The talk leading up to the Wallabies’ Test against Scotland at Murrayfield certainly wasn’t the improved performance against Ireland in Dublin last week, but what happened after their victory.

According to The Daily Telegraph around eight or nine players in Australia’s squad drank up to €1,500 (A$2,200) worth of alcohol in a four-and-a-half hour binge in a Dublin bar, on the Tuesday night ahead of the Ireland game.

Ewen McKenzie’s retribution was swift and ruthless – banning five players for the game against Scotland (prop Paddy Ryan is banned for the game against Wales so not to leave Australia short in the props department) and written warnings to nine other players in the squad.

McKenzie’s punishment didn’t have an effect on the game, despite McKenzie making four changes to the starting XV from the game against Ireland, as their resolute defensive display secured a 21-15 victory.

Here we discuss the five talking points from the game in Edinburgh.

1) Quade Cooper and Israel Folau lead by example
The Dublin Six’s punishment by losing their place in the side coupled with Tevita Kuidrani suspended for five weeks and injury to Matt Toomua meant the replacements (Mike Harris at inside centre, Christian Lealiifano at outside centre, with Joe Tomane and 20-year-old Queensland Reds starlet Chris Feauai-Sautia on the wings) had a chance to stake a claim to be a fixture in the Wallabies squad for the 2014 Rugby Championship and be in contention for a place in their World Cup squad.

The replacements on the whole performed decently.

Mike Harris did well, at times played as a second receiver like Matt Toomua does, allowing Australia to relieve pressure by good tactical kicking by Quade Cooper and Harris culminating in controlling territory.

However, Lealiifano missed more than he made – kicking only four from nine. In the second half, he missed three kicks to fail to extend their lead beyond a converted try.

The wingers were decent and Chris Feauai-Sautia showed good composure to score his second try of his Test career early in the second half to make it 18-12.

Once again Australia did well in using the full length of the pitch and exploit the space on the wing.

But it was Quade Cooper and Israel Folau who were at the crux of their attack.

Folau and Cooper combined excellently for the first try in the first half, where Quade Cooper spotted the Scottish prop Ryan Grant in the middle of the Scottish defensive line and the fly half’s inside pass to Israel Folau.

Folau ran an excellent angle, bamboozled Grant and allowed Folau to score the first try of the game.

In the second half for Feauai-Sautia’s try Cooper capitalised on a potential five-on-two overlap, as well as space on the wing, where he kept the move alive and good hands by the forwards and backs allowed Feauai-Sautia’s to score their second try.

But Folau once again showed why the ARU was ecstatic that Folau fended off reported interest from the NRL and signed a two-year contract.

He was excellent against Scotland. Untroubled on the high ball as usual he menaced against the Scottish defence.

He scored a well-taken try, saved an almost certain Scotland try, made 11 carries and made 110 meters.

It was no surprise that he won man of the match and without a doubt has been their best player of the autumn series.

2) Ill-discipline nearly cost Australia
When playing Scotland, conceding penalties in your own half is akin to losing three points.

It is a well-known fact that Scotland’s scrumhalf Greig Laidlaw is a world-class (yet sadly underrated) kicker whose boot punishes teams that give away penalties.

Australia should know it well as it was his boot that gave the Scots victory in Newcastle 18 months ago.

In tonight’s game Michael Hooper and Ben Mowen conceded several penalties in the breakdown mainly at the breakdown with referee Jaco Peyper less than impressed at Australia’s attempts to slow the ball down.

But Ewen McKenzie will be furious at Rob Simmons’ needless yellow card on the 47th minute for a punch at Moray Low.

It is one thing to concede a penalty for slowing it down when the opposition are deep in your 22 but for a punch that could easily have been a red is brainless.

To be fair while the Australian loose forwards did concede penalties they won several penalties that allowed them to win back possession, control the ferocious battle at the breakdown and put points on the board prior to Lealiifano’s wayward kicking.

Moreover, Ben Mowen managed to seal the game by winning the penalty and end Scotland’s last-ditch attack.

3) Scotland missed Tim Visser anda Stuart Hogg badly
Prior to the autumn internationals, when writing my preview for the northern hemisphere teams, I really thought Scotland had a chance against South Africa and Australia knowing Stuart Hogg and Tim Visser was in the side.

However, when Hogg was ruled out of the end of year Tests with a wrist injury and Visser suffered a leg fracture, I feared for Scotland’s ability to score tries.

Apart from the game against Japan their try scoring woes showed, as they missed several chances against South Africa and today against Australia.

Whenever they made good yards from a half line break or entered the Australian 22 the Scots knocked on or committed penalties for sealing the ruck or coming in from the side.

Scotland were unable to take chances when presented to them.

They missed a glorious chance a few minutes before half time where flanker Johnnie Beattie made a good break before good support play by Sean Maitland led them into the opposition 22.

But when Maitland passed to winger Sean Lamont you felt they would fluff it as Lamont cut inside and Folau made a good hit to snaffle the winger and allow the defence to form a last ditch defence.

A few phases later Scotland once again frustratingly knocked the ball on.

