Rugby: Scotland 9-8 Australia - Win is especially sweet for Ford

Published on Monday 23 November 2009 08:39

ROSS FORD is today savouring a long-awaited revenge after Scotland's rugby side reached exalted heights to beat twice world champions Australia in a Murrayfield epic.

The Edinburgh hooker, who was instrumental in setting up what proved to be the winning drop goal from Chris Paterson to add to a couple of Phil Godman penalties, recalled how his 32-cap career had started with a 14-31 drubbing at the hands of the 2004 Wallabies and that finally the record had been set straight.

"It all started for me against Australia on the wrong end of a defeat," he said.

"Now it has been turned around and after defending really well for the whole 80 minutes and showing guts to dig in near the end we got our just reward."

It was a particularly notable scalp for the 25-year-old who, within the space of a few months has come off the bench to share in a Lions triumph over the Springboks and now has the pelt of another top Southern Hemisphere side.

On this form it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Ford will help conquer the All Blacks to complete his Test trinity but meantime he was happy to reflect on how Scotland will go into Saturday's concluding Autumn Test against Argentina, also at Murrayfield, looking for a third straight win.

That hasn't happened for 75 internationals stretching back to 2002 while another by-product of Saturday's win – which ended in such dramatic fashion with Matt Giteau failing to convert Ryan Cross' try with the final kick – was that Ireland now have the dubious distinction of the longest losing sequence in a fixture, against New Zealand. Previously Scotland had shared that indignity having also suffered a series of 16 straight losses in encounters with Australia.

Where Saturday was different, according to Ford, was due to confidence being inspired by one key second half incident.

"The moment we really began to believe we could win came not long after half time when we turned Australia's possession over and pushed them back into the corner five metres from their line."

A posse of Scots followed up substitute Nick De Luca's penetrative kick and swamped the covering Will Genia.

Although the Australians played their get-out-of-jail card the suitably lifted Scots returned to the visiting half in 55 minutes for Phil Godman to put them ahead for the first time with an angled penalty.

As for the killer blow that came in 75 minutes and Ford was later singled out by coach Andy Robinson for his part in repeatedly driving forward to establish field position deep in Aussie territory. Playing down such praise, Ford said: "The important thing was that we were able to put into effect a planned move.

"For two or three weeks beforehand we had practised a routine where we keep hold of possession and work our way upfield. Once we have an attacking platform it is over to the kickers and we are lucky to have two options with both Phil Godman and Chris Paterson capable of landing the drop goal.

"As to which one is called up it all depends who is best suited to dropping back into the pocket and on this occasion it was Chris although it could easily have been Phil."

That was far from the only example of Scotland following beautifully tailored instructions to the letter, again as revealed by Ford, who added: "We turned round 3-3 and at half time Andy Robinson made the point we had knocked on too much possession letting them have ball-in-hand without having to work for it.

"If we were to win it would be a matter of keeping the ball and playing for territory although in the end the match will be remembered for our great defensive display. Here again putting in the tackles was all very well but we knew we couldn't give away any silly penalties.

"The structures we were following allowed for that and left the Australians looking a bit exposed playing through phases without getting in behind us."

That was the case until, after 18 successive phases, Ryan Cross scrambled over 10 metres in from the touchline leaving Giteau the chance to redeem himself for missing two straightforward penalties and a drop goal effort he would normally have been expected to slot blindfolded.

But the Aussie playmaker seemed especially rattled by Scottish rugby's equivalent to the rope-a-dope tactic whereby Muhammad Ali soaked up endless punishment before dethroning world heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman back in 1974.

So, Giteau fired wide leaving the Scots celebrating, including Ford from the sidelines to where he had retreated as the last home substitution was made, allowing the fresh legs of able deputy Dougie Hall to run out and help seal the win.

That meant a mass rush forward at the conversion to try to inhibit Giteau and if he was disappointed to take his leave with four minutes remaining Ford hinted that Hall's extra spring could have played a vital role in an unexpected manner.

"From my position in the stand I saw the ball hold up in the wind and if it came down to the charge I'd probably have pulled up because of the way I'd been blowing in putting everything into my stint."

And how Ford strained every sinew as did the entire Scottish team on a day made for heroes.

Coach Andy Robinson got his 15 per cent improvement from the previous 23-10 win over Fiji and nowhere more so than in the way Scotland drove line-outs to tie in Australia. That provided much of what little quality possession came their way and coach Robinson now has a selection headache ahead of the side's attempt to end a run of three straight defeats at the hands of Argentina in Edinburgh.

Chris Cusiter, who retired with a head knock sustained during one of the two occasions Scotland held up Australians over their line, could be fit depending on the outcome of tests this week while Mike Blair could shake off an ankle knock which allowed Rory Lawson to enter the fray and take his chance with both hands.

The other area of debate will be at centre where Graeme Morrison, a leading light against Fiji, looked out of sorts and when Nick De Luca emerged at half-time there was a greater solidity to the midfield.

What's clear is the delight Robinson felt and it was quite an accolade from a coach who has won a World Cup with England and toured with the Lions to say: "That was the most courageous performance I've ever been involved with – either as a player or as a coach. The togetherness of the team was awesome and it was a massive contribution from the whole 22 (players).

"If we can perform like that every time we go onto the pitch then we can build a team."

As for Australia they were magnanimous in defeat with hooker Stephen Moore setting aside the fact that he, like Rocky Elsom, was held up over the line during sieges that brought the best out of Allan Jacobsen, for one. Said Moore: "Full credit to Scotland they were very committed and played for the full 80 minutes.

"Towards the end the crowd sniffed the victory and really got into it."

Some 44,792 turned out to see a master class in how to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat after Cross had touched down; how many times has that role reversal been apparent in Scottish sport over the years?

More relevantly how many will be back, now that belief is coursing through rugby veins again, to see if world cup bronze medallists Argentina can be overcome for the second time in a row bearing in mind the 2008 Test victory in Buenos Aires?