Matt Taylor has warned Scotland that a return to bad habits against Russia will cast them back into a World Cup crisis.

The Scots have reignited their quarter-final bid with Monday night's bonus point win over Samoa as they shook off the shame of their woeful display in their Pool A opener against Ireland.

Gregor Townsend declared the real Dark Blues had finally shown up in Japan after his side's 34-0 triumph over the Pacific Islanders in Kobe.

Taylor also found himself in the firing line as his defensive strategy was swept aside by the Irish, who ran in three first-half tries on their way to a crushing 27-3 win.

But the former Scotland A flanker refused to throw that criticism back at his doubters after seeing the Dark Blues chalk up their first clean sheet of Townsend's reign at the Misaki Stadium.

"From the first line-out against Samoa we got off the line, we double-hit them and knocked them back," he said.

"I think we took the stuffing out of them a little bit. It is exactly what we needed to do.

"It is very satisfying when you are a defence coach and manage to keep an opposition scoreless."