Scots take sweet revenge
SCOTLAND have got their sweet revenge by beating the Wallabies for just the third time in almost 35 years with a dogged 24-19 win yesterday.
After trailing for the first 57 minutes of the match, the Wallabies hit the lead when Bernard Foley converted a Will Genia try on the back of some unrelenting front-foot play from Australia.
Instead of rolling over, Scotland hit back with their third try of the afternoon in the 62nd minute courtesy of Hamish Watson to regain a five-point lead.
From there the world’s sixth ranked rugby side managed to repel numerous attacking Wallabies threats to record a victory that will somewhat make up for their one-point heartbreak at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Even after the full-time siren Australia charged at Scotland and looked like snaring another miraculous victory but a sensational turnover from Scotland – their second in two minutes camped on their own line – sealed the win.
Scotland five-eighth Finn Russell was instrumental, scoring a try of his own to go with three conversions.
For as much as the Wallabies hoped a psychological advantage may help them in the dying stages, this Scotland outfit were hungrier and showed that even without three of their best players, they could outclass the world’s No3 side.
Israel Folau scored the first back-to-back double of his career but it was in vain as the Wallabies undid plenty of their good work against Fiji, highlighted by some serious breakdown deficiencies.
Eto Nabuli was kept relatively quiet on debut on the wing, making four runs for 22 metres.
Australia were ineffective at the lineout too, losing key balls off their own throws when they desperately needed to wrestle momentum back.
As for Scotland, they played with real passion and were hellbent on reversing the trend of previous fixtures when the Wallabies snatched late, unlikely victories. The Sun-Herald