Six years ago in Houston, one of the brightest moments in the history of American rugby doubled as one of the darkest ones in Scottish rugby.

But in their first meeting Friday since the United States' national rugby team defeated Scotland in a historic victory for the Eagles that was the former’s first win over a Tier 1 team in 94 years, there was no second American stunner. 

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Ewan Ashman scored a first-half hat trick, Duhan van der Merwe equaled Scotland’s all-time national record with his 27th try and a powerful Scotland squad walloped the United States by a 42-7 margin Friday night in Washington, D.C.

Coach Gregor Townsend and his men were able to avoid a repeat of that now-infamous night in Texas in 2018 - with authority.

Though Scotland (which opened its mid-year tests with a 73-12 demolition of Canada in Ottawa last weekend) was heavily favored to defeat the Eagles in the American capital, the visitors could never be too certain in pregame after what happened the last time they played the Eagles on American soil. 

That’s where Ashman, who was born in Canada, was of assistance as part of a blistering opening 40 minutes for Scotland.

Van der Merwe was the first to get on the board in the sixth minute, giving Scotland an early cushion, as the stocky and speedy wing tied Stuart Hogg’s all-time record for tries in a Scotland shirt - while doing it in an incredible 62 fewer caps, too. 

But Ashman’s outburst was what helped Scotland take a commanding 28-7 lead at the intermission, going over first off the back of a rolling maul in the 19th minute, before getting another five-pointer eight minutes later, shortly after the Eagles’ David Ainu’u was sin-binned and Scotland was given a man advantage.

The United States avoided the shutout by way of Old Glory DC center Tommaso Boni, who put on a show for the home Old Glory supporters in attendance at Audi Field in the 32nd minute by scoring off of a pass from the Seattle Seawolves’ JP Smith, who picked up his second cap in as many weeks after making his senior international debut against Romania last weekend.

Ashman, however, wasn’t finished. 

With all three of his tries coming in a similar fashion (from a line-out leading into a rolling maul), Scotland stuck to what was tried and true, as the Edinburgh man completed his hat trick (and upped his Scotland try total to seven) right before halftime, to cancel out Boni’s effort and give Scotland an extra bit of comfort.

Muggy weather conditions frequently made the ball slippery, and game flow sometimes was scrappy throughout the second half, but it was no problem for the No. 6-ranked team in the world, as it was in no danger of losing sight of the match in the final 40 minutes.

Glasgow Warriors scrumhalf George Horne, fresh off winning the United Rugby Championship with his club team, scored 10 minutes into the second half to help grow Scotland’s advantage to 28 points, ridding himself of his own personal demons against the Eagles, as he earned his first cap for Scotland during that fateful night in Houston. 

Horne’s Warriors teammate, Matt Fagerson, got Scotland’s sixth score with just a few minutes to go before the full-time whistle as Scotland’s powerful scrum forced its way through to the American try line and put the bow on a dominant display, with Ross Thompson converting after the replaced Adam Hastings booted through the extra two points on the previous five Scotland tries.

Major League Rugby trio Conner Mooneyham (Seattle), Saia Uhila (Utah Warriors) and Ethan McVeigh (Old Glory) made their debuts for the Eagles on Friday night in a celebratory occasion, though coach Scott Lawrence - who tore off the interim tag in January after leading the United States following Rugby World Cup qualifying - still is looking for his first win as the official boss. The Eagles were beaten by Romania in Chicago last weekend in their first match of 2024.

Scotland is halfway through its four-game Americas tour with a real chance of getting through it unbeaten, being slated to face Chile in Santiago next Saturday and Uruguay in Montevideo on July 27, before end-of-year internationals begin in November against Fiji.

Meanwhile, with the Eagles, they have just over a month-long break before returning to action against rival Canada in the revamped World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup on Aug. 31, opening their time in Pool B with a match against their neighbors to the north at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. 

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