Greig Laidlaw’s boot secures Scotland a famous victory over Australia

THEY WERE a long time making their way into the post-match press conference but if the Scots were savouring a famous win in the sanctuary of their own dressing room they can hardly be blamed.

This side, their coach and everyone associated with it has been under the cosh for almost an entire calendar year now and the relief following yesterday’s dramatic 9-6 win over Australia in atrocious conditions at Hunter Stadium was tangible.

“Firstly it’s very important for the side to show the courage we showed in defence, especially when we turned around at half time and it was only 6-3,” said Andy Robinson allowing himself the luxury of a smile after Greig Laidlaw’s third penalty of the match, with the clock beyond the 80-minute mark, gave Scotland their first win away to Australia since 1982. “It was going to have to be an amazing effort to win the game especially with the pressure that Australia put us under on our line,” added the coach. “We couldn’t get out of our own half and we needed to show huge team spirit from everybody.

“ This team worked really hard in the Six Nations and it was unlucky in a few games. Today it’s gone the other way, we got that little bit of luck through the hard work that they put in and we got a fantastic victory. Back-to-back victories against Australia is immense for a Scottish team and I’m delighted for Ross (Ford), the players and their families that they could achieve a victory.”

Robinson paid tribute to his skipper, who was enjoying his first Scotland win since taking over the captaincy at the start of the Six Nations. The coach also highlighted where he thought his team has won the match. “I think the way we went about the tackle contest was the most pleasing aspect,” he said. “We went about that really physically. We knew we had to put (Will) Genia under pressure there”. The little scrum-half later confirmed that he could not feel his fingers for most of the game.

Robinson added: “We had to disrupt the ball. We were helped by the conditions but the accuracy of our tackling in the second half stepped up from the first half when we were tackling a bit high and gave Australia the momentum. We nailed that second half and (Alasdair) Strokosch, (John) Barclay and (Ross) Rennie were phenomenal the way they tackled and defended the ball.”

“What gave us real belief today was the weather. It’s a real leveller,” admitted Robinson and his Aussie counterpart Robbie Deans said something similar albeit in Southern Hemisphere lingo. “We weren’t good enough at closing the game out. It’s that simple,” said the Wallabies coach. “We started the second half well but, as often happens when you don’t keep turning the scoreboard over, the opposition grows another leg.” The Scots were almost a centipede by the time the final whistle blew.

Asked if playing a Test three days after some Super Rugby matches had shown a lack of respect for the opposition Deans stressed that neither he nor the Wallaby players organise the Test schedule, before emphasising the point. “They [Scotland] get lots of respect from our group, total respect.” So perhaps the next time Scotland play the Wallabies in Australia they might even get a Saturday afternoon kick-off time?

As for the denouement of this compelling drama, Deans had no argument about the final penalty although Robinson did. The Scotland coach thought that the Wallaby scrum should have been punished on the first of the two scrums that collapsed but he wasn’t going to press his point too hard.

“There were some big parts of our game that have improved today,” the coach said with no-one in any doubt about what he meant. “I’m delighted for the players and the management that worked so hard,” Robinson continued. “Also for the Scottish supporters because it’s been tough for them when the games have been so close and the team playing well, getting into positions to win matches and not achieving it. I understand the disappointment that’s been there. But for this group of players and the management there is a real belief and you saw the team spirit.”

The last time Scotland beat Australia – 9-8 at Murrayfield in 2009 – they went on to lose to Argentina the very next weekend. When these celebrations have died down a huge task lies in Fiji a week on Saturday and it’s only going to get more physical from here on in.