Australia scored through converted James Slipper try and three Bernard Foley penalties to win by a point; Scotland scored tries through Ollie Smith, Blair Kinghorn, with latter adding one conversion and one penalty, but missing a further two kicks; Glen Young was sin-binned for the hosts
Last Updated: 29/10/22 7:37pm
Blair Kinghorn missed a last-minute penalty chance for Scotland to beat Australia at Murrayfield in their opening autumn Test, as the Wallabies held on for a 16-15 victory.
A first half dominated by Australia saw Scotland score first, as full-back Ollie Smith stepped and dived over on 11 minutes after good work from centre Sione Tuipulotu and fly-half Kinghorn – the latter starting in place of the omitted Finn Russell.
Australia fly-half Bernard Foley hit back with two penalties for a narrow 6-5 half-time lead, as the Wallabies conceded five turnovers to Scotland in the hosts’ 22, and failed to make their superiority count.
Scotland – Tries: Smith (11), Kinghorn (43). Cons: Kinghorn (44). Pens: Kinghorn (54). Yellow cards: Young (56).
Australia – Tries: Slipper (61). Cons: Foley (62). Pens: Foley (16, 40+1, 71).
Kinghorn struck for a superb counter-attacking try early in the second half, and then added a penalty for a nine-point lead, but a sin-binning for Scotland replacement second row Glen Young – who was fortunate to avoid a red card – saw Australia come back into it.
Wallabies skipper and loosehead James Slipper struck with Young off the park for Australia’s only try, before Foley added a penalty inside the final 10 minutes as the visitors held on for the slenderest of victories.
What’s next?
Townsend’s Scotland host Fiji at Murrayfield next Saturday, November 5, in a 1pm (GMT) kick-off for the second of their four autumn internationals this Test window.
For Australia, Dave Rennie and co face a tough prospect as they travel to face France at the Stade de France in Paris, also on Saturday, November 5 (8pm GMT kick off).
More to follow…