Eyebrows were raised when Danny Addy was named in Scotland’s squad for the World Cup but the Bulls star enjoyed arguably the best game of his career on Tuesday night.

The Scots opened their campaign with a stirring 26-24 win over Tonga at Workington’s Derwent Park in front of a capacity crowd of 7,630.

Addy started in the second row alongside new Bulls team-mate Dale Ferguson and superbly created a try for Brett Carter, before switching to loose forward in the second half.

Facing a side of powerful runners packed with experience in both the Super League and NRL, the Bravehearts did not take a backwards step and were rewarded with victory thanks to Matty Russell’s late try.

There was no such victory for Elliot Kear and Ben Evans in their opening match of the tournament against Italy at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

Iestyn Harris’ side lost 32-16 but Kear and Evans both scored well-taken tries and gave fine individual performances.

Frank Winterstein, announced as the Bulls’ latest recruit on Tuesday, represented Samoa in their 42-24 defeat to New Zealand on Sunday but sustained a suspected pectoral injury which could end his World Cup involvement.