Match Report: Scotland 27-13 Australia - Scottish Rugby

In the earliest game of the series for Scotland, both teams began slowly, but Australia ultimately seized control with aggressive and strategic phase plays. While the home team’s defense held strong, a few errors on their part gave Noah Lolesio the opportunity to score the first points of the match with a penalty kick [0-3, 11 mins].

Scotland stirred back to life when Will Skelton leaped too soon during a line-out. Finn Russell opted not to take a shot at tying the score, preferring to kick for touch instead. However, the play lost momentum after the ensuing maul.

While the vibe felt somewhat lacking, the intensity was anything but, with both sides showing an eagerness that occasionally went overboard.

Scotland had a chance to equalize the score at three all when Joseph Suaalii was called offside. With Tom Wright gaining an extra 10 meters for his actions, Russell stepped up to take the penalty. However, his attempt hit the posts and was surprisingly caught by Australian captain Harry Wilson, resulting in a 22 drop-out.

While a certain grandmother's presence had played a significant role in the game's anticipation, particularly in witnessing Sione Tuipulotu lead his team, Jacqueline Thomson was understandably excited when the first try of the match occurred.

After a carefully executed line-out, the captain powered through for his third try for Scotland, with Russell successfully converting to get the home team on the board at [7-3, 21 minutes].

There were plenty of minor issues throughout the match, with the first major moment arriving when Suaalii attempted a hard tackle on Tuipulotu. Unfortunately, he ended up having to leave the game due to what appeared to be a serious arm or pectoral injury.

Scotland had another straightforward opportunity to score when Australia failed to clear the ruck. However, they turned down the chance, and the ensuing line-out went wrong due to a knock-on.

The first 40 minutes were intense, marked by both excitement and physical clashes, along with a staggering total of 12 penalties given away. Although one team clearly dominated in terms of territory, especially after the first quarter, Scotland's four-point lead made for a tense atmosphere.

Half-time Score: Scotland 7, Australia 3

While the first half took its time to pick up, the second half kicked off with immediate energy as Scotland retrieved Blair Kinghorn's kick-off and earned a penalty for offside. Russell opted to aim for the corner once more; however, the resulting line-out was deemed not straight. Shortly after, Scotland was awarded another penalty, which they converted successfully. This marked a milestone for their stand-off, who reached 400 international points during this moment [10-3, 43 mins].

The Wallabies quickly answered back by securing a penalty after a breakdown, which Lolesio successfully converted, bringing the score to 10-6 at the 46-minute mark.

Another exciting moment occurred shortly after. Zander Fagerson picked up the ball in his own territory and passed it wide to Huw Jones, then Kinghorn, before Ben White sprinted onto it for an exhilarating counter-attack. He attempted a chip over Tom Wright, who angered the Murrayfield fans with what seemed to be a shoulder charge, but TMO Ben Whitehouse indicated that there was no foul.

If they felt wronged, the hosts handled it in the most appropriate manner.

Darcy Graham made a strong attempt on the right side, followed by Ewan Ashman making a charge down the center. Then, Duhan van der Merwe received a pass from Kinghorn, scoring his 30th try for Scotland—a record he may share with Graham for some time. Russell added another two points with a beautiful conversion from the sideline [17-6, 50 minutes].

Australia attempted to respond quickly once more, starting with a great position on the field. However, their offensive line-out struggled due to a strong defensive effort, resulting in a scrum after their maul was stopped. This was followed by a penalty awarded at the scrum.

Scotland then netted an incredible goal to extend their advantage. From a line-out just beyond the halfway mark of the Wallabies’ territory, Jones managed to snag a pass from Russell and passed it to Graham, who skillfully navigated through the hapless Australian defenders.

Graham showed great vision by passing the ball to Josh Bayliss, who was positioned out on the right side. Despite being in a challenging spot, Bayliss finished strongly, demonstrating the skill of a winger as he scored [22-6, 67 mins].

The excited crowd at Murrayfield hardly had a moment to catch their breath before witnessing another incredible play. Van der Merwe intercepted the ball about 40 meters from the goal, evaded a couple of defenders, and spotted Jones. He quickly passed the ball inside to Russell, who joyfully dashed over the line to score his ninth international try, bringing the score to 27-6 with just 8 minutes left.

Australia felt a spark of hope when Harry Potter, following a long discussion about grounding, managed to score on his debut, and Ben Donaldson successfully made the conversion [27-13, 75 minutes].

The Wallabies aimed to score one more point before time ran out, but the impressive Scottish defense managed to keep them from doing so after a tough series of matches. The Scots celebrated as they regained the Hopetoun Cup in front of their thrilled fans.

Final Score: Scotland 27, Australia 13

**Scotland Team Overview:** The Scottish squad features several key players: Blair Kinghorn from Toulouse, Darcy Graham with Edinburgh Rugby, and the Glasgow Warriors duo of Huw Jones and captain Sione Tuipolotu. Duhan van der Merwe also represents Edinburgh Rugby. In the backline, Finn Russell plays for Bath Rugby, while Ben White is with Toulon. The front row includes Pierre Schoeman and Ewan Ashman, both from Edinburgh Rugby, along with Zander Fagerson from Glasgow Warriors. The second row is anchored by Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) and Scott Cummings, with Jamie Ritchie and Rory Darge joining them, both from Glasgow Warriors, and Matt Fagerson also from Glasgow Warriors. **Substitutes:** On the bench, Dylan Richardson from the Sharks replaced Ashman in the 61st minute, while Rory Sutherland from Glasgow Warriors came in for Schoeman at the same time. Will Hurd from Leicester Tigers took over for Zander Fagerson in the 72nd minute, along with Alex Craig from Scarlets for Gilchrist. Josh Bayliss from Bath Rugby substituted Darge in the 64th minute, and George Horne from Glasgow Warriors replaced White at the same time. **Unused Players:** Tom Jordan and Kyle Rowe are also part of the squad but did not play. Both are from Glasgow Warriors.

Australia's lineup features Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, and Harry Potter. The team will be led by Noah Lolesio and Jake Gordon in the backline. The forward pack includes Angus Bell, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Allan Alaalatoa, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Will Skelton, Rob Valetini, Carlo Tizzano, and Harry Wilson, who will serve as captain.

Substitutes: Billy Pollard, Isaac Kailea, Zane Nonggorr, Nick Frost, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, and Max Jorgensen.

Referee: Chris Busby (Irish Rugby Football Union)

Assistant referees: Andrew Brace and Eoghan Cross (both from the Irish Rugby Football Union)

TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Welsh Rugby Union)

FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)

Player of the Match: Blair Kinghorn