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By Andy Burke
BBC Scotland at Murrayfield
Scotland pulled at Murrayfield off from a Georgia in the second half to make their third win matches.
It turned out to be a one-point game in the rest, with Blair Kinghorn and unconverted attempts by Ali Price.
But Sam Johnston darted over to edge the Scots clear, and attempts by Darcy Graham, along with also the Horne brothers – George and Pete – sealed victory in Scotland game before their opener Japan against Ireland on 22.
It was a patchy performance in substantial area from the side of Gregor Townsend, with the Georgians proving more belligerent than in last weekend’s reverse fixture in Tbilisi.
The story of Scotland’s summertime had been one of steady improvement. A disheartening hammering in Nice accompanied over then, and Les Bleus at Murrayfield a detailed dismantling of Georgia.
Having called his final 31-man squad for the World Cup on Tuesday,” Townsend chose to take many of his big guns – the likes of Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw, Hamish Watson, John Barclay and Stuart McInally – outside of this lineup of fire.
With so many changes, the Scots took some time but after a frustrating opening 15 seconds that they started to cut loose. Kinghorn started the counter-attack and, following incursions from Graham and Johnson, Price dived around for a try that was brilliant.
Adam Hastings’ crossfield-kick that was pinpoint discovered Graham, who did to offload.
Three penalties from Abzhandadze meant, despite these two Scotland attempts, we had a sport along with the buoyancy turned to anxiety from the audience as the visitors ended the half stronger. Fly-half Abzhandadze was growing in his eye for a difference was giving Scotland issues.
The hosts had a try to shoot some wind from the Georgia sails, and they got 10 minutes to it following the break. Blade Thomson and ryan Wilson punctured the defence as well as for the first time, Scotland showed inspiration to continue prodding and probing until Hastings managed to send Johnson through untouched beneath the sticks.
The attempt did little to raise the air of frustration inside Murrayfield, with all the error count through the roof as the home side fought to stitch five phases of play together.
This was not the rip-roaring show the supporters came to watch into Japan, also at that the first priority was simply securing the win.
The match was secure once Duncan Taylor slipped in Graham the touchline due to his fifth try in eight Tests and whipped out a long pass to Chris Harris, who drew two defenders.
The people’ resistance was now disintegrating and substitute George Horne darted through a ropey fringe defence to get down for test number five, prior to brother Peter came off the bench to get in to the act, capitalising on some mad Georgian play deep in their own land.
Finally a victory for the Scots before the serious stuff begins in Japan. When their primary men return they will be better, and if they take on the primary up, they will have to be.
Scotland: B Kinghorn; T Seymour; D Taylor, S Johnson; D Graham; A Hastings, A Price; G Reid, G Turner, Z Fagerson; S Cummings, J Gray; R Wilson (capt), J Ritchie, B Thomson.
Replacements: G Stewart, A Dell, S Berghan, B Toolis G Horne C Harris.
Georgia: S Matiashvili; Z Dzneladze; D Katcharava, L Malaghuradze; M Modebadze; T Abzhandadze, V Lobzhanidze; M Nariashvili (capt), S Mamukashvili, B Gigashvili; K Mikautadze, G Nemsadze; S Sutiashvili, G Tkhilaishvili, B Gorgadze.
Replacements: G Kveseladze, T Mtchhedlidze, G Aprasidze, V Karkadze, G Gogichashvili, G Melkidze, L Lomidze, B Saghinadze.
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