Scotland play catch-up against old adversaries

SCOTLAND and Australia have met 32 times in a fixture that stretches back 94 years, with the Wallabies having won 21, including a run of 16 victories between 1982 and 2006. Since then, however, the matches have been a lot less one-sided, with Scotland’s good recent run getting under way a dozen years ago at Murrayfield.

NOV 21, 2009 (MURRAYFIELD) SCOTLAND 9 AUSTRALIA 8

Two penalties from Phil Godman and a drop-goal by Chris Paterson saw the Scots claim a first victory in the fixture in 27 years. A defiant, backs-to-the-wall performance in the first half had somehow kept the scores level 3-3 at the break, then the home side grew in confidence as the game went on. Ryan Cross’ late try gave the visitors hope, but Matt Giteau missed the conversion.

JUNE 5, 2012 (HUNTER STAD, NEWCASTLE, AUSTRALIA) AUSTRALIA 6 SCOTLAND 9

Three penalties by Greig Laidlaw to two from Mike Harris made the difference in poor conditions, the last coming right on full time. This was the first of a three-match tour to the South Pacific that also included wins over Fiji and Samoa.

NOV 23, 2013 (MURRAYFIELD) SCOTLAND 15 AUSTRALIA 21

Laidlaw kept the home side in touch in the first half with four penalties, but a fifth after the break was not enough as the Wallabies, who had led by a point at half time, finished more strongly to ensure they avoided a hat-trick of defeats. Israel Folau and Chris Feauai-Sautia were the Australians’ tryscorers in a game which would have produced a bigger winning margin but for a poor day with the boot by Christian Lealiifano.

OCT 18, 2015 (TWICKENHAM) AUSTRALIA 35 SCOTLAND 34

The infamous Rugby World Cup quarter-final in which referee Craig Joubert erroneously awarded Australia a match-winning penalty in the closing seconds – then ran off the pitch at full time. That decision apart, it was a magnificent match, in which Scotland scored three tries through Peter Horne, Tommy Seymour and Mark Bennett. Laidlaw converted two, and his five penalties helped keep Scotland in with a hope of reaching a first semi-final since 1991 before Bernard Foley gratefully scored that very late winner.

NOV 12, 2016 (MURRAYFIELD)

SCOTLAND 22 AUSTRALIA 23

In the days leading up to this game as all and sundry offered their predictions, one forecast predominated by far among the home support: a single-point victory for Australia, and this time without the need for a dubious refereeing decision.

Such an outcome appeared agonisingly predictable after what had happened a year earlier at the World Cup, and sure enough that is what transpired. Huw Jones scored two tries and Jonny Gray got another, but the decisive score was Tevita Kuridrani’s touchdown a few minutes from time, converted by – who else? – Foley.

JUNE 17, 2017 (SYDNEY) AUSTRALIA 19 SCOTLAND 24

Greig Tonks set the ball rolling with a penalty, then Duncan Taylor, Finn Russell and Hamish Watson all scored tries. Russell’s conversion of all three proved decisive in the end as far as the scoreboard went, but once more defensive excellence was the key as the tourists held on after having taken an early 10-0 lead.

NOV 25 2017 (MURRAYFIELD) SCOTLAND 53 AUSTRALIA 24

Five months on from that away victory, Gregor Townsend’s team claimed a record win for the fixture, running in eight tries. The sending-off of Sekope Kepu just before half time hardly helped the Wallabies’ cause, but it was a magnificent attacking performance nonetheless from the home side. Byron McGuigan scored two tries, with the others coming from Ali Price, Sean Maitland, Gray, Jones, John Barclay and Stuart McInally. Russell chipped in with 13 points from five conversions and a penalty.