Scotland 9 - 8 Australia: Fortune favours the brave at Murrayfield

Published on Sunday 22 November 2009 23:18

PURE, unadulterated Scottish desire proved enough to topple one of the big three of world rugby and end 27 years of wait to see Australia beaten again at Murrayfield in an incredible Test match on Saturday night.

It is still difficult to look at the final scoreline without asking 'how?' But Scots across the globe can rest assured that no matter how many times they blink, the result will be the same, the first victory over the Wallabies since 1982 secure and all of it, unbelievably, came from a match that the tourists dominated from start to finish.

We stated in Saturday's paper that while the set-piece, the breakdown and the attacking skills were all vital to winning games of rugby, the key to Scotland emerging victorious in this one was by producing a defensive display to beat all others. The full 22-man squad contributed just that, overcoming the loss of a concussed captain Chris Cusiter early on and a shortage of possession and even less familiarity with the Australian half with supreme organisation and incredible levels of desire.

Australia contributed hugely to their own downfall, passing up a golden try chance in each half with their own inaccuracy, having another disallowed, and Matt Giteau, the fly-half who tried everything to open up Scotland, missing four kicks – two penalties, a drop-goal and a conversion – of the type he would expect to slot in his sleep. His last effort was the last act of the game, a conversion taken to the thunderous chorus of jeers around Murrayfield, so passionately involved in the game were the home supporters by then, and its trajectory past the uprights launched a party few dreamed of witnessing just two Test matches into the Andy Robinson era.

It had started with a return to the darkened Murrayfield welcome for the visitors and firework announcement of the home team before kick-off, and runs by No8 Johnnie Beattie, Simon Danielli and Allan Jacobsen launched the Scottish fight. Even after Giteau had opened the scoring with a penalty in the sixth minute, Beattie pulling down lock James Horwill in the lineout, there was a zeal about Scotland's play.

The ferocity of Alex Grove's tackle on wing Peter Hynes resonated high in the stands – though Hynes gained swift retribution with a shuddering hit on the centre in only his second Test – while Sean Lamont produced a carbon copy of his stop on Fijian star Napolioni Nalaga the week before with a spearing tackle on Drew Mitchell, Australia's left winger. Rory Lamont's positional play at full-back was impressive and frustrated Australia, and though the swift arrival of the forecast rain affected handling it did little to alter the pattern of Wallabies running and Scots knocking them back. The home lineout was immense, Al Kellock calling the shots, Beattie soaring, Nathan Hines working tirelsssly, and though the Scottish pack was nearly four stones the lighter Allan Jacobsen, Ross Ford and Moray Low continued from where they left off against Fiji with good early scrums, which forced off Benn Robinson, the much-vaunted Wallaby loosehead, with a shoulder injury after just 16 minutes.

In attack, Cusiter and Godman were busy and combined well, and Grove even stepped in at stand-off at one point and his neat chip would have caused Australia problems had the support been more adept at the breakdown. Australia's 22 remained untouched, however, and the Scots were dealt a blow in the 20th minute when their inspirational skipper Chris Cusiter was forced from the field.

For the second time in two games Scotland lost a scrum-half due to a head knock in the tackle, Cusiter flooring Adam Ashley-Cooper but then seeing stars after his head bounced off the full-back's hip, much as Mike Blair's had connected with a Fijian knee the week before. Cusiter continued but after helping Rory Lamont and Moray Low to deny Stephen Moore a try a minute later by getting under the Wallaby hooker on the line, he had to give in to the headache. That was an early example of Scotland's feverish scrambling defence that was to be a feature of the game. Kellock took over as captain and Rory Lawson came on at scrum-half and went on to play a masterful role in the win, with great service, fine defence and prodding.

The rain stopped briefly, but returned with a vengeance in the second quarter, and the Wallabies gripped possession with waves of attack in the home half. The Scots had one chance at points, with 27 minutes played, and Godman nailed it with a penalty from 45 metres, earned by the home pack's driving maul.

The strength on the run of Rocky Elsom and No8 Wycliff Palu led to an easy penalty for Giteau, but this was his first miss – the wind helping blow his kick from just 17 metres out, a few metres right of the posts, past the uprights. A close-range drop-goal went the same way on the stroke of half-time, to leave the scoreline balanced at 3-3 and the Wallabies scratching their heads.

