was made up entirely of Glasgow and Edinburgh players as the game fell outside the international calendar.

Uruguay pressed early on and their forwards came within metres of the try line before failing to make the most of two penalties, one which they kicked into the corner and another which Felipe Etcheverry kicked wide of the posts. It would not be the last time Scotland would be grateful for the Uruguayan fly-half’s wild kicks.

The momentum changed with a stunning strike from Ben Healy, who found the ball close to Uruguay’s 22-meter line from inside his own line.

Scotland were soon awarded a penalty and Ashman forced the ball for his fourth try of the tour in the 12th minute after the hooker followed his own lineout to advance at the back of a maul.

There was a period of erratic kicking before Matt Fagerson’s interception put Scotland ahead, and he eventually passed to Crosbie to cross for his first Scottish try after Diego Arbelo was booked for illegally stopping George Horne following a kick-and-go penalty.

Van der Merwe had his moment of the match thanks to an unselfish pass from Kyle Rowe. At 29, the Edinburgh winger could score a late goal that will be very hard to beat.

The historic moment was nearly followed by a turnaround that would have been talked about for years.

Scrum-half Santiago Alvarez put Uruguay on target after intercepting Healy’s pass in front of the posts. Etcheverry then headed over from close range before taking his tally to nine points.

Stalemate somehow hit the post with a direct shot early in the second half after Brown was penalised for a high tackle, but his deft kick forward led to the maul that saw Manuel Diana go over just after the hour mark.

Etcheverry shot wide from close range with a conversion attempt that could have put the hosts ahead, and the introduction of Adam Hastings and Jamie Dobie in midfield positions brought some urgency to the visitors.

Harrison stepped over a maul and Schoeman crossed in four minutes before another substitute, Kyle Steyn, had a try disallowed late on.

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