Scotland’s great victory over Australia

According to the rankings, Australia are the third-best rugby team in the world, said Alasdair Reid in The Times. So it’s hard to expect any side to beat them at home – let alone a side that has lost its best players to the British and Irish Lions’ tour of New Zealand. That’s why Scotland’s 24-19 win in Sydney last Saturday was so impressive. Playing against a fullstrength side, the Scots achieved one of the greatest results in their history. There were “heroes all over the park”: fly-half Finn Russell was a “shimmering presence”; Hamish Watson’s try was “a thing of rare beauty”. For years, Scottish players couldn’t spot an opening “if there was a giant neon sign pointing the way”; now they seize opportunities in “the tightest places”. Having enjoyed their best Six Nations in years, they continue to improve – and rose this week to fifth in the world rankings.

Meanwhile England, who were missing an extraordinary 30 players, won a pair of “rollercoaster” matches against Argentina, said Daniel Schofield in The Daily Telegraph. They demonstrated their resilience, losing the lead on seven occasions yet recovering each time. In a series marshalled by “immaculate” fly-half George Ford, 11 new faces were integrated into the side – among them 19-year-old Tom Curry and 20-year-old Sam Underhill. It was only England’s second series victory in Argentina, and it pointed to the depth of the talent pool: no other side boasts such a wealth of resources.