June International Tests: Australia vs. Scotland (17/06/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Allianz Stadium
Time: 07:00 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

A lot will depend on how Duncan Taylor does filling in at fullback. Italy didnt test him at all last week. If he has a blinder then Scotland can win this. They looked extremely impressive in spells against Italy despite struggling with the humidity.

 

[Goodey]

Taylor is playing at 12.

Scotland: Greig Tonks; Lee Jones, Alex Dunbar, Duncan Taylor, Rory Hughes; Finn Russell, Ali Price; Gordon Reid, Fraser Brown, Zander Fagerson; Ben Toolis, Jonny Gray; John Barclay (capt), Hamish Watson, Ryan Wilson.

Replacements: Ross Ford, Allan Dell, WP Nel, Tim Swinson, Josh Strauss, Henry Pyrgos, Ruaridh Jackson, Matt Scott.

Centre is Taylor's best position but it leaves a real shaky back three. All guys who have been second tier for Scotland for years. Where are Maitland and Visser?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

That's an incredibly ordinary back three. Duncan Taylor did alright at 15 last week so why move him to centre and bench Matt Scott? Visser was excellent last week.

Such a shame, this could have been a mouthwatering clash.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Karmichael Hunt, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Sam Carter, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Tom Robertson

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Australia going to be in a world of trouble here.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Scotland leading 17-14 at the half without having done much creatively or getting much quality ball. Folau completely owning Tonks in the air for a score at the half. Australia strong favourites for the second half for me.

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

They'd better win, jesus. Aussie have been good, but my god they've made it easy for Scotland.

 

[MikeTheNative]

It's like Australia just don't want to win this game.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Good win Scotland shame Aus is too far away from NZ........

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Wow... just wow. I try to support the Wallaby's, but with this performance? How can anyone? Awful, ******* awful.

The All Blacks would have put 30 points on either of these teams in the first half. Another thirty in the second half.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Third time's a charm for Scotland. They were beasted at the breakdown all match, but in the last 5 mins just came up huge in that area. Townsend has already justified his selection ahead of Cotter in my eyes. What a start to his international career. On paper that is the weakest back three I think I've seen for a Scotland side since... possibly ever. Yet they gave the absolutely maximum and Tonks and Jones absolutely did the business for the winning score.

The drop off for Australia without Kerevi and Hodge as their centres is absolutely astounding.

Nice to hear Aussie commentators bigging up Finn Russell and pointing out all the statistics in which he was the leading flyhalf in the 6N. Thank you Warren Gatland for your absurd selection strategy!

 

[barkinghooker]

That must of pushed scotland up to 4th in the rankings!

 

[Goodey]

That must of pushed scotland up to 4th in the rankings!

No but they've got 5th back after SA moved up last week. Aus down to 4th below Ireland.

https://rawling.github.io/wr-calc/

I wonder if two of the top three teams have been NH before.

 

[ajwffc]

No but they've got 5th back after SA moved up last week. Aus down to 4th below Ireland.

https://rawling.github.io/wr-calc/

I wonder if two of the top three teams have been NH before.

According to World Rugby Scotland will be 4th
http://www.worldrugby.org/news/257442

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That is a massive result for the Scots, congrats to them

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I make it 5th too. They'd need to have won by 15 points to get 4th in my book.

 

[Brigantine]

5th for now, but next weekend there's a decent pile of Ranking Points on the table in Fiji. Australia OTOH will get nothing for beating Italy at home.

If Scotland can put 15 points on Fiji, they'll make 4th place yet.

 

[ajwffc]

World Rugby say 4th on Twitter

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Very strange from World Rugby. If Finn Russell goes to the Lions then a 15 point win over Fiji seems unlikely. Any sort of a win would be a good result.