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There was no winning feeling surging through me like a drug on Monday I was left drained and almost in ruins after what will go down as lost chance for the Scottish rather than a win for the wallabies.
However a win it was, and the wallabies live to fight Argentina in the World Cup semi-final next week.
Scotland had a cracker of a match. They played a tough and fast brand of footy that would have shaken any team. Desperate at the breakdown and tough on any loose Australian play, they dominated in an area that was supposed to be Australia’s domain (David Pocock was sorely missed).
Otherwise there is a weakness in the Scottish forwards. They do not seem to carry their weight with enough authority, often having trouble gaining ground up the middle of the park.
What they lacked in the forwards was more than made up by the backs, who looked dangerous with every touch. Pure class, they are going to be a tough team to beat in the Six Nations next year.
The Scottish dominated the set plays. However Scott Sio was not to blame for every scrum collapse, although he was certainly under pressure.
I assume Michael Cheika ordered his Wallabies to blast the Scots off the park from the first whistle. What a strong start they had. Unfortunately eagerness to play fast, expansive rugby saw a string of loose passes and several bombed tries. Had these been taken the game may have been over by halftime.
When Scotland pushed back after the 10-minute mark, the wallabies were slow to realign there famous defence and when we did possess the ball we were under pressure to recycle the ball very quickly.
Outside of Ben McCalman and Kane Douglas, few forwards looked on their game. Michael Hooper and Scott Fardy were involved but struggled to make an impact. Ben Simmons was stronger on defence and carrying the ball than I have seen previously.
The Wallabies’ backs were solid but again struggled to spark. I am still waiting for these famous, smart Australian backline moves that we have been told to expect. Bernard Foley doesn’t seem to enjoy that part of the game (that is where we miss Quade Cooper) as he runs straighter and more direct.
Foley and Matt Giteau both looked troubled by the Scots’ up-in-face defence, and when the ball did get to our wingers they were almost always covered. The lineout drive is prominent because the backs continue to huff and puff with little result.
How many of these last-minute wins are we going to see from the Australian team this year?
Similarly to the great Wallabies sides coming out of the 1999 World Cup, a top side somehow pulls off the win even when they are on the rack.
The question is, did we win because the rugby gods smiled on us by cursing referee Craig Joubert with delusional disorder, or are the Wallabies mentally strong and composed enough to position themselves for the win even when they are off the boil?
I guess we will find out against an extremely dangerous Argentina early Monday morning.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.