Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the International Rugby Union match.
Scotland continue their summer tour of the Pacific Islands with a stop in Samoa, where the conditions — and the opposition — are expected to be far more challenging than what they’re used to in Europe. After a bruising loss to Fiji, the Scots will be eager to bounce back, but the hosts are no pushovers.
Samoa
Ranked 13th in the world, Samoa remain a tier-two powerhouse with plenty of physicality and pride. Their last outing came nearly a year ago when they edged out the USA (18:13) to claim third place at the Pacific Nations Cup. The squad returns to action under the guidance of new head coach Tusi Pisi — a former captain whose presence is already energising the camp. With several young players in the squad and a fresh voice leading them, the Samoans are expected to play with hunger and intensity.
Scotland
Scotland dropped to eighth in the world rankings after a frustrating defeat to Fiji (14:29), which came just a week after narrowly beating the New Zealand U20 side (29:26). That inconsistency has become a theme during their summer tour. Historically, Scotland have had the upper hand against Samoa — winning their last World Cup meeting (34:0) and scraping through a high-scoring clash (44:38) in 2017. But crucially, both of those matches were played on neutral or home turf — playing in the islands is a different beast entirely.
Samoa vs Scotland Prediction
This will be Samoa’s first match under a new head coach and their first outing in nearly a year, but the energy of a home crowd and the natural advantage of conditions could level the playing field. Scotland should still come away with the win, but don’t expect a blowout. Samoa are likely to keep it respectable and cover the handicap.