I am certain Tim Visser or Stuart Hogg would have scored purely because Visser’s finishing ability in the Pro 12 is the stuff of legend (his nickname the Flying Dutchman is well deserved as he was born in Holland) and scored two tries against the All Blacks on his debut, which is no mean fear.

In addition, Stuart Hogg’s electric pace is well known after his try against Italy in the Six Nations earlier this year, with his speed would have even troubled Folau.

Both Hogg and Visser add such a dangerous element to the Scottish backline and their injuries hurt Scotland badly.

What would have annoyed interim coach Scott Johnson was they failed to capitalise on Rob Simmons’ yellow card.

They merely scored three points during that ten minute spell. Australia also scored three points from a penalty, which came about after Laidlaw converted the penalty from Simmons’ punch to make it 18-15.

Scotland from the restart immediately went into a ruck from an offside position and got penalised allowing Lealiifano to make it 21-15.

Any team will find it difficult to win if they cannot be clinical notably when you have a one-man advantage.

You can’t beat the big teams if you don’t score tries or keep surrendering possession.

One thing that summarised Scotland’s lack of conviction was late in the game when Sean Lamont cut inside and accidentally ran into Kelly Brown even though Maitland told him to pass it out wide as there was possible overlap.

The referee penalised them for obstruction and it was deeply frustrating to watch.

Luckily for them Lealiifano had an off day and missed the kick from barely 37 metres.

However, once Hogg returns and Visser returns to fitness (he is pencilled in to come for March), then Scotland could surprise a few teams in the Six Nations. But they must score more tries.

Though Scotland was mainly wasteful Australia were resolute in defence.

Whether it was at first phase or on the scramble defence after Scotland punched through the first line they made sure Scotland scored no tries and rely on the kicking of Laidlaw.

They made big hits – the hit on Kieran Low was a notable highlight and their defensive cohesion will have pleased McKenzie.

Tries do win matches, however, a solid defence allows a stable platform for the team to perform.

4) Ross Ford’s injury hurt Scotland
Ross Ford’s injury on the 20th minute was a blow to Scotland, as although the lineout against South Africa was a nightmare, he did well against Australia.

His first two throws successfully found its target allowing them ball to propel them forward, which led to Australian ill-discipline at the breakdown, thus allowing Laidlaw to put his team 6-3 ahead.

But once Ford left his replacement hooker Pat McArthur had a torrid time at the lineout, as though Ford got a 100 percent rate on his throws, McArthur lost five from ten.

Of those throws that found a Scotland jersey a few were scrappy due to Australian pressure.

One of those lost throws in Scotland’s own 22 would prove crucial, as McArthur’s throw was stolen by the Australians and led to Cooper’s deft inside pass that led to Folau’s try.

It happened merely five minutes after Ford’s injury.

Sadly McArthur’s inaccurate throwing during the game led to Scotland giving away possession and when you are under the cosh territorially that is not a good thing.

To make things worse Scotland lost a lineout at a crucial time when they got into the Wallabies’ 22 after Michael Hooper conceded another penalty.

With the scores 21-15 to Australia and just five minutes remaining, the Australians stole it and the chance was gone.

Winning your own ball in the set piece is vitally important because losing it means you will just suffer pressure and concede points just like with Folau’s try.

5) The game against Wales is a chance for the Wallabies to end on a high
Australia certainly ended the year much better when they started it.

The calamitous Lions series under Robbie Deans and his inability to enforce discipline-upon his squad led to his sacking.

Though McKenzie has only been in the job a few months he has done decently.

Granted they only beat Argentina twice during the Rugby Championship and were outplayed against the Springboks and All Blacks both home and away.

But apart from their loss to England earlier this month they have won three games on the bounce, as well as not having their scrum blown to bits, which was the fear when coming up against Italy and Scotland.

McKenzie has also stamped heavily on discipline making sure those who break his rules (whether we agree with his punishments or not) are dealt with, as shown with the Dublin Six.

It would have been interesting if McKenzie had been coach during the Lions series purely for his reaction to Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor’s after-hours trip in Melbourne prior to the second Lions Test.

I am sure they would have gone the way of the Dublin Six.

Moreover, McKenzie’s faith in Quade Cooper has helped the mercurial stand off rediscover his form, with good performances during the end of year Tests.

Cooper is looking to repay McKenzie’s faith in him, as being rewarded with the vice captaincy has probably instilled him with a sense of responsibly, understanding there are people who believe in him and want him to prove his critics wrong.

Cooper not being part of the Dublin Six shows he is at least starting to mature.

As for next week the game against Wales is important to Australia for two reasons.

Firstly, it is the last game of their season before their break before pre-season training for the 2014 Super Rugby season.

The Australians will look to end their year with a win against a dangerous Welsh side whose players have shown their qualities whether for Wales or the Lions.

Secondly, Australia will cement third place in the IRB rankings and go ahead of England if they defeat Wales.

Doing so will please the ARU and show Ewen McKenzie was the right choice.

One thing is for sure: next week at the Millennium Stadium should be a cracker.

Hero of the week: Israel Folau for his magnanimous display in attack and defence.

Villain of the week: The scrum during Wales-Tonga. You know its bad when even your own mother shakes her head at how much time it took per scrum.