Sun Nov 17 04:20:00 UTC 2024: ## Scotland Rout Portugal in Nine-Try Thriller, Graham Equals Try-Scoring Record
**Edinburgh, Scotland** – Scotland secured a dominant 9-try victory over Portugal (58-17) at Murrayfield on Saturday, with Darcy Graham reaching a significant milestone. The Edinburgh winger scored his 29th international try, equalling Duhan van der Merwe’s record as Scotland’s all-time leading try scorer.
The match was a high-scoring affair, featuring a flurry of tries from both sides. Scotland’s dominant first half saw scores from Will Hurd, Stafford McDowall, a penalty try, Graham, and Josh Bayliss. Portugal’s Luka Begic managed a try before halftime to briefly stem the tide.
The second half continued in similar fashion. Jamie Bhatti scored his first international try for Scotland, while Portugal added further scores through Samuel Marques and Raffaele Storti. However, Scotland’s Aaron Reed bagged a brace, and late tries from Freddy Douglas (in his debut as the youngest Scotland player in over 60 years) and Jamie Dobie sealed a resounding victory.
Despite the comfortable win, Scotland coach Gregor Townsend expressed concerns about several aspects of their performance, particularly the lineout malfunctioning and missed opportunities to punish indiscretions from the Portuguese side.
Portugal, despite fielding a significantly changed team from their World Cup campaign, showed periods of attacking flair and resilience. The match served as a valuable learning experience for both teams, with Scotland looking ahead to their upcoming clash against Australia, while Portugal will build on the experience gained.
First Piper 