Grove gave Scotland an early score at Murrayfield

Scotland XV (7) 24
Tries: Grove, Barclay 2, Danielli Cons: Godman 2 Pens: None
Japan Select (0) 5
Tries: Kim Cons: None Pens: None

Scotland laboured to victory as they prepared for their tour of Argentina against a Japan Select in a non-cap friendly at Murrayfield.

Alex Grove's try, converted by Phil Godman, gave the Scots a sixth-minute lead they struggled to build upon.

It was not until early in the second half that John Barclay crossed the line again, twice in quick succession.

Godman added one conversion before a Simon Danielli try and Youngdae Kim's late reply for Japan.

But a strong Scotland XV had struggled to subdue a plucky and inexperienced Japanese second string.

Scotland coach Andy Robinson, already without several players through injury or unavailability, had been forced to change his starting line-up shortly before kick-off.

Richie Vernon, the only member of the original line-up who is not in the full squad for the summer tour to Argentina, picked up a neck injury in training, while fellow Glasgow forward Richie Gray was ill.

Barclay and Kim both scored for their sides in Edinburgh

Lock Scott MacLeod, who was called into the tour squad last week, came into the team along with flanker Barclay, with Al Kellock and Graeme Morrison joining the replacements.

And it all looked so promising for the home side as they dominated possession after the visitors kicked off and broke the deadlock through Grove.

The centre collected the ball on the left wing from Danielli following a switch of play and crossed comfortably.

Godman converted, but the Japanese, who beat Scottish club champions Currie 35-17 on the first game of their three-match European tour, then forced Robinson's side back during a period of pressure in which Ayumu Goromaru missed two penalties.

Masakazu Irie also failed with a drop-goal attempt as Scotland struggled to re-assert their authority in an opening period during which they had been instructed not to kick for territory.

It may have been an attempt to even the game as a spectacle for the 8,000 fans who had been allowed in free, but the Japanese visitors belied predictions that they would be overwhelmed.

The Scots failed to take advantage of several scrums deep inside the Japan half and soon needed a last-ditch tackle from captain Mike Blair to prevent Yutu Imamura breaking through on the right wing.

Robinson showed signs of frustration as his side were slow to get moving after another poor drop-goal effort from Irie and Barclay was crowded out at the end of a promising move down the right wing.

Goromaru missed another penalty from near the touchline and Scotland survived some pressure deep inside their half just before the half-time whistle blew with the home side a mere seven points ahead.

Scotland started the second half on top, but their attacking looked disjointed until Barclay burst on to Hugo Southwell's pass 20 yards out and shrugged off a challenge to touch down in the 51st minute.

Godman converted and his long pass out to the right wing allowed Barclay to cross again in the 56th minute.

The fly-half missed the subsequent kick before being replaced with Jim Thompson as Scotland chased more points.

However, Japan regrouped and applied some pressure of their own and it was not until the final minutes that Danielli crossed the try line again in the corner.

Flanker Kim profited from some persistent driving by the Japanese forwards with a try in the dying seconds.

Scotland XV: Southwell, S Lamont, De Luca, Grove, Danielli, Godman, Blair, Jacobsen, Ford, Low, MacLeod, Hamilton, Brown, Barclay, Beattie.
Replacements: Thomson (62 mins, for Ford), Cross (50 mins, for Low), Kellock (50 mins, for Hamilton), Morrison (68 mins, for Lamont), McMillan (63 mins, for Blair), Evans (50 mins, for De Luca), Thompson (53 mins, for Godman).

Japan Select: Goromaru, Imamura, Yamauchi, Havea, Mifiposeti, Irie, Oshima, Teduka, Hirahara, Nagae, Bond, Taniguchi, Shinozuka, Kim, Sioeri.
Replacements: Senba, Doi, Nakata, Mine, Anderson, Syomen, Kitagawa.

Attendance: 8186

Referee: James Jones (WRU)

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