Scotland’s new-look team wobbled a little in the first half at Rugby Park but showed a pleasing ruthlessness in the second to pull away from Tonga and decisively win the final viagogo Autumn Test at Kilmarnock.
Despite scoring two tries to nil in the first half the Scots were more than a little fortunate on the balance of play and the penalty count to be leading 14-12 when the teams changed ends, Tonga causing problems with their physicality and pace.
The Scots missed three big chances to add to the two tries they got before half-time, but in the second half they barely gave the Islanders a sniff of the ball as they powered to three more tries.
Open side Blair Cowan won man of the match and a maiden try for his country, but it was Stuart Hogg’s length of the field run which gave the Scots the advantage they didn’t really merit at half-time.
Alex Dunbar, Geoff Cross and Tommy Seymour scored the second half tries while Greig Laidlaw kicked two penalties and three conversions.
In an uncomfortable parallel with the game lost at Pittodrie two years ago, the Scots tried to maul the Tongans into submission early on but this time got the score and Tongan captain Nili Latu in the sin-bin when Blair Cowan was at the bottom of the pile after four successive attempts.
Tonga looked the better team with ball in hand, however, and had a decent kicker in Latiume Fosita, who kept the scoreboard ticking with four penalties as it was Scottish indiscipline instead of the predicted Tongan that referee JP Doyle found fault with.
The Scots couldn’t get a foothold but it still needed a brilliant saving tackle from full back Vungakoto Lilo to stop Tim Visser escaping down the touchline.
When Alex Dunbar was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Lilo things looked grim for the Scots, but as Tonga looked to turn the screw with a dangerous attack in the home 22, the game turned on its head.
Scotland were stretched as Latu managed to gather the ball from Seymour’s attempted interception, but was hit from behind by Finn Russell and spilled possession, Hogg seizing on the ball and scampering 80 metres untouched to score at the other end.
Laidlaw converted to give the Scots the lead and perhaps should have dealt the Tongans a fatal blow just before the half when he couldn’t hold the ball after a slick lineout move opened up a clear run to the visitors’ line.
However the Scots looked a more cohesive until in the second half after Fosita missed a penalty chance to restore Tonga’s lead, they took control with their third try.
Tonga appeared to have defended a lineout move deep in their own 22 but Russell’s quick change of direction found Dunbar against two tiring defenders and he bashed his way in at the corner.
Laidlaw couldn’t convert but added two penalties as the Scots started to spot holes in the Tongan rush defence, and the fourth try wasn’t long in coming.
Hogg and replacement Al Strokosch made ground and Cowan went close, but it was Geoff Cross who drove over from point blank after a check with the TMO, Laidlaw converted.
The fifth score came with five minutes remaining, more pressure inside the 22 seeing Russell’s cross kick tapped back by replacement Duncan Taylor for Tommy Seymour to claim his third try in as many games.
Att: 16,026
Scotland: Stuart Hogg; Tommy Seymour, Sean Lamont, Alex Dunbar, Tim Visser; Finn Russell, Greig Laidlaw (capt); Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, Geoff Cross; Richie Gray, Jonny Gray; Rob Harley, Blair Cowan, Johnnie Beattie.
Reps: Gordon Reid for Dickinson 65, Alasdair Strokosch for Beattie 65, Fraser Brown for Ford 71, Chris Cusiter for Laidlaw 73, Kieran Low for R Gray 74, Duncan Taylor for Lamont 74, Duncan Weir for Finn Russell 77.
Tonga: V Lilo; D Halaifonua, S Piutau, H Paea, F Vainikolo; L Fosita, S Takulua; T Mailau, A Lutui, P Fa’anunu; T Lokotui, J Tu’ineau; S Kalamafoni, N Latu (capt), V Ma’afu.
Reps: S Lea for Mailau 52, S Puafisi for Fa’anunu 52, E Taione for Luitui 55, L Fa’aoso for Tu’neau 66, H T Pole for Ma’’afu 66, S Piukala for Halaifonua 68, K Morath for Fosita 70.
Ref: J P Doyle (RFU)