How Scotland rated against Australia in Newcastle

NATURALLY it was a great combined effort, but how did Scotland fare individually?

15 Stuart Hogg

Fine kicking and secure catching mixed with handling errors in rain and on slippy surface, but sound overall and vital ambition. 8/10

14 Joe Ansbro

Great early tackle on debutant Joe Tomane set tone for Scottish effort and will have eye scar for a while as memory of win after celebratory clash of heads with Strokosch. 8

13 Nick De Luca

Another tireless shift in the face of adversity from experienced centre to ensure precious few openings for Wallaby attack. 8

12 Matt Scott

Always eager, looking for and taking on ball but work in defence proved more important in unstinting second half battle. 8

11 Sean Lamont

Injured seemingly innocuously with four minutes of first half to go and replaced by Tom Brown, having had little chance to shine. 5

10 Greig Laidlaw

Missed first penalty and put one restart straight out, but got measure of wind to cap tidy, controlled display with key late break and match-winning penalty. 8

9 Mike Blair

Back to his alert best, with good, quick service, sharp response to runners and varied play well with kicks. 7

1 Ryan Grant

Almost a dream start to debut with drive close to line after seven minutes, but a game to remember anyway for work in scrummage and defence, crucially denying Australia try. 8

2 Ross Ford

Wind and rain did not make lineout throwing easy, and hooker made up for squint throws with mammoth effort around the field and in scrum. 8

3 Euan Murray

Key figure in defence and set-piece, but showed why Andy Robinson backs him to hilt with key scrum that won last penalty. 8

4 Al Kellock

Another immense display from lock who kept pack focussed despite lineout losses, Australian pressure and disruptive weather and was key figure in crucial denouement. 8

5 Richie Gray

A great workhorse performance from maturing lock, busy all over field in defence and ball-carrying, and crucially solid in set-piece. 8

6 Alasdair Strokosch

A towering display from the flanker in defence particularly, and Ansbro felt the force too with head cut from final whistle clash. 8

7 Ross Rennie

Value of a genuine openside underlined by Rennie who was constant thorn in Aussie efforts to create momentum with his pace, technique and opportune hacks. 8

8 John Barclay

Part of a terrific back row effort, like the rest of the pack, few mistakes, little style and tons of substance. 8

SUBS USED

22 Tom Brown (for Lamont 36 mins)

Youngster will be surprised at how little he was involved in debut match, but did all that was asked of him. 7

20 Chris Cusiter (for Blair 64 mins)

The Glasgow scrum-half added real energy to the last quarter, starting with vital turnovers and ending with control of play in vital finale. 7