[November Tests 2016 EOYT] Scotland vs. Australia (12/11/2016)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Murrayfield
Time: 16:30 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

If only this had been a few months ago, but the Wallabies have found their mojo and look very capable in the backs, with HP, Hodge and Foley all impressing. Scotland will have been counting the months for this rematch since the RWC but the frustration is at Joubert, not Oz so won't be a factor. Both Scottish clubs playing alright at present but loss of Nel makes them vulnerable at scrum and there could be some youthful inexperience up front. Finn Russell being fit gives them a chance if Oz have an off day. But with the grand slam and a chance of redemption in view, they won't. Cheika > Cotter. Oz by 12-14.

 

[ajwffc]

Scotland team

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) – 45 caps; 11 tries, 3 pens, 64 points

14 Sean Maitland (Saracens) – 23 caps; 3 tries, 15 points
13 Huw Jones (Stormers) – 1 cap
12 Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) – 16 caps; 5 tries, 25 points
11 Tim Visser (Harlequins) – 26 caps; 11 tries, 55 points

10 Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) – 19 caps; 2 tries, 3 cons, 1 pen, 19 points
9 Greig Laidlaw CAPTAIN (Gloucester) – 53 caps; 4 tries, 66 cons, 128 pens, 536 points

1 Allan Dell (Edinburgh Rugby) – uncapped
2 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby) – 99 caps; 2 tries, 10 points
3 Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap
4 Richie Gray (Toulouse) – 58 caps; 3 tries, 15 points
5 Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) – 25 caps; 1 try, 5 points
6 John Barclay (Scarlets) – 52 caps; 4 tries, 20 points
7 Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby) – 2 caps
8 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps

Substitutes

16 Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) – 17 caps
17 Gordon Reid (Glasgow Warriors) – 18 caps
18 Moray Low (Exeter Chiefs) – 34 caps
19 Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby) – 12 caps; 1 try, 5 points
20 John Hardie (Edinburgh Rugby) – 12 caps; 3 tries, 15 points
21 Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) – uncapped
22 Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) – 20 caps; 2 tries, 1 con, 1 pen, 15 points
23 Rory Hughes (Glasgow Warriors) – 1 cap

Unavailable through injury: Alasdair Dickinson (hamstring), Josh Strauss (calf), Duncan Taylor (lower leg).

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Not a fan of that backs selection at all (Maitland, Visser and Jones). Some inexperience up front too. I'm not sure this selection can take the game to the Wallabies. I'd have thought Seymour, Bennet and Taylor would have been nailed on in the backs given performances in the past year but maybe they are carrying knocks (just saw Taylor is).

It's to be perfect weather so I'm sure there'll be plenty entertainment as both sides are easy on the eyes these days. Falau's words on the RWC were appreciated and I'm sure there'll be no more ****le than normal.

Scotland desperately need a result against Australia or Argentina to get a chance of a top eight seed and not I can't help feeling we've surrendered this game a little to focus on Argentina. Georgia won't have enough ranking points. This match is a bloody big deal!

 

[Superalexmarket]

Match live
http://espni.go.com/player/video/directv/index.htm?videoid=32088541#video/32088541

- - - Updated - - -

Try Scotland!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

So Huw Jones for Lions Captain?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

This is a better game to watch than England v SA so far. Great couple of tries by Jones - he's on fire atm.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Come on you Jocks woohoo

 

[Groundhog]

Scots playing some pretty fearless attacking rugby right now. Throwing speculative offloads that are working out. The French commentators I'm listening are loving it.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Okay, so I might revisit my opinion on playing Jones. This is developing the faint scent of "glorious failure" for Scotland. Better described as losing a game you should win. I'd be concerned if I was Wales watching this after last week.

 

[Groundhog]

How has the ref missed the push from Folau there. Shocking shocking awareness fro a ref and a touch judge.

- - - Updated - - -

Another worldie of a decision for not rolling away when the ball was right there.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I like the slow mo of Moore gesturing for a card to the ref while Skelton commits his yellow card offence in the background. Sums up Moore's luck this year. Scotlands to lose now.

 

[Groundhog]

Australia becoming the number one team I love to hate.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

So,so cruel on Scotland if they lose this.

 

[Superalexmarket]

Oh no poor Scotland! but... is good for us in the rankings!

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Same old, same old. At least we lost with only ourselves to blame. Big credit to Cotter for getting that performance out of them despite him already having a contract elsewhere.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Great effort by Scotland, ruing that conversion that hit the post. In the tight moments Scotland can often find themselves not thinking with the coolest heads.
Marvellous come back to pinch the win at the end by the Wallabies. They believed, they backed themselves and they made it happen.
Great game to watch for the neutrals, both teams played entertaining rugby.

 

[RoosTah]

Scotland played some great footy in this match, but from an Australian perspective this match again highlights just how immature we are as a side. Our width and attack can be very good, but the guys just push way too many passes and constantly just let teams off just when they're starting to build something. Folau was particularly guilty of this and Genia's pass straight to the Scottish winger was also emblematic of the problem (if he'd grubbered it they'd likely have had a better shot, but he should have just held on). I thought we also showed ourselves to be vulnerable in defence far too often - we were strong at the end, but Scotland's last try where Kurindrani just flopped off a basic tackle on our line was just unforgivable.

All in all it was a very engaging match but I don't see us beating Ireland and England

 

[InsaneAsylum]

I thought the ref was harsh on both sides - missed a lot of calls but otherwise a good close game.

 

[The Jones Boy]

The Wallabies were giving off a feeling of when, not 'if' in this game.
Scotland played really well.
However they don't have the glowing talents of a nation like Australia to call upon so this was always going to be a big ask.
The Jocks deserve a lot of credit for the strength of their performance.
They did a lot right and they made it a great game to watch but the Wallabies always had the belief they would get there and in the very end they did get there and broke Scottish hearts once again.
Not a game Folau will remember favourably. He made a series of errors trying to push too hard too early.