'It's a weird one': Scotland grateful for week off after Springboks loss

Rory Darge insists the pressure of having no margin for error will serve as a driving force for Scotland as they bid to boost their hopes of reaching the World Cup knockout phase.

After losing their opener against South Africa, the Scots will have to win all three of their remaining matches against Tonga, Romania and Ireland if they are to have a realistic chance of progressing from Pool B.

Darge, the 23-year-old back-rower, is adamant that scenario will not inhibit his team.

“It’s extra motivation,” he said, when asked ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Tonga about the pressure of having to win every match.

“The thing that works for me is just focussing on the game. There’s a lot to focus on anyway, looking at Tonga and looking at us, their set-plays and what we have to get right.

Team Form

Last 5 Games

26 - 29

35 - 16

35 - 29

16 - 15

18 - 32

22 - 7

36 - 17

25 - 15

30 - 17

19 - 50

2

Wins

1

1

Streak

3

15

Tries Scored

13

-25

Points Difference

-62

2/5

First Try

3/5

1/5

First Points

2/5

3/5

Race To 10 Points

2/5

“That’s enough to occupy the mind. If you do that there’s not much room to think about the added pressure.”

Scotland will have had a full fortnight between matches by the time of kick-off on Sunday after having no game last weekend.

“It’s a weird one,” said Darge. “It was a perfectly-timed week to have off because we put a lot into the South Africa game and even if we’d won to have a week off between that and Tonga would have been good.

“They are the two most physical teams we will face in the World Cup so it was ideal we got that week to get away from it.

“But when you lose, you do want to get back out straight away. Now it’s come to the game, we are just buzzing to get back out there.

“Hopefully it will put the World Cup back on track for us.”