Snow hampers plans but Australia are bubbling along under Joe Schmidt

The snow caught everyone by surprise on Saturday, including the Australia squad who were unable to train at the University of Edinburgh’s playing fields at Peffermill.

Hardly ideal preparation for today’s game with Scotland but the touring Wallabies were at least allowed into Murrayfield on Friday, for which head coach Joe Schmidt was grateful.

“They let us onto Murrayfield so that we could train and it meant that we could actually get a session on the grass,” said Schmidt. “We massively appreciated that.”

Frozen pitches have been a problem all week for the Australians who were forced to use the artificial surface at Peffermill on Wednesday. Saturday’s snow should be gone by match day when it’s expected to be mild and sunny and that should suit both teams.

Australia have shown a willingness to play an expansive game and have scored 13 tries in their two tour matches; five against England and eight against Wales. The fabled Grand Slam remains on and the general mood is one of optimism as they rediscover their groove under Schmidt.

Australia trained at Murrayfield on Friday but their Saturday session at Peffermill was scuppered by the weather. | SNS Group

The former Ireland coach took over as Eddie Jones’ successor in March and has lifted spirits after some dark times, particularly at last year’s Rugby World Cup where they failed to qualify from a group alongside Wales, Fiji, Georgia and Portugal.

“We are gelling as a team,” said Harry Wilson, the Australia captain. “We have spent a good bit of time together this year so we have had a lot of continuity in selection and everybody is feeling comfortable. It has been a good start to the tour.

“We were just super excited with a new coach. He has given us a lot of detail. When we play our best footie we hold onto the ball and try to win contact. We are a well organised team, we know our roles and it is about doing it well.”

Having beaten England and Wales, Australia need now to overcome Scotland and Ireland if they are to emulate the Grand Slam Wallabies of 1984.

“Obviously we’ve kept the Grand Slam alive and the only way we can do it is if we go out there this weekend and get the win,” said Wilson who missed the Wales game after suffering a concussion against England. “We’re really trying to take it week by week, and session by session. So it’s about doing the job against Scotland.”

Australia have been forced into a late change, with Brandon Paenga-Amosa replacing the injured Matt Faessler at hooker. They are giving a debut to Harry Potter, the former Leicester Tigers wing, and Wilson has liked what he’s seen of him.

“He has worked really hard since he came into camp,” said the captain. “He had an injury-hit season with Western Force but the way he has performed in the squad in training has been impressive. He has flair and a good skill-set on the wing.”

He also has a name that lends itself to some gentle ribbing and it hasn’t gone uncommented upon.

“It’s pretty cool that he’s debuting in the home of Harry Potter, where it all began!” smiled Wilson. “But I think he grows a bit tired of all the Harry Potter jokes. I think when he got announced in the team there were a fair few jokes online and stuff, which I think he’s heard a million times.”