MARK Bennett hopes to be back in the Scotland line-up against Samoa on Saturday - and expects that he and his team-mates will have to be at the top of their game from kick-off if they are to book their place in the last eight of the Rugby World Cup.

The Glasgow centre sat out the Scots’ loss to South Africa at the weekend, when for the third match running Vern Cotter’s team played far better in the second half. They still stand on the brink of qualifying for the quarter-finals thanks to earlier wins over Japan and the United States, but Bennett thinks they will have to turn in a more complete performance against opponents who still have something to play for in Pool B.

“We can’t just go out and think 40 minutes is going to be enough,” he said yesterday. “It needs to be an 80-minute performance, so we need to switch on from the word go and get into them.

“We managed to win our first two games with a 40, but we can’t rely on that. It’s a huge game this weekend and another huge game the following week if we get through.”

Samoa lost to Japan three days ago and cannot now finish in the top two in the pool to go through to the last eight. But there is also a prize for coming third - the guarantee of a place at the next World Cup four years from now. “I think that they’re going to come for us, because they still need to try and finish third to get automatic qualification,” Bennett said.

“They’re going to try and bring a physical game as well - they’re going to try and beat us up. They’re going to bring physicality to us but then also try and get the finesse in there with these guys trying to finish it off.”

There will not be as many Samoans as there were South Africans at St James’ Park, but Bennett is sure there will still be an excellent atmosphere at the Newcastle ground. “I did the warm-up at the weekend and being out on the park and seeing it build up, it was huge. Hopefully if selected this weekend I can get a real taste of it.

“It was a great atmosphere - it was vocal, real vocal. Obviously I wasn’t playing, but I think the boys on the park enjoyed it, so hopefully we can get the same again this weekend. Get a big crowd in, cheer us on.”