Rugby Union: Scottish win leaves Telfer wary

New South Wales 10 Scotland 34

THE Scotland coach, Jim Telfer, gave a stern warning to his triumphant troops yesterday after their victory against New South Wales.

The touring team made amends for a nightmare start to their southern- hemisphere tour in Fiji with an impressive 34-10 victory in Sydney against the Super 12 side, but with the first Test against Australia only seven days away, Telfer said: "New South Wales are only a provincial team. Australia will be a far better side."

Shaun Longstaff, Glenn Metcalfe, Scott Murray and Craig Joiner all ran in tries as the Scots took a 21-0 lead within the first 15 minutes, leaving the captain Rob Wainwright pleased with his side's "whirlwind start".

"That start was thanks to some criticism we received from parts of the Australian media this week. It's been hard for the boys since the Fiji game but today they came up trumps. We now feel we've got a good chance in the first Test."

It was the tourists' best display so far in Australia, with some excellent attacking play from Gregor Townsend and Metcalfe, the latter a big success at full-back and now the likely Test No 15.

Scotland made a dream start as Longstaff sped in for their first try after only eight minutes. The move started from a brilliant run out of defence by Metcalfe and was completed when the scrum-half Bryan Redpath's finely judged pass allowed the left wing to launch an angled run which spreadeagled the Waratahs' defence.

The Scots struck twice more before the finish of the first quarter through tries from Metcalfe and the Bedford second row forward Murray. New South Wales, however, who had much of the territorial advantage in the first half, finally broke through when the centre Jason Jones-Hughes's pass sent the wing Matt Dowling in for an unconverted try in the corner.

Scotland did well to survive intense pressure either side of the break and extended their leadwhen a mazy run by Metcalfe led to the right wing Craig Joiner running in unopposed. The Scots finished much the stronger side and were unlucky not to add further points when Wainwright dived over the try line but was held up in the tackle.

Scotland: G Metcalfe; C Joiner, C Murray (D Lee, 76), R Shepherd, S Longstaff; G Townsend, B Redpath; D Hilton (G McIlwham, 68), G Bulloch, M Proudfoot, S Murray, S Grimes (S Campbell, 75), R Wainwright (capt), G Simpson, E Peters.

New South Wales: S Staniforth (B Williams, 41); M Dowling, J Jones-Hughes, C Warner, G Bond; M Edmonds (M Stcherbina, 69), T Hall (S Devine, 69); W De Jonge (J Shelley, 64), T Tavalea (M Crick, 39), C Blades, S Domoni, J Welborn, T Strauss (K Gleeson, 69), S Pinkerton, M Brial (capt).

Referee: S Young (New Zealand).