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Key events
20 min: Kinghorn catches a tester from Wright. Then Jorgensen fields a box kick. Gordon hoofs to the corner and forces Russell to try a banana kick to find touch. That all ends with a big net gain in territory for Australia. Gordon with the best punt in that sequence. Not necessarily long, but in the corner.
18 min: Lonergan receives Russell’s drop-out clearance and fancies an attempt at a drop-goal. He doesn’t quite catch all of it and misses.
17 min: The scrum takes an age to settle. We need a few goes before a free kick is awarded to Australia. That’s the second time the Scots have been pinned. A kick pins Kinghorn down in his own 22 but a lovely return has Gordon fielding. Potter runs it before the forwards get to work. Lonergan then hoists a box. Jorgensen catches it and Wright rakes a kick to the corner for Potter, but it’s fractionally long and Russell can field it and dot down in the goal area for a drop-out.
15 min: Back on the pitch, Scotland look to run it sooner after conceding. But they spill the ball in contact which means we’ll get an Aussie scrum just beyond their own 22.
Decent start this from both sides. Ball in hand they look threatening. White is having a really good game, zipping it about.
The gainline battle is something. Valetini and Wilson putting in some big hits.
No Tuipulotu
BTW, Sione Tuipulotu is not playing.
Tom Jordan is on instead at 12.
Gregor Townsend told ITV: “Sione has trained all week. He was managing himself a little in training but we were confident he’d be fine for the game.
“In the captain’s run, which is the lightest session of the week, he didn’t feel as confident. We made the decision overnight it wasn’t worth the risk.
TRY! Scotland 5-5 Australia (Potter, 12)
Magic from Harry Potter! Forgive me grabbing the lowest of hanging fruits but that really is a special finish from the winger. Australia’s first bit of possession had Gordon combine with multiple mates before Potter recieved it on the left wing. He still had a load of work to do, stepping off his right and holding off the challenge of two tacklers. He was brought to ground but wriggled and dotted down. Great finish.
The extras are missed from out wide so we’re all level.
TRY! Scotland 5-0 Australia (M Fagerson, 9)
Scotland on the board! Great work, so clinical. From the scrum, they had perpetual go forward. First Jones then darge. Eventually White flung a wuick pass to Fagerson who was loitering on the right wing. He dived low to score in the corner. Russell couldn’t slot the extras, hitting the pole.
8 min: Scotland win the scrum and Jones carries hard from first reciever. They’re pressing, so close….
6 min: The exit was made easy for Australia as Scotland were over eager at the scrum, giving away a free kick. But White is back over the ball after winning a line-out. Russell grubbers ahead and Gordon has to mop up. He’s swamped in the corner and there’s a turnover, Scotland on the ball. Alaalatoa steals it back but he knocks on! Almost from the prop, but that spill means Scotland get a scrum five out in the right corner. Great kick from Russell there, real class and awareness that out Gordon under pressure.
5 min: They look to maul but it splutters, so Ashman peels off and darts himself. They keep the ball but snake across the field, from right to left, without going forward. Eventually they spill it. Great defence from Australia who first halted the maul and then bossed the gainline. Valetini I think with the final hit that dislodged the ball. Scrum to the Wallabies on their own line.
4 min A very kickable penalty is instead hoofed to the corner. Right into the corner so Scotland get a throw five out.
2 min: A bit of kick tennis before White hoists a high ball. Scotland comes away with it as Dempsey, who used to play for Australia, runs it up. Scotland get an advantage as a Wallaby strays off side. Nothing comes of it so they get a penalty bang in front, about 30 metres back.
Kick-off!
Russell gets us underway.
Flower of Scotland, sung a capella by a stacked Murrayfield, really is a special thing.
But all that energy is quickly evaporated with a slew of ads on the TV. I guess we all need to pay the bills.
Once these are done we’ll be getting stuck in.
They’re showing scenes inside the Scottish dressing room as both sets of players get ready to walk out onto the pitch.
First the Wallabies run out, then come the home favourites.
Both sets of players have a chance to right a few wrongs. You fear for the coach and captain who winds up on the wrong end of the result this afternoon.
There’s no shortage of Australian connections in the Scotland camp.
Captain Sione Tuipulotu was born and raised in Melbourne, represented Australia at Under-20 level and played for the Rebels before qualifying for Scotland through his Greenock-born grandmother. She famously flew over from Australia to surprise him and his brother Mosese before the Wallabies’ visit in 2024, then watched Sione score a try in Scotland’s 27-13 victory.
