DAVID SOLE

It was a great performance, but it’s winning that counts

SCOTLAND were looking for redemption at Murrayfield yesterday afternoon.

No matter what the players said about the World Cup quarter-final just over 12 months ago, the game would have weighed heavily on their minds and they would have used the pain of that defeat to inspire them to greater efforts. And what an impact it had.

The first half was an absolute cracker with both teams wanting to play expansive rugby yet few may have imagined that it would have been Scotland who would have been the dominant force.

Huw Jones had a wonderful first 40 minutes on home debut with two tries and some excellent defensive work. Scotland’s strength in-depth in the centre is beginning to look very impressive indeed.

The second half did not contain quite the same exhilarating rugby, but for intensity and excitement it would be hard to match.

Defence came to the fore and at the Scottish vanguard was John Barclay, the oft-forgotten man of Scottish rugby.

Not forgotten for long after this performance. He was every bit as good, if not better, than his lauded opponent David Pocock.

Like the quarter-final a year ago, the game was bound for a twist. Despite being reduced to 14 men, the Wallabies took the high-risk option when awarded a penalty and went for the corner rather than points and came away with a try and the lead with only minutes to go.

It was just enough to see the southern hemisphere side home, as it had been a year ago.

Scotland were exposed a little at scrumtime which was hardly surprising, given the relative inexperience of their front rows, despite Ross Ford’s century of caps.

Either side of him were two very raw props in international terms – their time will come, but it has been a tough induction into the world of international rugby for Alan Dell and Zander Fagerson.

Given the fact that this was Scotland’s first match since their Japanese tour and the Wallabies had been coming off games against Wales and the toughest of competition in the Rugby Championship, it was a very creditable performance.

Yet it’s winning that counts and that is the second time that Scotland have been deprived of a victory over the Wallabies in a year.

The pain of yet another nail-biting game against Australia will be hard to take but the manner of the performance will have made every spectator proud.

Next week the Scots await the arrival of the Pumas – another team, like Scotland, who are continuing to develop apace.

With physical forwards and pacy backs Scotland cannot afford any complacency and if they are to continue their development, only a win will do.