Wallabies vs Scotland news, score, result, video, highlights,

Scotland fly-half Blair Kinghorn missed a late penalty attempt as Australia came from behind to start their European tour with a morale-boosting 16-15 win at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Victory ended the Wallabies’ run of three successive defeats against all opposition and denied Scotland a fourth successive triumph over Australia.

Scotland led 15-6 going into the final quarter after Kinghorn, impressive in open play, created a try for fullback Ollie Smith and then scored one himself.

But the game turned Australia’s way when Scotland substitute Glen Young was booked for a dangerous challenge on Australia scrum-half Tate McDermott.

With Scotland a man down, Australia captain James Slipper forced his way over for a converted try before Bernard Foley’s penalty pushed the Wallabies a point ahead 10 minutes from time.

However, Scotland had a chance to win the game at the death only for Kinghorn’s 40-metre penalty attempt to sail wide of the left post.

“It was a tough game, it could have gone either way,” Australia coach Dave Rennie told Prime Video Sport.

“It’s massive. It gives us a bit of confidence.” However, Scotland would have been ahead at half-time had not center Sione Tuipulotu squandered what looked a certain try by carelessly knocking on the target of Australia’s line.

But for the second game in a row they squandered the lead, having been 15 points ahead of Argentina before suffering a 34-31 loss in Santiago del Estero in July that sealed a 2-1 series loss to the Pumas.

– ‘Feel it more than anyone else’ –

“We’re obviously very disappointed to lose a game, especially when it’s close,” Scotland coach Gregor Townsend said.

“He (Kinghorn) will feel it more than anyone. We have to look at the whole performance, where we had opportunities on the try line in the first half. Australia came into this game boosted by the return of former captain Michael Hooper, with the star flanker playing his first Test since pulling out on the eve of August’s match against Argentina in Mendoza when he was not in the “right mindset”.

Scotland were only able to select players from home-based teams for a match that took place outside the official Test window. That meant they were without backs Stuart Hogg and Adam Hastings in the English Premier League as well as fly half Finn Russell, who plays for Paris team Racing. 92.

However, Townsend had already made the controversial decision to drop Russell from the entire squad for the entire fall program.

Scotland captain Jamie Ritchie, known for his breakdown work, won several key turnovers, one of which helped open the scoring in the 11th minute after a kick into the Wallabies’ 22.

Kinghorn’s clever late pass to Smith split Australia’s defence, with the full-back confidently spinning past a pair of defenders.

But Kinghorn missed the conversion and Foley cut Scotland’s lead to 5-3 a few minutes later.

Scotland declined a kickable penalty only for Tuipulotu to drop an excellent cut-out pass from Kinghorn as a try went begging.

The Wallabies’ pressure as Scotland conceded another penalty at half-time and Foley made no mistake from 30 meters out.

But Scotland surged ahead early in the second half.

A big hit from Scotland center Mark Bennett saw the ball come loose and Kinghorn burst forward, sprinting past cover before the ball bounced kindly into his arms.

Distance, after adding the conversion, then extended Scotland’s lead with a simple penalty.

Former Australia flanker Jack Dempsey made his Scotland debut from the bench as Townsend made the changes with 20 minutes remaining.

But in the middle of the disturbance prop Slipper forced his way.

Australia center Hunter Paisami escaped a yellow card late on for a deliberate knock on, but the ensuing penalty helped create the position that led to the Kinghorns’ last-gasp kick.

The Wallabies next play Six Nations Grand Slam champions France, the 2023 World Cup, in Paris a week on Saturday, when Scotland are at home to Fiji.

“We are well aware of the task (France poses) but we want to go there and give it a crack,” Rennie said.