Prop Titi Lamositele scored the only try of the first half to help the USA to a surprise 13-6 lead over Scotland in this afternoon's Pool B Rugby World Cup contest in Leeds.
Despite the early chants of "USA! USA!" being instantly drowned out by the hoards of Scottish fans inside Elland Road, it was the States who put the first points on the board when AJ MacGinty made no mistake with a central penalty.
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Stuart Hogg hit straight back for Scotland with a penalty just inside the halfway line to level proceedings seven minutes in and then, on the quarter-hour mark, Finn Russell was successful with a kick inside the 22 to give the Dark Blues the lead for the first time.
After Hogg dragged wide a second long-range effort, it was USA who scored the first try of the contest after 20 minutes when Lamositele powered his way over. MacGinty's conversion kick was not straight, but it went in off the post to put the Eagles four points to the good.
Five minutes later Hogg got the crowd going with a lung-busting run from his own half and all he had to do was find Tim Visser with a short pass for a try, but the full-back gave his winger little chance with a knee-height fling that Visser failed to collect.
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Russell then followed Hogg in missing a penalty and the States, who have never beaten Scotland in four previous encounters, extended their advantage to seven points with the last kick of the half as MacGinty coolly slotted over from close range.
Join us for live text coverage of the second half on Sports Mole here.
Pascal Lemesre
