Scotland grind out narrow Murrayfield win against Australia

Scotland 15
Australia 12

SCOTLAND EKED OUT a hard-fought 15-12 win over Australia but were unable to get the bonus point they craved in a Nations Championship match that failed to catch fire.

First-half scores from Matt Fagerson and Jack Dempsey gave the Scots the edge at the break, with Harry Potter responding for the Wallabies.

Finn Russell’s late penalty eventually gave the Scots some breathing space before Max Jorgensen’s 80th-minute try offered the visitors a glimmer of hope, but the Scots held on for a win that elevated them above Wales into fourth place in the Northern Hemisphere table.

Scotland suffered a pre-match blow after captain Sione Tuipulotu had to pull out with a knee injury. Tom Jordan stepped up from the bench to take the number 12 jersey, with Stafford McDowall added to the 23 as a substitute. Rory Darge took over the captaincy.

The Scots – bidding to bounce back from defeat by New Zealand – started strongly and made the breakthrough in the ninth minute when Ben White flipped the ball out to the right for Fagerson to score after a sustained spell of pressure in front of the Wallabies line. Russell hit the post with his conversion attempt.

But Australia levelled within two minutes, cutting the Scottish defence open all too easily as they worked the ball through hands for Potter to bound over on the left after evading a meek tackle from Russell. Ryan Lonergan was off target with his conversion.

Advertisement

Scotland thought they had restored their lead in the 24th minute when Darcy Graham raced in to slam the loose ball down after Kyle Steyn – chasing Russell’s grubber – kicked it behind the line, but it was disallowed as Steyn was deemed to have been in touch as he stretched out his right boot to keep the attack alive.

The hosts suffered a blow when lock Scott Cummings was forced off injured, replaced by Max Williamson.

But Scotland went ahead in the 28th minute when Sydney-born Dempsey, who won 14 caps for the Wallabies before changing allegiance in 2022, pushed over from close range. Russell added the extras.

Australia looked to have hit back again seven minutes later when Billy Pollard crossed off the back of a lineout maul, but it was chalked off for obstruction, meaning the hosts went in leading 12-5 at the end of a low-quality first half.

The Wallabies had Pollard yellow-carded in the 46th minute for a head-on-head collision on Blair Kinghorn, but the Scots were unable to make the extra man count as the second half passed without any further scoring for either side until a 75th-minute penalty from Russell.

Jorgensen’s late try on the right, with the extras added by Ben Donaldson, meant the Scots were pushed right to the end before being able to celebrate a fifth win in six meetings with Australia.

Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.