Scotland laboured more than a little but got the 29-20 win over Japan to top off 2021 on a high point at Murrayfield.
Captain Stuart Hogg scored his record-breaking 25th try for his country. Darcy Graham got another and there were two driving maul scores for Duhan van der Merwe and Stuart McInally.
But another steady stream of penalties against them and the spirit and drive of the Japanese meant that it really needed the Finn Russell penalty late in the game to finally clinch the win.
Japan’s speed and fitness almost brings them back
Stuart Hogg's 25 tries in a Scotland shirt 🏴#AsOne pic.twitter.com/CSZkdQsFY4
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) November 20, 2021
Defeat was only one loose pass away – and there were a couple. Japan’s fitness, speed and their more dynamic bench brought them within range. A loss would have put a very different feeling on the whole year. Overall the Scots haven’t quite sustained the pace of their advance this autumn.
Six wins and three losses in a disrupted campaign from the tail end of Covid is more than a pass mark. But it seems other teams in the Six Nations have moved forward more this November.
But for one slick move started and finished by the captain which ended with his record-breaking try, it was a sloppy first half hour for Scotland against a much slicker Japanese side.
The visitors started by running a series of cohesive phases. But a couple of offside penalties allowed Russell to pin the Japanese in their 22.
From there the driving maul did its work. Van der Merwe came off his wing to lend his weight and wrestle over for an unconverted try.
But Japan were clearly the better side for the next 20 minutes, a flurry of penalties coming their way as Scotland tried to contain them. Rikiya Matsuda kicked two of them for a 6-5 lead. But the visitors might have more from Kotaro Matsushima’s thrilling run back of a loose Russell kick.
Hogg’s record try provides the spark
Stuart Hogg makes history with his 25th try, becoming Scotland's all-time try-scorer 🙌
Watch #SCOvJPN live on @primevideosport in the UK. pic.twitter.com/m4OcoojhLV
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) November 20, 2021
Scotland needed a spark from somewhere and got it from their skipper, who retrieved a klick and sliced through the defence, Harris carrying into the 22.
Josh Bayliss and Grant Gilchrist punched a gap in the Japanese backline close to the line. When it came back Hogg went through a tackle with ease to finally pass Ian Smith and Tony Stanger for the Scottish record.
Russell converted and just before the half the stand-off made the third try. A fine arcing run got the Japanese defence drifting and Darcy Graham deftly side-stepping three players to get the score.
Scotland again didn’t have the greatest start to the second half, as referee Brendan Pickerill pinged them another couple of times and sent Jamie Bhatti to the sin bin. Matsuda landed two penalties to take Japan within a converted score.
McInally’s try settles the Scots
That forward power 🤩@McInallyStuart makes an impact within seconds of coming onto the pitch.
Watch #SCOvJPN live on @primevideosport in the UK. pic.twitter.com/TM459tIIX5
— Scottish Rugby (@Scotlandteam) November 20, 2021
But just as the sin bin expired, Scotland got their driving maul in good order again. Stuart McInally, with his first touch after coming on, got the score.
Russell converted, but Japan clearly got the bigger lift from the flurry of replacements by both sides and fought their way back.
A 50-22 from Nakamura put Japan into position. When the Scots contested the lineout, replacement Tevita Tatafu easily broke off the back of the maul to score.
Matsuda missed the conversion but made a penalty as Japan again gained ground and pulled to within just six points.
There was a nervy eight or so minutes for the Scots before they forced a penalty for Russell to kick them safely clear again with two minutes left.
Att: 67,144
Scotland: Stuart Hogg (Exeter); Darcy Graham (Edinburgh), Chris Harris (Gloucester), Sam Johnson (Glasgow), Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester); Finn Russell (Racing 92), Ali Price (Glasgow); Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow), George Turner (Glasgow), Zander Fagerson (Glasgow); Scott Cummings (Glasgow), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh); Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Hamish Watson (Edinburgh), Josh Bayliss (Bath).
Replacements: Stuart McInally (Edinburgh for Turner 54), Pierre Schoeman (Edinburgh for Bhatti 53), Javan Sebastian (Scarlets for Z Fagerson 63), Sam Skinner (Exeter for Cummings 72), Dylan Richardson (Sharks for Watson 71), Matt Fagerson (Glasgow for Ritchie 62), George Horne (Glasgow for Price 62), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh for Graham 63).
Japan: Ryohei Yamanaka; Kotaro Matsushima, Shogo Nakano, Ryoto Nakamura, Siosaia Fifita; Rikiya Matsuda, Yutaka Nagare; Craig Millar, Atsushi Sakate, Asaeli Ai Valu; Jack Cornelsen, James Moore; Michael Leitch, Pieter Labuschagné (captain), Kazuki Himeno.
Replacements: Kosuke Horikoshi for Sakate 63, Keita Inagaki for Ai Valu 62, Shinnosuke Kakinaga, Ben Gunter, Tevita Tatafu for Leitch 62, Naoto Saito for Nagare 71, Yu Tamura for Yamanaka 62, Dylan Riley for Nakano 40.
Ref: Brendan Pickerill (NZRU)