It wasn’t as controversial, it wasn’t the Rugby World Cup, but the Wallabies have inflicted heartbreak on Scotland again, keeping their Grand Slam chances alive with a 23-22 win.
After trailing by as many as nine points during the second half, outside centre Tevita Kuridrani snatched a 75th minute try, using every centimetre of his reach to put the Wallabies just one point behind, before a Bernard Foley conversion put them in the lead.
Scotland wouldn’t go away, playing out 19 phases after the bell, taking the match to a marathon 83 minutes, before the ball finally went into touch, confirming the thrilling result.
The Murrayfield encounter was no durge on a dry, sunny Edinburgh day, but it was another nail biter, the sides’ fifth straight Test match decided by less than a converted try.
A determined Scotland, motivated by revenge or something just as strong, raced out of the blocks as the memories of the Wallabies domination in Cardiff quickly evaporated from Australian fans’ minds.
The home side showed off their attacking arsenal early on, forcing Israel Folau into a last-gasp covering tackle in just the first minute, before a Greg Laidlaw penalty put the home side 3-0 in front.
Then Huw Jones pounced on a Finn Russell kick to score the first try in the eighth, the first of an opening half double for the outside centre.
Australia made the most of their next opportunity, with a chain of deft passes from Foley and Dane Haylett-Petty finishing with Reece Hodge breaking away from Scotland’s defence to score.
The sluggish start was compounded by an injury to in-form lock Adam Coleman, who went off in just the fifth minute with a knee issue, after being crushed in a ruck.
Australia made the most of their next opportunity, with a chain of deft passes from Foley and Dane Haylett-Petty finishing with Reece Hodge breaking away from Scotland’s defence to score.
It was then the Wallabies began to settle, with Bernard Foley putting the teams on an even ledger in the 22nd minute, slotting a penalty, though Laidlaw had a chance to reply just minutes later.
Jones’ second came in the 27th minute, as Scotland peppered the Australian line and the seven-point advantage that gave the Scots remained until the break
Australia got off to a near-perfect start in the second half, with Bernard Foley narrowing the margin to four points in the 42nd minute with a penalty goal.
A dominant scrum from Scotland though made Australia’s task more challenging with lock Jonny Gray eventually crashing over in the 48th minute.
The Wallabies made the most of their own scrum advantage in the 54th minute when they were awarded a penalty that Foley duly converted, making the difference less than one converted try.
A yellow card to Will Skelton, who was sent to the bin after a shoulder charge as he attempted to clean out a ruck, made the Wallabies’ assignment one of epic proportions, with 11 minutes to go.
Thanks Murrayfield, Edinburgh and @ScotlandTeam for an incredible atmosphere last night! #SCOvAUS #StrongerAsOne pic.twitter.com/NfD5ERWd5P
— Qantas Wallabies (@qantaswallabies) November 13, 2016
But the Wallabies held their nerve and Kuridrani was able to get his way over the tryline. Foley's final conversion made it a perfect day for him off the boot, slotting five from five.
Australia travels to Paris on Sunday for the third Test of the Spring Tour, before clashes with Ireland and England conclude their trip.
RESULT
Scotland 22
Tries: Jones 2, Gray
Cons: Laidlaw 2/3
Pens: Laidlaw 1
Australia 23
Tries: Hodge, Kuridrani
Cons: Foley 2/2
Pens: Foley 3
