Scotland shatters Wallabies' Grand Slam dream

MATCH REPORT: Australia’s Grand Slam dream lays in tatters on the Murrayfield turf.

After a tense opening half, which saw the home team lead by only four points (7-3), which was still the margin after 50 minutes (10-6), Scotland raced clear with three second-half tries for a 27-13 win.

After wins over England and Wales earlier on their year-end tour, the Australian media had written the class on 2024 up as the equal to the greats of 1984.

With Ireland lying in wait next week, a win in Edinburgh was spoken of with great confidence and after 50 minutes it looked a reality.

That was shattered brutally by a determined Scotland.

Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu scored a try against the land of his birth, with his side crossing Australia’s line four times in their final match of the November series.

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Tuipulotu’s score helped give Scotland a narrow 7-3 lead at the break, but second-half tries from Duhan van der Merwe, Josh Bayliss and Finn Russell put the result beyond doubt.

By contrast, Australia could only manage two Noah Lolesio penalties and debutant Harry Potter’s consolation try in the dying minutes.

The Wallabies came into this match following a last-gasp 42-37 win over England at Twickenham and a 52-20 rout of Wales earlier this month.

Victory on Sunday would have left Australia coach Joe Schmidt, formerly in charge of Ireland, bidding for a clean sweep of wins over the Home Nations – England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales – against his old side in Dublin next weekend.

But Scotland ensured there would be no repeat of Australia’s celebrated 1984 Grand Slam.

This success also meant Scotland ended their November campaign with the ‘statement win’ over a leading nation demanded by coach Gregor Townsend following a 15-32 loss to world champions South Africa this month.

Australia, who had initially made six changes to the team that won in Cardiff, were forced into two more.

Wallaby hooker Matt Faessler was ruled out Saturday due to a calf injury, with Brandon Paenga-Amosa taking his place.

And shortly before Sunday’s kick-off lock Jeremy Williams withdrew through illness, with Lukhan Salakaia-Loto coming into the second row.

Despite the disruption, Lolesio’s penalty gave Australia a 12th-minute lead.

Scotland, however, went 7-3 ahead in the 22nd minute.

A clever play saw hooker Ewan Ashman deliberately throw the ball over the top of the forwards to Melbourne-born centre Tuipulotu, who burst through Len Ikitau’s attempted tackle for a try converted by Russell.

Tuipulotu’s try was witnessed in the stands by his Greenock-born grandmother from whom he is qualified to represent Scotland.

The Scotland captain was then involved in a collision with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii that saw the Australia rising star leave the field.

Scotland laid siege to Australia’s line but individual errors spoilt several promising positions to leave them just four points ahead at the break.

But a Russell penalty early in the second half left Scotland 10-3 ahead.

A Scotland break-out move deep inside their own half led to an Australia drop-out from beneath the Wallabies’ posts.

From the kick reception, Scotland worked an overlap move in the 51st minute that allowed Van der Merwe to go over for his 30th try in 44 Tests as he regained outright the national try record from team-mate Darcy Graham.

Russell curled in an awkward conversion from the touchline and Scotland had breathing space at 17-6.

Replacement flank Bayliss, only just on the field, then scored his fifth try in 10 Tests when he surged over in the 67th minute as he powered away from a trio of would-be tacklers following a pass by Graham.

And three minutes later, a slick move involving Huw Jones and Blair Kinghorn, allowed Russell to burst through from close range, with Potter’s try too little too late for the Wallabies.

The scorers

For Scotland
Tries: Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe, Bayliss, Russell
Cons: Russell 2
Pen: Russell

For Australia
Try: Potter
Con: Donaldson
Pens: Lolesio 2

Teams:

Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Matt Fagerson, 7 Rory Darge, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Alex Craig, 20 Josh Bayliss, 21 George Horne, 22 Tom Jordan, 23 Kyle Rowe.

Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Noah Lolesio, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Carlo Tizzano, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Angus Bell
Replacements: 16 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 17 Isaac Kailea, 18 Zane Nonggorr, 19 Nick Frost, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Ben Donaldson, 23 Max Jorgensen

Referee: Chris Busby (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Andrew Brace (Ireland), Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (Italy)