Scotland sent on Nick De Luca for Graeme Morrison at the interval in a bid to uncover greater creativity, but a high tackle by Jacobsen handed Giteau a penalty a minute in, and when he missed that too, from 40 metres out, hope began to flicker amongst home supporters that maybe the gods were smiling on Kellock's underdogs.

The flame ignited moments later when a series of darts into the Scottish 22 ended with Elsom, the Wallaby skipper, twisting and turning over the home line and crashing backwards to the ground, but having the 'try' ruled out by the televison match official because Jacobsen had got his arm underneath the ball over the line.

The hosts swapped Strokosch with the equally punchy Jason White, Kellock and Beattie forced a turnover, Beattie stole a lineout and De Luca kicked to the right where the diminutive frame of Will Genia was alone. Low, Kellock and De Luca were on the Wallaby scrum-half in a flash and forced a penalty for holding-on, but Godman's kick drifted wide like Giteau's on the wind.

The attack did, however, inspire new belief in the Scots and the Murrayfield crowd as the game past the 50-minute mark, and when Godman struck a second penalty, with the help of the left-hand post, a newfound optimism began to sweep around the stadium with 23 minutes remaining.

Australia lifted the tempo, Genia and Giteau poked and prodded, the forwards charged, the ball was moved right and left, but the response was the same – firm and resolute from a wall of navy.

New bricks were added, Kyle Traynor, Richie Vernon, Chris Paterson and Dougie Hall, and Australia blew another glorious chance. This time Quade Cooper squandered a four-on-two overlap, five metres from the line by delivering a forward pass to wing Mitchell. Now, 15 minutes to go, it was quiet – 'could Scotland actually win this?' You could hear the question in the Murrayfield air.

There was a delay as Palu was stretchered off with a neck injury, that later proved not to be serious, and John Barclay and White extracted more of the Wallaby spirit by superbly turning over Elsom. That penalty created the platform of a lineout, for Scotland to control a series of tight forward drives and set up Paterson for the final, decisive strike, a drop-goal from around 35 metres that sailed perfectly between the uprights.

Murrayfield belief was intoxicating now; bewildering for the Wallabies who looked confused, dazed, striving to understand how they could dominate a game and yet be six points down. So they did what they do best and launched a series of sweeping attacks, Giteau the conductor, James O'Connor finding the space and, after a period of bruising defence by Scotland, where countless bodies in blue were thrown at Wallabies like rag-dolls through 19 phases of attack, and with the clock showing 80 minutes to be up, the dam finally burst, and centre Ryan Cross stepped inside Sean Lamont to score.

Crucially, however, the defensive effort had forced Australia about 15 metres wide of the posts. As Giteau lined up the conversion, boos and jeers grew into an intimidating racket, and when he began his run-up six Scots ran at him. His left-foot kick stayed out, wide of the posts, exploding a raucous release of emotion across the Murrayfield stands; frustrations built over 27 years of wait expelled.

Scorers: Scotland: Pens: Godman 2. Drop-goal: Paterson. Australia: Try: Cross. Pen: Giteau.

Scotland: R Lamont; S Lamont, A Grove, G Morrison, S Danielli; P Godman, C Cusiter (capt); A Jacobsen, R Ford, M Low, N Hines, A Kellock, A Strokosch, J Barclay, J Beattie. Subs: K Traynor for Low 57, J White, R Vernon for 63, R Lawson for Cusiter 20mins, C Paterson (Edinburgh), N De Luca for Morrison 40mins, D Hall for Ford 76.

Australia: A Ashley-Cooper; P Hynes; R Cross, Q Cooper, D Mitchell; M Giteau, W Genia; B Robinson, S Moore, B Alexander, J Horwill, M Chisholm, R Elsom (capt), G Smith, W Palu. Subs: T Polota-Nau, S Kepu, D Mumm, R Brown for Palu 65, L Burgess, L Turner, J O'Connor.

HOW THEY RATED AT MURRAYFIELD

SCOTLAND

15 Rory Lamont 8/10

A rock solid last line of defence that stood firm as Australia hammered away.

14 Sean Lamont 7

A power of work done in defence, with little or no chance to go forward.

13 Alex Grove 8

Second cap confirmed intelligence and physical robustness of a youngster with a big international future.

