By Kaylan Geekie at Murrayfield | Back Page Heroes
Date: Saturday, November 12 Kick-off: 14:30 GMT
Autumn International
Final Score: Scotland 22 (17) Australia 23 (10)
Scotland: Tries: Jones (2), J Gray Pen: Laidlaw Con: Laidlaw (2)
Australia: Tries: Hodge, Kuridrani Pen: Foley (3) Con: Foley (2) Yellow Cards: Skelton
- Australia snatch 23-22 victory over Scotland
- Bernard Foley kicks 77th minute winning conversion
- Flyhalf kicked winning penalty that knocked Scots out of 2015 World Cup
- Huw Jones scores a brace in first game at Murrayfield in first Test start
- Scotland outscore Wallabies three tries to two
We’ve been here before. Groundhog Day. Déjà vu. Defeat. A one-point defeat. Against Australia. Again.
A late Tevita Kuridrani try and Bernard Foley conversion saw the Wallabies fight back from an 11-point second half deficit in a come-from-behind win in Scotland’s opening Autumn International of 2016.
A first half brace from Huw Jones either side of Reece Hodge’s five-pointer capped a fine display but it was not enough to see Scotland home.
Johnny Gray’s second half try and seven points from Greig Laidlaw’s boot was not enough as Scots’ nemesis Foley with another match-winning kick drove a dagger through Scotland’s hearts.
Vern Cotter’s side outplayed their southern hemisphere opponents, again. They lost at the death, again. Again.
The stakes might not have been as high as last year’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat but tell that to the dejected coach and captain, the Scotland team and the fans.
Scotland outscored Australia three tries to two but were outscored where it matters most: the scoreboard.
The fine margins between victory and defeat is small. In the end the result was settled by kicks and missed kicks. Taking chances and not. Heard that before?
Laidlaw’s missed two-pointer after Johnny Gray’s second half try was the difference – which he himself acknowledged after the defeat.
Had the scrum-half’s conversion attempt not hit the post, Scotland would be celebrating a much deserved victory, instead, they must deal with more questions of “what might have been?”. Instead they claim another “moral” victory and suffer a tangible defeat.
Scotland led 22-16, had been camped in their own half for the latter part of the match, repelling wave after wave of the gold tide that threatened to wash over them.
Eventually the defence was breached when Kuridrani’s break inside the Scots’ 22 ended with an outstretched arm placing the ball on the try-line with Stuart Hogg hanging around his waist.
Foley’s 77th minute conversion, gave his side the lead for the first and only time in the game: the time when it matters most.
Australia had been repelled a couple of times prior to the game-winning goal.
First when they turned the ball over when it looked more likely to score, and again, when Will Skelton was sin-binned for foul play, leading referee John Lacey to reverse an Aussie penalty on the Scots’ try-line. Eventually the pressure told.
Soul Bossa Nova was the favoured tune at Murrayfield but this was no slap-stick performance. Scotland raced into a ten-point lead courtesy of Laidlaw’s third minute penalty and Huw Jones’ converted first try.
From a line-out in Scottish territory, Finn Russell’s majestic dink over the on-rushing Wallaby defence was gathered by Jones, who sprinted 40 metres unchallenged to score under the posts.
Australia hit back immediately with a well worked try of their own. Foley combined with Israel Folau who had joined the back-line, then popped to the flyhalf on a sweeping give-and-go overwhelming Scotland’s defence.
Dane Haylett-Petty collected Foley’s pass, broke the Scottish line while drawing defenders, delivered a pass to Hodge who beat two tackles to score. The conversion and a penalty levelled the game at 10-all.
Scotland’s set-piece play was excellent and the battle at the break-down was fierce. It would have to be with their opponents fielding the much venerated “Pooper” duo of David Pocock and Michael Hooper.
The Gray brothers were superb in every department, combining for 47 tackles; Richie 23, Johnny 24, missing none, while the younger sibling also carried 14 times to add to his try.
More impressively was the backs’ display, attacking the gain-line and playing with pace and width. This wasn’t passing for passing sake and the Wallabies struggled to contain the Scots as they pushed and probed.
Much was made of Scotland’s inexperienced front-row. Ross Ford playing in his 100th Test, was flanked by debutant Allan Dell and Zander Fagerson, making his first start.
Any supposed weakness was dispelled as Scotland’s scrum won an early scrum-penalty.
Just as Australia had done earlier, the hosts replied with a converted try when Jones crossed for his second try.
The centre’s penetrating run inside the 22m left two would-be tacklers for dead and had the crowd on their feet, saluting a new hero. Scotland went into the break 17-10.
They picked up where they had left off with Johnny Gray’s 48th minute try extending the lead after Foley’s early second half penalty.
Scotland broke blind, Stuart Hogg was brought down five-metres out, Laidlaw recycled quickly and Gray barrelled over to score. The captain’s conversion hit the upright but Scotland led by 11 points.
Foley reduced the lead to six points at 22-16 with a 55th minute penalty and Australia started to take control. By now the penalties were starting to mount up against the hosts and their control of the game was relinquished.
Scotland had their chances but could not score any points. They failed to capitalise with the extra man advantage, which ultimately, proved costly.
As what is always the case in professional rugby at the highest level, missed opportunities come back to haunt and like that gut-wrenching loss in London, a last gasp kick scuppered Scotland’s chance of a Wallaby scalp.
But for “a lick of paint” according to Laidlaw after the defeat, Scotland can take heart from the display, but the scoreboard matters most.
Moral victories count for nothing and nothing less than a victory at Murrayfield would do.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Alex Dunbar, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw (captain), 8 Ryan Wilson, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 John Barclay, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Allan Dell.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Moray Low, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 John Hardie, 21 Ali Price, 22 Pete Horne, 23 Rory Hughes.
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Lopeti Timani, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 David Pocock, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Rory Arnold, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Stephen Moore (captain), 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements: 16 Tolu Latu, 17 Tom Robertson, 18 Allan Alaalatoa, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Will Skelton, 21 Dean Mumm, 22 Nick Phipps, 23 Quade Cooper.
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Ian Davies (Wales)
TMO: Simon McDowell (Ireland)
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