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Rugby World Cup 2015: Scotland 39-16 USA
26 Sep From the sectionScottish Rugby
Stuart Hogg breaks for Scotland
Stuart Hogg was dangerous for Scotland
Rugby World Cup: Scotland v USA
Scotland (6) 39
Tries: Visser, Maitland, Nel, Scott, Weir Cons: Russell, Laidlaw 3 Pens: Russell, Hogg
USA (13) 16
Try: Lamositele Con: MacGinty Pens: MacGinty 3
Scotland recovered from a 13-6 half-time deficit, securing a bonus-point win over USA to top World Cup Pool B.

The Americans battered the error-prone favourites in the opening half, Titi Lamositele burrowing over the line.

A dynamic bench helped spark Scotland after the interval, though, as Tim Visser, Sean Maitland and Willem Nel all crossed smartly.

Matt Scott picked a sumptuous line to score a fourth try, and Duncan Weir added a late fifth from close-range.

Imbued with great transatlantic fervour, the USA defence made hay from Scottish inaccuracies during a maddening first 40 minutes for Vern Cotter's side, where attacking opportunities were bungled by loose passes and hot heads.

The likes of Nel, Scott, Tim Swinson and Greig Laidlaw, however, brought efficiency and control from the bench where Scotland had threatened to descend into chaotic rugby reminiscent of days sooner consigned to memory.

The major blight for Cotter will be an injury to key pivot Finn Russell, who was helped from the field midway through the second-half resurgence.

Relive Scotland's five-try win over the USA.

NEW HALF, NEW TEAM

Scotland's day changed after the half-time break. Everything about them was better. The troubled scrum settled down, the physical battles they were losing now started to be won, the accuracy that was beyond them in the opening half suddenly materialised.

Key to all of this were Vern Cotter's half-time replacements. Nel and Alasdair Dickinson replaced the toiling Ryan Grant and Jon Welsh and quickly Scotland's dominance was established. Nel, in particular, was pivotal. He not only sorted out the scrum but he carried ball and also scored. Immense.

The half-time substitutes - as well as a verbal volley from Cotter - galvanised Scotland, but the fact that Scotland were so wretched in that first-half raises huge issues for the Scotland management.

TWO WINS, TWO BONUS POINTS, BUT...

For Scotland, the big games are yet to come. On the face of it they are buzzing. Two wins, ten tries and plenty of forward momentum. But Scotland's resources are thin and this game against the Americans revealed just how thin.

Russell going off injured was a gulp-inducing moment. John Hardie's absence was also felt. Scotland have only one viable openside. The situation in the front-row is also troubling. The Scots will be in good shape so long as Dickinson and Nel can stay fit and well. Without them? Their vulnerabilities are laid bare.

What is also obvious, however, is that when Scotland get decent ball and are accurate then they have all manner of game-breakers behind the scrum. They have done what they needed to do, but the massive tests are now upon them, starting