Getting better: Wallabies defiant despite another loss
Ian Chadband |
The Wallabies’ woeful losing sequence has continued with a 15-12 defeat in a turgid, arm-wrestle of a Test against Scotland, but they’re adamant an improved display at Murrayfield suggests a win must be just around the corner.
Captain Harry Wilson couldn’t hide his disappointment at a fourth consecutive Australian Test loss on Sunday (Monday AEDT) but was proud of a much more resilient display from his men than their feeble capitulation against England.
In a drab Test to match a damp, grey day in Edinburgh, a greasy ball didn’t help as the two sides got bogged down in a stodgy affair where defences ruled, all very different to the dazzling high-drama served up by rivals over the rest of the Nations Championship weekend.
And as they at least succumbed to a much narrower loss than in their hammerings by England and twice by New Zealand, Les Kiss’s side did go down swinging, with a late Max Jorgensen try and a last-gasp break almost snatching a win from nowhere.
Still, there could be no complaints that the Scots, even without inspirational Aussie leader, Sione Tuipulotu, who pulled out an hour before the match with a knee injury, should land their fifth victory over Australia in their last six Tests.
There were 68 long minutes between Harry Potter’s 11th minute try to answer Matt Fagerson’s swift opener for Scotland, and Jorgensen’s late, late score but little for Australia to enthuse about in between in attack.
They did have Billy Pollard’s first-half try from a line-out ruled out for Jeremy Williams infringing in the drive, but the Scots also had one from Darcy Graham overturned after his fellow wing Kyle Steyn stepped on the touchline.
Ultimately, the Wallabies didn’t have enough enterprise to break through, even with Carter Gordon providing more of a playmaking spark.
And to rub it in, the decisive first-half try that put Scotland 12-5 up at the break came from the Scots’ former Wallaby, Jack Dempsey, who had a fine match.
“I’m really proud of the effort of the boys,” said Wilson. “I’m disappointed with the result because we’re here to win – but if we keep putting that performance out, we’re going to get a lot more wins.”
The sentiment was echoed by Kiss. “We fired some shots. A nice little try down the left side (from Potter), we stepped up again and were better in defence, definitely. Showed some fight and vigour in that area.
“But it was a turgid game, both sides would have preferred some better conditions which favoured defence.”
Yet soon after after Finn Russell’s late penalty had appeared to have put the game out of reach following an interminable 47-minute stretch, during which Pollard got binned for a high tackle and not a point was scored, Australia did serve up the most unlikely, thrilling finale.
Jorgensen’s try and Ben Donaldson’s conversion left them just three points behind with a minute to play and when the livewire winger launched one final attack down the right wing with Tom Wright, it needed the defensive nous of Graham and Blair Kinghorn to snuff it out to the relieved cheers of 65,000 Murrayfield souls.
The Wallabies now lie fourth in their Nations Championship southern hemisphere group and could yet play the Scots again in the finals weekend at Twickenham — a rematch that no-one will look forward to seeing again in a hurry.
But asked about how they’re shaping up with each loss a confidence-bruiser with the home World Cup on the horizon, Wilson was adamant: “We want results too. We’re not happy with competing hard and losing like that.
“We’re a team who’s going to keep improving to make sure we’re winning some big moments in big matches to win the matches.”
He regretted a couple of those moments when they kicked for touch rather than a shot at goal, but his ever optimistic message to long-suffering Wallabies’ fans was: “Keep getting behind us, and I hope we take another step forward next week.”
It won’t get any easier, though. On Saturday (Sunday AEDT), they must face a Wales side they may well have thought would be their easiest meat on tour but who now look buoyed and inspired by their historic win over New Zealand on Saturday.
AAP