Six-try Scotland earned their expected win over Uruguay at Murrayfield yesterday - but the 10,000 fans who bothered to turn out left with serious doubts over their World Cup future.
And, with changes expected for the final Pool A clash with Spain in eight days' time, hooker Gordon Bulloch must be sweating on his place. His throwing was again erratic, line-out jumpers Scott Murray and Stuart Grimes struggling to provide clean ball to a back division eager for the opportunity to run.
It wasn't until he switched his target to Gordon Simpson that Bulloch's aim improved and when he was replaced by Rob Russell 10 minutes from time, he must have feared the worst.
Telfer sent his side onto the pitch knowing he was in a no-win situation. Clear victory was expected, anything less a dismal failure. With 13 minutes gone, the sides were still level after visitors' out-half Diego Aguirre cancelled out an early penalty from Kenny Logan.
Full-back Alfonso Cardoso was on the end of the most brutal challenge of the first 40, left stunned and groggy by Martin Leslie after the Scotland flanker's attempted wrap-up tackle resulted only in a shoulder charge to the head two minutes into injury-time.
Australian referee Stuart Dickinson brandished the yellow card to the man who grabbed the second Scotland try.
Glenn Metcalfe scrambled over for the try of the half seven minutes before the break and it proved to be the last of four for Scotland, who had seen skipper Gary Armstrong put his team back in front.
The outstanding Simpson dived over for the score his superb display deserved on the half-hour, taking the ball from a five-metre scrum and charging through the Uruguayan defence to score under the posts.
Aguirre reduced the gap still further with his third penalty of the game on the hour. It wasn't until Townsend sliced through a gap in the Uruguayan defence 11 minutes from time to score under the posts that the home team finally regained the confidence to attack from deep. Russell burrowed over with virtually his first touch as Scotland finally racked up the points, Logan adding the conversion.
Scotland: G Metcalfe; C Murray (S Longstaff 78), A Tait, J Mayer, K Logan; G Townsend, G Armstrong (capt) (B Redpath 58); T Smith, G Bulloch (R Russell 71), G Graham (D Hilton 65), S Murray, S Grimes, M Leslie (P Walton 75), G Simpson, B Pountney.
Uruguay: A Cardoso; M Ferres, P Vecino, M Mendaro, P Costabile; D Aguirre, F Sciarra; R Sanchez, D Lamelas, P Lemoine, M Lame, C Bado, M Panizza, N Brignoni, D Ormaechea (capt). Replacements used: F Sosa Diaz, N Grille, E Berruti, A Ponce de Leon, J Viana, G Storace, F de los Santos. Yellow card: Costabile.
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: S Dickinson (Australia).
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