Rugby – Scotland v Australia, 2017 Autumn Internationals

Scotland Record a Record Win over Australia

The third and final Autumn International was against Australia at BT Murrayfield on Saturday and it looked like the end of a long season for the Antipodeans as a, relatively underperforming Australian side was played off the park by a Scotland side full of confidence after their narrow miss the previous weekend.

The loss of Stuart Hogg to a warm-up injury had the crowd looking a bit concerned, but Head Coach, Gregor Townsend, performed a quick reshuffle in the back division and off we went.

A couple of early breakdown penalties soon saw the Aussies deep in Scotland’s half, but a long range effort from Reece Hodge slid past the uprights. Scotland then turned up the heat a touch and forced their own incursion, but, in, what was to be a relative – and we are speaking ‘relative’ – off-day for Finn Russell, he kicked the ball dead.

On the 14 minute mark, Russell found his kicking form and put the home side ahead with a penalty inside the opposition 22 for 3-0.

The following five minutes were played at a huge pace with Australia, perhaps, having the edge until a missed pass set the ball loose and wing, Byron McGuigan hacked through. He chased and got boot to ball a second time, but this kick slewed wildly across the pitch and nearer the chasing defence. However, such is the bounce of the rugby ball, and, as it eluded everyone, McGuigan dived for the ball as it crossed the line for the opening try. With Russell converting, Scotland were 10-0 up after 18 minutes.

This was followed up by a TMO denied ‘touch down’, again involving the winger, a couple of minutes later, but , as the ball had been ‘carried back, it was a five metre scrum to Scotland.

The next 15 minutes of the match are fairly even, with Scotland, perhaps, just ahead on the possession stakes until, in the 35^th minute, Australian pressure was awarded with a try. A neat passing move was then finished off with a grubber kick from Bernard Foley which Tevita Kuridrani chased through for the try. With Foley’s conversion it was now 10-7 to Scotland.

Which was soon 12-10 to Australia as a mishandled ball near half way was picked up by Foley who set down the side line off for the try line. Sean Maitland tackled the No. 10 inside the 22, but Kuridarni was following up and Foley’s offload put the huge centre clear for his second try and, with the kick missed, 12-10 to Australia.

Then came, what may have been, the turning point of the match. A breakdown in mid-field was ‘joined’ at about 200mph by Sekope Kepu, which, in itself, was a touch suspect, but when the replay was replayed – many times – his ‘no-arm’ connection was with Hamish Watson’s head. The referee then had no option but to red card the front row and Russell kicked for touch with a minute of the half left.

Line out won, the rolling maul set up is defended well by the Aussies, but when the ball came out to Ali Price, he found a gap in front and just evaded the tackle of Foley to reach out and get the ball down for the second try and 15-12. Russell’s conversion then put the score at 17-12 and the players retired to the dressing rooms for the break.

The second half started where the first had left off, but it was the Australians in the driving seat. Three minutes in and sustained pressure on the line told, puting the wizard that is Kurtley Beale in for a try. Foley missed the kick, but it was now all even at 17-17.

Within a couple of minutes, Scotland regained the lead with a Sean Maitland try in the corner for 22-17, Russell missing the conversion.

Then there was a fourth try, this time from the pack as, around the 50^th minute, Jonny Gray is released to score under the posts. With Russell’s conversion, it was now 29-17.

Five minutes later, with the gaps in the defence now beginning to appear, the fifth try for Scotland goes on the board with a Russell/Jones combination putting the centre through for, an unconverted, score and 34-17.

By this time the crowd were creating the sort of noise that, maybe, only Scotland get, but still they found time to warmly applaud Stephen Moore off the pitch to end his final game for the men in Gold.

No sentimentality was evident on the pitch, however, as, two minutes after Moore took his final bow, Scotland scored their sixth try of the match through McGuigan.

As the final 10 minutes approached, it was clear the Aussies were now playing for pride and their fourth try was scored by Lopeti Timani following a, successful, TMO intervention and, with Foley’s conversion it was 39-24.

A 74^th minute try from John Barclay, who broke clear from a breakdown in front of the posts, was converted by Russell for 46-24 and the final coup-de-gras was administered on the final whistle when, following Beale’s yellow for deliberate foul play, Russell converted Edon Mill’s Man-of-the-Match, McGuigan’s, hat-trick try for the final score of 53-24 and that record win over the Australians.

Images from the match will appear here over the next few days.