Then there’s Jack Dempsey, born in Sydney and capped 14 times by Australia, including at the 2019 World Cup, before switching allegiance in 2022 through his Scottish grandfather. His Scotland debut? Against Australia, naturally.
Even Gregor Townsend has a connection. He spent two seasons playing club rugby for Warringah in Sydney in the 1990s, where he crossed paths with future Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, then playing for Randwick.
Who do you think will win?
According to the fans who have voted on the official Nations Championship site, Scotland have a 65% chance of victory.
I’d say that’s about right.
Last week, after Australia produced an abject performance against England, I wrote that the hunt for a settled fly-half was akin to Dumbledore’s search for a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Well, Carter Gordon has been given the keys for this one. Can he do any better?
A different type of rugby, but the Wallabies will hope to draw some inspiration from their league counterparts, who once again claimed a World Cup crown.
Here’s a moving piece on a father and son, and the bond forged through rugby and a shared experience of type 1 diabetes.
A lovely read from Harriet Gibsone:
Today’s match marks the 28th time that Russell and White have started together at half-back for Scotland.
That draws them level with Gregor Townsend and Bryan Redpath, who formed one of Scotland’s most enduring combinations.
Russell, incidentally, is on 96 caps and closing in on his own century, which he’ll reach in the Six Nations in front of his own fans against Wales on 13 February if his fitness permits.
Does history every count?
Australia have traditionally held the upper hand in this fixture, but Scotland have won four of the last five meetings. Their most recent encounter ended in a comfortable 27-13 victory at Murrayfield in November 2024. The Wallabies’ only victory over Scotland since 2017 was a narrow 16-15 triumph in Edinburgh four years ago.
Missed out on all the rugby action this weekend?
Fear now, you can catch up here:
Australia team news
Australia have reshuffled their side following last weekend’s heavy defeat by England, with Carter Gordon returning at fly-half after recovering from a broken leg.
The former rugby league recruit replaces Ben Donaldson and forms a half-back partnership with Ryan Lonergan.
An injury to Isaac Henry sees Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii shift into midfield alongside Len Ikitau, with Harry Potter coming onto the wing. Up front, Rob Valetini returns to the starting side at blindside flanker, while Jeremy Williams moves back into the second row alongside Josh Canham.
Captain Harry Wilson continues at No 8, with Fraser McReight completing a formidable back row. The Wallabies have struggled for consistency throughout the Nations Championship and will be looking to arrest their slide against a Scotland side that has enjoyed the better of this fixture in recent years.
Australia: Tom Wright; Max Jorgensen, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Harry Potter; Carter Gordon, Ryan Lonergan; Angus Bell, Billy Pollard, Allan Alaalatoa, Josh Canham, Jeremy Williams, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt).
Replacements: Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Isaac Kailea, Taniela Tupou, Lachlan Shaw, Tom Hooper, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Filipo Daugunu.
Scotland team news
Gregor Townsend has made just two changes to the side beaten 43-21 by New Zealand last weekend, restoring Blair Kinghorn at full-back and Scotland’s record try-scorer Darcy Graham on the wing.
Kyle Rowe drops out of the squad altogether, while Jamie Dobie moves to the bench. The pack remains unchanged, with Ewan Ashman retaining his place at hooker after scoring a remarkable hat-trick against the All Blacks.
Finn Russell and Ben White combine at half-back for the 28th time, while captain Sione Tuipulotu continues his midfield partnership with Huw Jones.
Newcastle back-rower Ollie Leatherbarrow could make his international debut from a six-two bench. Scotland have won four of their last five meetings with Australia, including a 27-13 victory at Murrayfield in 2024, and will be desperate to maintain that record after another frustrating defeat by the All Blacks.
Scotland: Blair Kinghorn; Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu (capt), Darcy Graham; Finn Russell, Ben White; Rory Sutherland, Ewan Ashman, Zander Fagerson, Gregor Brown, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Rory Darge, Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: Gregor Hiddleston, Pierre Schoeman, Will Hurd, Max Williamson, Josh Bayliss, Ollie Leatherbarrow, Jamie Dobie, Tom Jordan.
Preamble
Hello all. It’s been a heck of a weekend for European rugby. Famous victories for France and Wales. Can Scotland keep the flag flying, or will the a wounded Wallabies outfit get one over the line for the southern giants?
#Scotland #Australia #Nations #Championship #rugby #union #live #Nations #Championship
