Duhan van der Merwe becomes Scotland’s record try scorer in victory over Uruguay

By Gavin McCafferty, PA

Duhan van der Merwe became Scotland’s record try scorer before Gregor Townsend’s side bounced back from an unlikely Uruguay comeback to round off their tour of the Americas with a 31-19 victory.

Van der Merwe scored his 28th try to overtake Stuart Hogg as Scotland’s top scorer of all time.

The South African-born winger only made his international debut in October 2020 and was winning his 41st cap in Montevideo.

The 26th-minute try followed earlier scores by Ewan Ashman and Luke Crosbie and put Scotland 19-0 ahead. But the home side claimed the next 19 points to threaten a major upset despite being without a number of key players who had been competing at the Sevens event in the Olympics.

Scotland’s strength in depth told, though, as replacements Patrick Harrison and Pierre Schoeman crossed in the final quarter of the match.

There was a late change to Townsend’s team with Scott Cummings dropping out with a foot injury. Gregor Brown came in and Ewan Johnson was promoted into the 23-man squad, which was entirely composed of Glasgow and Edinburgh players given the game fell outside the international calendar.

Uruguay had the early pressure and their forwards drove within metres of the try line before failing to make the most of two penalties, one which they kicked to the corner and another which Felipe Etcheverry kicked wide of the posts. It would not be the last time Scotland were grateful for the Uruguayan fly-half’s wayward kicking.

The momentum shifted with an incredible kick from Ben Healy, who found touch near Uruguay’s 22-metre line from deep within his own.

Scotland soon won a penalty and Ashman forced himself over for his fourth try of the tour in the 12th minute after the hooker followed up his own lineout to drive over at the back of a maul.

There was a scrappy spell of kicking before Matt Fagerson’s interception put Scotland on the front foot, and he ultimately fed Crosbie to cross for his first Scotland try after Diego Arbelo had been shown a yellow card for halting George Horne illegally after a kick-and-go penalty.

Van der Merwe was handed his memorable moment thanks to an unselfish pass from Kyle Rowe. At 29, the Edinburgh winger could go on to set a final tally that will be very difficult to surpass.

The historic moment was nearly followed by a turnaround that would have been talked about for years.

Scrum-half Santiago Alvarez got Uruguay off the mark after intercepting Healy’s pass in front of the posts. Etcheverry then went over from close range before taking his tally to nine points.

The stand-off somehow hit the post with a straightforward kick early in the second half after Brown was penalised for a high tackle but his deft kick forward led to the maul which saw Manuel Diana go over just after the hour mark.

Etcheverry was well wide with the conversion attempt that could have put the hosts ahead and the introduction of Adam Hastings and Jamie Dobie in the half-back positions brought some urgency to the visitors.

Harrison went over from a maul and Schoeman crossed inside four minutes before another substitute, Kyle Steyn, saw a late try disallowed.