Chile Push Scotland A to the Limit in Edinburgh Rugby Clash

Chile showcased a much-improved performance against Scotland A in a hard-fought match at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh. Battling freezing weather, with snow pushed to the sidelines, both teams delivered an engaging 80 minutes of rugby. Scotland A emerged victorious with a narrow 19-17 win.

This encounter marked the second meeting between Chile and Scotland A, and the third between Chile and Scotland overall. The two-point margin was the closest Chile has come to defeating the Scots, following Scotland’s 52-11 win in Santiago earlier this year and Scotland A’s 45-5 victory in 2022.

The game began with an early Scottish try by Arron Reed, a former England U18 and U20 player, in the second minute. The unconverted try gave Scotland A a 5-0 lead. Chile responded with determined play, earning hard-fought meters but missing a penalty kick by Santiago Videla at 12 minutes.

Chile’s breakthrough came on the half-hour mark when fullback Luca Strabucchi intercepted a loose pass and sprinted 60 meters to score. Videla’s conversion gave Chile a 7-5 lead. However, the team faced a setback when captain Clemente Saavedra was injured, and Scotland’s Stafford McDowall received a yellow card for rucking that led to the injury.

Videla extended Chile’s lead to 10-5 early in the second half with a penalty goal, but Scotland A struck back. Tom Dobb crossed the try line at 56 minutes, and Ross Thompson’s conversion restored Scotland A’s lead at 12-10.

Scotland A’s powerful maul proved decisive in the 71st minute, earning a penalty try while Raimundo Martínez was yellow-carded. This extended the lead to 19-10.

Chile refused to relent and found a final-minute try through replacement Nicolás Garafulic, who intercepted and scored. His brother, Matías Garafulic, added the conversion to narrow the deficit to 19-17, where the score remained at full-time.

The match concluded Chile’s European tour, which began with a record win over Canada in Romania but included a disappointing loss to the Netherlands in Amsterdam. The close result against Scotland A provided a positive note for the South Americans as they continue to develop in the international rugby arena.