FOR the second time in the space of a fortnight in the 2015 World Rugby under-20 Championship, Scotland will face Ireland - this time to decide the seventh and eighth finishing places.
And after a disappointing display against Australia on Monday in Calvisano, the young Scots know they must replicate the form that took them to victory against Argentina in the final pool match last Wednesday.
Scotland, however, will be without the impressive Glasgow second row Andrew Davidson, who sustained a head knock. Because of the strict protocol on any head injury followed by Scottish Rugby, head coach Sean Lineen thus does not have Davidson at his disposal.
Scotland's under-20s had hoped to achieve a first-ever win over Australia on Monday and looked on course at half time when they led 7-5. But a disastrous third-quarter display let the young Wallabies score four tries and the game was effectively gone, albeit with the Scots scoring two tries late in the match.
And Lineen insists consistency within the home game is vital if his charges are to develop as a national side.
"It just seems to be the ability to concentrate," said Lineen. "I think, too, that the boys' heads went down when Rory Hutchinson was yellow carded. We didn't manage the game when he was off.
"We need to get the structures right back home where they have to perform at a high level week in week out to get that consistency. I feel for them. They're not not trying, but it's frustrating. We're just letting ourselves down. We're trying to drive standards but we can't be teaching these boys how to pass and catch a ball at this stage.
"But we're not giving up. We'll dust ourselves down yet again. I'm sure we'll be the underdogs for the last game and I'm sure we'll give a good account of ourselves."
Watching Scotland's match against Australia was director of rugby, Scott Johnson, who is optimistic about the next generation of Scottish rugby players who could filter into his squad.
"I think they put themselves under pressure," Johnson noted. "When we did the things we practise we dominated the game. As soon as we turned over ball they scored tries.
"But you have to remember this is a really young team. They've got to learn from that. There's no point in playing if you just repeat the same errors. There's plenty to like about this team."
Ireland, despite a spirited recovery, lost 22-12 to Wales who had powered 22-0 ahead.
New Zealand, meanwhile, will meet defending champions England in the title decider at Cremona on Saturday. The All Blacks played with efficiency against France winning 45-7 with a six-try deluge that included a hat-trick by winger Tevita Li and two from their world-class back row Akira Ioane.
In the second of the semi-finals England, aiming for a hat-trick of titles, emerged winners from a contest between two heavyweight forward packs that produced a game as dull as the first semi was attractive. The result means that the final will be a repeat of 2011 when the championship was last staged in Italy.
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