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Scotland win thriller against Australia

Scotland’s Hamish Watson

Scotland held on for a thrilling 24-19 Test win over Australia in Sydney on Saturday.

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Israel Folau scored two first-half tries for the Wallabies at Allianz Stadium, but they were unable to fully capitalise on their opportunities.

A 61st-minute try from Hamish Watson proved decisive for Scotland, who ended a three-match losing streak against Australia and claimed a first ever win in Sydney.

Will Genia had crossed just five minutes earlier to give the Wallabies their first lead.

Eto Nabuli started on his Wallabies debut, with Australia searching for a fourth straight win over Scotland, although the previous three encounters had been decided by a total of eight points.

The visitors were without Greig Laidlaw, Tommy Seymour and Stuart Hogg – all on British and Irish Lions duty, although the latter has suffered a tour-ending facial injury.

Scotland went ahead through a Greig Tonks penalty from distance, while Bernard Foley missed an easy chance to respond with the boot for the Wallabies.

The visitors were on top in the opening exchanges and they deservedly went over first through Duncan Taylor, who intercepted a pass and crossed untouched in the 14th minute.

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Just five minutes later and the Wallabies responded when Folau scored.

Australia shifted the ball left and Foley put Waratahs team-mate Folau into a huge gap out wide.

Foley was then shown a yellow card for a shoulder charge before Scotland went 17-7 up, Finn Russell charging down a kick from Genia to cross for an easy 26th-minute try.

Ryan Wilson was sent to the sin bin for Scotland just before half-time and Folau managed to produce some magic prior to the interval.

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The former rugby league star leapt high and over Tonks, taking a Foley kick in the right corner to score his second try.

Both teams made a scrappy start to the second half before Genia scored, sneaking over from the base of a ruck in the 56th minute, with the Wallabies taking the lead via Foley’s conversion.

But Scotland responded soon after, a fine team try finishing with Watson going over in the corner.

The Wallabies pushed hard in the final 20 minutes but were unable to get past a gutsy Scotland defence as the visitors held on.

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SK 1 hour ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

If you are building the same amount of rucks but kicking more is that a bad thing? Kicks are more constestable than ever, fans want to see a contest, is that a bad thing? kicks create broken field situations where counter attacks from be launched from or from which turnover ball can be exploited, attacks are more direct and swift rather than multiphase in nature, is that a bad thing? What is clear now is that a hybrid approach is needed to win matches. You can still build phases but you need to play in the right areas so you have to kick well. You also have to be prepared to play from turnover ball and transition quickly from the kick contest to attack or set your defence quickly if the aerial contest is lost. Rugby seems healthy to me. The rules at ruck time means the team in possession is favoured and its more possible than ever to play a multiphase game. At the same time kicking, set piece, kick chase and receipt seems to be more important than ever. Teams can win in so many ways with so many strategies. If anything rugby resembles footballs 4-4-2 era. Now football is all about 1 striker formations with gegenpress and transition play vs possession heavy teams, fewer shots, less direct play and crossing. Its boring and it plods along with moves starting from deep, passing goalkeepers and centre backs and less wing play. If we keep tinkering with the laws rugby will become a game with more defined styles and less variety, less ways to win effectively and less varied body types and skill sets.

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