Four Borderers help Scotland’s national rugby team rack up record-breaking 85-0 win v USA
Borderers Darcy Graham, Rory Sutherland, Patrick Harrison and Harri Morris helped Scotland’s national rugby team rack up a record-breaking 85-0 win against the USA at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday.
That four-strong representation was the region’s biggest for years as head coach Gregor Townsend’s hosts got the better of their American visitors by 13 tries to nil in front of a crowd of 56,589.
That’s their biggest winning margin ever at Murrayfield and also their heftiest to date against the USA, as well as being only seven points shy of their all-time record victory by 92-0 hosting Japan at Perth’s McDiarmid Park in 2004.
A hat-trick by Hawick’s Graham – touched down on ten minutes, 36 and 44 – restored his standing as Scotland’s joint-top try-scorer with 34, level with Duhan van der Merwe.
South African-born van der Merwe, 30, got two of Scotland’s other tries and Jamie Dobie matched Graham’s tally of three, with Dylan Richardson, Kyle Rowe, Stafford McDowall, George Horne and Ollie Smith crossing the line too and Adam Hastings and Horne adding five conversions each.
Edinburgh right-winger Graham, 28, played for the first 50 minutes on Saturday before making way for scrum-half Horne, with starting No 9 Dobie, 24, taking over on the wing.
Hawick’s Sutherland, 33, went off at half-time, with his Glasgow Warriors teammate Nathan McBeth replacing him at loosehead prop.
West Linton’s Harrison, 23, was taken off just after the hour mark, with Melrose’s Morris, 24, being brought on in his Edinburgh teammate’s stead for his international debut at hooker.
Graham is now on 48 caps since 2018, Sutherland on 44 since 2016 and Harrison on four since last summer.
Morris was delighted to make his Scotland debut despite not having played a competitive match for his club so far this United Rugby Championship season, saying: “The feeling was amazing.
“Walking out, it was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
“It was such a cool game to be a part of and it was class to make my debut, so I’m really happy.
“It was an amazing feeling going out there and I hope I can do it again, but time will tell.”
Merseyside-born Morris, based in the Borders since 2012, admitted he’d been surprised to be called up by ex-Gala back Townsend, 52, given his lack of game-time, but said he’s grateful for the opportunity.
“It was definitely a surprise but I can only thank Gregor for taking a chance on me and believing that I’m good enough to play at this level,” he said.
“It was a surprise but I’m obviously delighted.”
Looking back over Saturday’s game, he added: “We were pretty ruthless.
“When I got on in the second half, the job was quite easy. It was probably done at that point, but credit to the boys for playing so well. They came out of the blocks firing.
“We wanted to keep that zero, the nil scoreline, which is a credit to our defence, and we kept our foot on the throat and the scoreline speaks for itself.”
Townsend was impressed by his new recruit, saying: “I thought he was very good.
“He was controlled in his actions and was still able to bring that physicality that we know is a big strength of his.
“He had a couple of really good lineout throws and caught a high ball, just having that belief to say ‘this is in my area, I’m going up for it’.
“Right at the end, his off-the-ball running line created a hole for Ollie Smith to go through and Ollie did very well to finish.
“To come on and deliver that performance and get your running lines right, get your set-piece right, shows how well he prepared.
“He’s another one with a big future. Whenever we’ve seen him play, he’s delivered that level of physicality and it’s suited to test level.
“Also he’s really grown as a hooker.”
Morris was one of two Scotland debutants, along with Edinburgh teammate Liam McConnell at blindside flanker.
New Zealand are next up for Scotland at Murrayfield this coming Saturday, with kick-off at 3.10pm.
See also …