The Wallabies have produced an improved performance at Murrayfield, but ultimately went down as Scotland survived a late charge to win 15-12, keeping a firm grasp on the Hopetoun Cup for at least another two years.
It was a wet weather rugby arm-wrestle in Edinburgh, with the hosts coming through despite losing captain Sione Tuipolotu before the match, as well as pivotal lock Scott Cummings 25 minutes in.
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The Wallabies scored early through Harry Potter, with a large surge in the final 20 minutes seeing Max Jorgensen score to set up a grandstand finish.
However, victories in territory and well-executed tactics from the Scots saw the hosts snuff out any hopes of miracle Wallaby win, with tries to Matt Fagerson and former Wallaby Jack Dempsey.
So, what did we learn?
After three consecutive heavy losses, the Wallabies needed to find something in Scotland – and in rainy conditions in Murrayfield, they did get some answers.
Defence was markedly improved on last week, with Rob Valetini, Harry Wilson and Allan Alaalatoa leading the physical contest.
Fraser McReight was also busy, making 26 tackles for no misses, with only Wilson (23) coming close to matching him on the park.
However, while it was a step forward, it ultimately felt like the first of many more steps that will need to be taken ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup – the Scots playing a smarter style of game that better suited the conditions, and ultimately earnt them the result.
While only three points separated the side on the scoresheet, the match itself saw a Scotland side manage the territory and possession game well, especially when it came to the Wallabies attack.
With the visitor’s defence matching up, Scotland found success attacking the ruck and slowing Wallaby ball down, the visitors unable to get quick attacking play to unleash their weapons out wide.
A telling stat was that the Wallabies were only able to secure their own rucks inside three seconds less that 19 per cent of the time.
It showed, with Carter Gordon, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii and Max Jorgensen only managing two carries between them in the first half, the visitors starved of clean ball in the backs.
The Scots also won a well-contested aerial contest battle, either winning the ball back from bombs or, if the Wallabies did take it cleanly, having strong rush defence that smothered the catchers.
While the Wallabies did better the Scots in terms of line breaks, metres made and at set piece, it was a game plan that ultimately didn’t play into the conditions as well as the hosts’ plan.
It would be wrong to stay the Wallabies didn’t improve despite the loss, with key successes coming in defence, set piece and fight.
Discipline was better as well – bar two moments where the Wallabies made consecutive mistakes, the penalty count saw both sides dead even at eight apiece.
Unlike last week in England which saw the side on the backfoot early, the Wallabies defence didn’t give the hosts much in the first half, the Scots only holding a one try lead despite over 60 per cent territory.
This continued in the second half, the visitors not conceding any points when Billy Pollard was sent to the bin for a high shot early in the second half.
The set piece also bettered the Scots, the scrum milking two penalties while the lineout, while not contesting much in the first half, found a bit more success in the second, with Canham managing a critical steal to stifle Scottish momentum after back-to-back mistakes.
The fight also shown in the final 20 minutes when the visitors finally got some ball was also promising, with Donaldson and Gordon’s combinations helping find the space out wide to see Jorgensen score in the 78th minute, giving the Wallabies a sniff at an unlikely victory.
In a year of highs and lows, Edinburgh saw the Wallabies off the deck and in the contest after three tough outings in Auckland, Sydney and London – which is needed as they head to Cardiff.
While captain Harry Wilson commended his side’s fight in the post-match game, Matt Burke’s comments on the Stan Sport coverage around needing to play smart and to the conditions must ring true for Les Kiss’ men.
Denied a rolling maul try at the end of the first half for obstruction proved a moment that took the wind out of the Wallabies’ sails, the side also turning down three points to go for a try late in the first half, ultimately not being able to capitalise.
Of note was Carter Gordon, who had moments of his attacking best but looked rusty back in the starting flyhalf position after a long time on the sidelines, with execution letting him down on a few occasions.
In spite of this, the Wallabies had an entire second half to turn that form around, but with those 40 minutes devolving into an armwrestle, the decision making came back to bite them.
It also not helped the Wallabies were challenged at the ruck – the Scottish making a nuisance of themselves to deny the visitors any clean ball.
Also bested in the aerial contest in the second half, it was ultimately a contest that exposed many areas where the Wallabies lost previous games this year.
It was of note that the Scots also achieved this win without their captain Sione Tuipolotu, who had frequently been the point of difference in previous fixtures - also losing a key lineout figure in Scott Cummings early into the match.
The result in Edinburgh gives Kiss and his coaching staff something to work with, but with the loss now marking the Wallabies’ eighth straight defeat in Europe – their last win coming in 2024 against Wales – it is clear the side need to find something to break the streak.
The Wallabies now head to Cardiff, and face one of the most intriguing turnarounds any team has had in a long time - facing a Wales side fresh off an historic drought-breaking win.
Driven by a phenomenal defensive performance, Wales snapped a 73-year drought, winning 35-28 against the All Blacks at Millennium Stadium earlier in the weekend - a result that stunned the rugby world, in no small part due to the astounding 325 tackles made.
The men in red are also sitting on the right side of the Nations Championship, three wins and two losses seeing them have the potential to finish strongly in a tightly contested northern hemisphere table.
While Australia have a three-match winning streak over Wales and hold the James Bevan trophy, Australian fans know the dangers the Welsh have – especially after they played a major part in handing Australia an early Rugby World Cup exit in 2023.
It leaves Kiss’ men with a lot to ponder, and a mountain of work to do to finish the 2026 regular season with momentum.
