Australia v Scotland Match Preview
Where to watch: https://www.florugby.com/
Kickoff: 12:30 EST
Venue: BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh, UK
A tough one to predict. On one hand, you have Australia. A team loaded with individual talent that, for many reasons, has not been able to string together strong performances with any consistency. A flash of brilliance one week followed by an absolute dud the next. Each week you get the sense they are on the brink of something special and then they pull that rug out from under you almost immediately.
On the other hand, you have Scotland. A team loaded with individual talent that, for many reasons, has not been able to string together strong performances… you get the picture.
This is the same Australia that in consecutive games:
Beat the reigning world champion Springboks
Lost to the Boks by 16
Put in an impressive shift against the All Blacks
Lost to the All Blacks by 26
And this is the same Scotland whose up and down year consisted of:
A big win over England to start the six nations
Finished fourth overall (thanks to Wales’ shock loss to Italy) with a record of 2-3
An away series loss to Argentina
Either side can point to a number of reasons for the above roller coasters but the bottom line is that you will not know which Australia or which Scotland you’re going to get until just after kickoff. So who has the edge in this weekend’s battle? Some drama in team selection may act as extra motivation. Former Wallaby Jack Dempsey was named in the reserves for Scotland this week and I can’t imagine his former teammates are too fond of that. And Stuart Hogg missed out entirely. I see this as another message from Townsend to get with the program. I’m a big fan of Hoggy on the pitch but it seems clear there is a riff there that needs to be addressed if he doesn’t want to get Finn Russelled. But enough with the dramatics… let’s dig into the big news…
Hoops is back!!! Fresh off a mental health break he’s back in the squad and starting at openside. Dave Rennie hits us with a bit of a curveball as the explosive Tate McDermott gets the start at 9 to set the pace early for the men in green and gold. The Hitman Hunter Paisami is back in at 12 and Tom Banks will be wearing the 15 shirt for the first time since his injury against England this summer. Rennie looks to be expecting an 80 minute battle with Taniela Tupou, Noah Lolesio, Nic White, and rugby’s best impact sub this season Pistol Pete Samu all amongst a strong reserve group. As exciting as that all sounds to the Aussie fanbase, this weekend’s Scotland squad packs plenty of firepower itself. British & Irish Lion wing Duhan Vander Merwe and the nuggetiest nugget around (aside from maybe Jack Nowell) Darcy Graham start on either wing and will make things difficult for Wallaby defenders all game. Both men have a nose for the gain line and always find a way to sneak through it. Mark Bennett continues to impress in the 13 shirt and he will no doubt continue that trend this weekend. But as I mentioned in my Autumn Nations Series Preview, there is always one man in this Scottish outfit the opposition must be aware of at all times. One man that strikes fear into opposition ball carriers and defenders alike. A menace at the breakdown, a wrecking ball of a carrier, and former owner of one of the best mullets of all time (RIP). I am, of course, referring to Hamish Watson aka Hambo!
While the return of Michael Hooper at openside will surely boost the Wallabies, the ever-present Hambo lining up opposite him will do the same for Scotland. This is a battle all rugby fans should look forward to.
All that being said, I think Australia bring the stronger squad this week. The flashes of brilliance they did show in the Rugby Championship were of the highest brilliance. The home crowd at BT Murrayfield along with the new leadership of the gritty, abrasive Jamie Ritchie is sure to keep this one close but I think Australia edges it out in the end. This should be a fun watch as the sides are pretty evenly matched and each with enough x-factor to make this a fun one to kick off the autumn tests. So call your boss, talk to your spouse, hire a sitter, get to the pub… do whatever you need to do to make sure you are holding a pint in your favorite chair come kickoff time.
Australia v Scotland Suggested Pairing
Heineken! One of rugby’s favorite beers for a reason. This match will be messy at times but is sure to be a ton of fun. Much like myself after a few Heinies 🤪. An easy drink for what should be a great game to put back a few cold ones and enjoy some pockets of quality rugby from both sides.
Cheers!
Fckn brilliant mate 🍺🍺