12 Graeme Morrison 6

Spent first half ensuring Scotland's defence was sound before being substituted for de Luca at half time.

11 Simon Danielli 6

Never wavered once on high balls or taking down aggressive runners until he gave way for Paterson.

10 Phil Godman 7

His 11th successive appearance at stand-off confirmed his importance in the Scotland tactical set-up. Despite the odd mistake, an all-round impressive performance.

9 Chris Cusiter 7

The scrum half was just beginning to spark when the injury from his try-saving tackle on Stephen Moore forced him off the pitch after only 20 minutes.

1 Allan Jacobsen 7

Some big hits as he put himself about to good effect.

2 Ross Ford 7

Ever-present at the breakdown in a committed display.

3 Moray Low 7

Fronted up when necessary and refused to take a backward step until replaced by Traynor.

4 Nathan Hines 8

Unflinching defensive performance from a player at his abrasive best.

5 Alastair Kellock 8

All-action display gave Scotland an extra back-row forward who denied Australia the kind of possession that might have turned the game.

6 Alasdair Strokosch 7

Typically hard shift at close quarters with nothing getting past him until replaced by White after 47 minutes.

7 John Barclay 9

Stood out as the principal back-row hero who tackled everything that moved and caused the frustration that saw Australia self-destruct.

8 Johnnie Beattie 8

A momentous game from a player who just keeps improving.

Replacements:

Chris Paterson (63 mins) 7

Drop goal five minutes from time proved to be the winning strike.

Rory Lawson (21 mins) 6

Called on early with no detriment to the half back partnership.

Kyle Traynor (57 mins) 6

Held his own in the scrum and loose.

Jason White (47 mins) 6

Big contribution to ensuring the defensive line kept repulsing Australia's best efforts.

Nick de Luca (40 mins) 7

Immediate impact and kept the Australian back line tentative.

Richie Vernon (63 mins) 7

Asked a big question when replacing Beattie in the back row for last 20 minutes and answered it emphatically.

Dougie Hall (77 mins) 5

Hooker came on to the field with just minutes to go.

AUSTRALIA

15 Adam Ashley-Copper 6

Dangerous with ball in hand but couldn't deliver when it mattered because there was no way though.

14 Peter Hynes 6

Always willing but, barring a few intrusions, could find nowhere to go.

13 Ryan Cross 7

Direct running hit the Scottish wall but finally crossed the line for an injury-time try.

12 Quade Cooper 6

Australia's most inventive back but spoiled it all when he ignored a simple two-man overlap and attempted a wide pass that floated forward.

11 Drew Mitchell 6

Shackled on his wing for almost the entire game until he found space on the left but the pass was forward.

10 Matt Giteau 5

Looked his old classy self until a missed penalty and drop goal knocked him out of his stride and he never recovered.

9 Will Genia 6

Always carried the potential to create the break that would have seen Australia take control but never quite delivered and was replaced.

1 Ben Robinson 5

Never settled before injury ended his game after 16 minutes.

2 Stephen Moore 5

Failed to score when he was held up over the line when it looked easier to ground the ball and replaced five minutes into second half.

3 Ben Alexander 5

Bested by Jacobsen in the scrum and outperformed by him in the loose to make the game one to forget.

17TH TIME LUCKY

Scotland's record against the Wallabies since the 12-7 win in Brisbane in July 1982

1982 (Sydney): Australia 33, Scotland 9

1984 (Murrayfield): Scotland 12, Australia 37

1988 (Murrayfield): Scotland 13, Australia 32

1992 (Sydney): Australia 27, Scotland 12

1992 (Brisbane): Australia 37, Scotland 13

1996 (Murrayfield): Scotland 19, Australia 29

1997 (Murrayfield): Scotland 9, Australia 37

1998: (Sydney): Australia 45, Scotland 3

1998 (Brisbane): Australia 33, Scotland 11

2000 (Murrayfield): Scotland 9, Australia 30

2003 (RWC quarter-final, Brisbane): Australia 33, Scotland 16

2004 (Melbourne): Australia 35, Scotland 15

2004 (Sydney): Australia 34, Scotland 3

2004 (Murrayfield): Scotland 14, Australia 31

2004 (Hampden): Scotland 17, Australia 31

2006 (Murrayfield): Scotland 15, Australia 44

2009 (Murrayfield): Scotland 9, Australia 8