Rugby eligibility loophole ominous for Scotland

IT ALWAYS looked like one of the more intriguing ties of World Cup, Scotland’s game against Samoa at St James’ Park, Newcastle, on 10 October next year, one year and one month hence. Most assume that South Africa, also in pool B, will progress to the quarter-finals so the Samoan match looks like being crucial to the hopes of both nations. It’s has been sitting on a knife edge until now, too close to call, but the odds have swung towards the island nation in the last 24 hours.