Australia must find form ahead of next year’s World Cup but face a tough task in the first match of their European tour
After their spluttering winter of three wins from nine starts, the Wallabies are now in Europe for a five-Test Spring tour they hope can springboard them into contention for the 2023 World Cup in September. The big bounce must start against Scotland early this Sunday morning (AEST 3.30am) at Murrayfield where Australia haven’t won since 2016 and were pipped 15-13 before a crowd of 63,000 in November.
Scotland, ranked sixth in the world, start favourites against the visitors (ninth, their lowest ranking of the professional era) but in their 33 Tests over 95 years, Australia hold a 21-12 winning edge with a healthy overall aggregate of 785 points to 478. That didn’t count for much last time, as Scotland ended Australia’s best run under coach Dave Rennie, a five-game streak led by Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi.
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