Scotland hung on for a surprise but worthy win against Australia in Newcastle New South Wales in a huge storm with freezing cold rain lashing down Greig Laidlaw kicked Scotland to victory in a game that was never going to be about running and handling rugby.
Laidlaw
The first half and with the elements Scotland went out to a 6 point lead as Laidlaw kicked two from three pots at goal. However Harris closed the gap to three points with a penalty of his own to give us Australia 3-6 Scotland at half time. It looked like the next forty minutes would be a real test of character for the Scots.
The second half opened and within three minutes Australia had levelled the scores through the boot of Harris and we now expected that Australia would start to run away with it, it was not to be. Stout Scots defence and supreme discipline stopped many Australia charges at the line and as the game went on frustration crept into the Wallaby game. However in the last 10 minutes Harris had two chances to put the Aussies ahead, the first fell short and the second never got going. So it was that Scotland cleared the line, got into the Australian half and then won a penalty on full time at scrum for Laidlaw to kick the points and take the victory with the final score of:
Australia 6-9 Scotland
Scorers
Australia
Pens: Harris 2
Scotland
Pens: Laidlaw 3
Teams
Australia: L Morahan; D Ioane, A Fainga’a, M Harris, J Tomane; B Barnes, W Genia; J Slipper, S Moore, D Palmer, S Timani, N Sharpe, D Dennis, D Pocock (captain), S Higginbotham.
Replacements: S Fainga’a, B Alexander, R Simmons, M Hooper, N Phipps, P McCabe, A Ashley-Cooper.
Scotland: S Hogg; J Ansbro, N De Luca, M Scott, S Lamont; G Laidlaw, M Blair; R Grant, R Ford (captain), E Murray, A Kellock, R Gray, A Strokosch, R Rennie , J Barclay.
Replacements: S Lawson, J Welsh, T Ryder, R Vernon, C Cusiter, D Weir, T Brown.
Referee: J Peyper (South Africa).