Scotland has held on against the Wallabies in a thriller in Sydney, keeping the Australians out in the dying minutes to hold onto a historic 24-19 win.
Three tries each was only separated by the kicking boot of Finn Russell who sunk four goals to Foleys two as the Scots tasted their first ever win in Sydney.
Scotland took the advantage in the opening half thanks to a pair of gift-wrapped tries from the Wallabies, but the home side refused to die as Israel Folau scored his second of the afternoon right on the halftime siren.
Australia briefly took the lead in the second half thanks to Will Genia crossing the paint, but it was short-lived as Scotland crossed five minutes later to take a 24-19 lead, a scoreline they would carry to the final whistle.
Final Score
Australia – 19
Scotland – 24
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The Wallabies will be looking to build on their winning start to the June international window when they come up against a Scotland side fresh off a victory of their own. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 3pm (AEST).
Australia kicked off their Test season with a fairly confident win over Fiji, putting in a performance that saw them bag five tries to two to take a 37-14 win in Melbourne.
While certainly a strong performance and a fast start, the performance left a little to be desired as coach Michael Cheika looks to iron out the kinks leading into the Rugby Championship.
For Scotland, they galloped past Italy last week in Singapore thanks mainly to a blitz on either side of halftime that saw them score four tries in a 10-minute period.
The 34-13 win is a perfect start for new coach Gregor Townsend who took over the reigns of the national side just last month having played over 80 games for the Scots.
These two sides have some very interesting recent history.
The last two games ended in thrilling, and slightly controversial, one-point win for Australia, continuing a run that has seen the last five games against each other end with a margin of six points or less.
A Tevita Kuridrani five-pointer in the dying minutes got the Wallabies home 23-22 in Edinburgh last year, but it will be the quarter-final loss to Australia in the 2015 World Cup that will be motivating the Scots today.
With a two-point lead in the dying seconds, referee Craig Joubert gave the Wallabies a penalty in the 80th minute that should never have been and Bernard Foley slotted it to win by a single point.
This will be the first time these two have played in Sydney in 13 years, dating back to 2004 when the Wallabies, led by George Gregan, beat the Scots four times in one year.
Cheika has made just the one alteration to his starting side that beat Fiji last week and it’s a forced change.
Brumbies winger Henry Speight has been ruled out with a hamstring strain, opening the door for Reds flier Eto Nabuli to make his international debut.
Cheika has also made one change to his bench with Scott Sio returning to the squad from a knee injury, shifting Toby Smith out of the side.
For Scotland, Townsend has made bulk changes after the Italy win, naming eight alterations.
Johnny Gray has been named to make his way back in the side, fresh off the disappointment of being snubbed by the Lions tour and rested for the Italy game.
Gray is one of five changes to the scrum, with an entirely new front row of Gordon Reid, Fraser Brown and Zander Fagerson taking jumpers one to three respectively.
Ryan Wilson has taken the no.8 spot as well.
In the backline, Greig Tonks has replaced Duncan Taylor at fullback, with the later being shifted across to the left wing.
Prediction
It’s been fireworks when these two sides have clashed over the last few years.
Scotland will be hurting without their key players Tommy Seymour and star fullback Stuart Hogg who are both on Lions duty in New Zealand.
The Wallabies played well and clicked for the most part as a unit despite a few positional changes and new faces in the line-up, and they should only get stronger the more they play together.
With all but the same team, the home ground advantage and a slightly depleted Scottish lineup, the Wallabies should be able win.
Australia to win by 13.
Join The Roar for live coverage of the match from 3pm (AEST).
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
Michael ch I dont hate Foley. I am a big fan of him. But he is not the best 10 in the country. We have had a better one for 6 years. Extreme comparisones and Personal attacks on those that disagree with you looks a bit immature and unnecessary
30mm tags
Guest
Foley insanely crosskicked for the try to Folau when Haylett-Petty was in an amazingly unmarked channel and in with a 99% chance of scoring beside the posts. All the athleticism of Folau is great but a dead set try was ignored for a greater risk. The judgement by Foley was insane.
soapit
Guest
i probably settle on the ok side of things more than pretty good on reflection fionn. id need more bad or less good to label him poor. i think he's earned his spot on form this year (havent seen qc for qld lately mind you) and i think he was good enough to justify reselection given qc hasnt torn up when he came on (admittedly difficult to do). if quade was in tho i wouldnt be dropping him for foleys form either. i do prefer qc as a long term option so would be tempted to give him a shot against italy. i think cheika will focus on other areas tho.
soapit
Guest
ah got you t man i think theyd love to drop people and not accept mediocrity but unfortunately theres just not much choice. they want to build some level of stability and if we did drop people readily thered be chopping and changing each week as the new guy does no better. i do agree we accept it easily. genia was lauded for his play last year when really he was not much more than decent. issue is highlighted by him looking so good simply because of the standard of who he replaced.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Soapit I am saying it should be his last test. I would never select Genia again after that first thirty, probably the worst thirty I've seen from a 9 in a decade. I would have taken him off, taken the jersey and shown him the door. Trouble with the Wallabies unfortunately is the accept mediocrity, blame the same people they always like to blame...regardless of how they play it seems. That's not helped by Cheika not saying...I'm dropping you because you played terribly, so have a seat on the bench and have a good think about where you see your international career going. He should have said that to Mumm, Folau, Moore at least once in the past, but no he rewards them by selecting them again. Mumm had to retire to stop getting picked, Moore has fiiiiiiiiinally been dropping after two years of asking for it, and Folau been left to work his way back in his own time while continuing to be selected. These senior players have got to be made more accountable on the field, regardless of who is or isn't behind them. There are guys out there wanting it more than they do even if they're not as skilled or experienced.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Yet he found a way to set up to ridiculously easy tries?
soapit
Guest
what are you on about, i never said it anything like it should be his last game for the wallabies? despite your post seeming to be a rant aimed at a completely different post to mine i will say this... youre dreaming if you think the tactic of charging him down happened as a result of it happening once this game. it happens about as often as him actually getting one away for a long time. fair enough if you want to argue its the blockers fault.
Daveski
Guest
You want to talk sacred cows? How abysmal was our lineout? Coleman around the ground was far from great. Arnold dropped a throw cold when we had the best chance to win the game. Not a word on here about it. Kuridrani threw the most horrible, skilfully inept pass to Hodge and was constantly exposed as lacking in pace all game. Not a word. Karmichael Hunt. I love him. I loved the effort to make a tackle out of the trainers arms. But he missed a couple today. Higginbotham - what was that basketball pass he threw into a Scots hands when we were red hot on attack. Yeah Foleys YC was dumb but who were the forwards standing around allowing Russell time and space to take the quick drop out to himself? I'm happy to accept Foley was good and bad, Hanigan needed to do more with his runs, Robertson was outshone clearly by Alaalatoa and the Scottish and that Folau for his wonderful try and safe taking of high ballad really can't pass. But let's be objective with our critiques a little huh ?
double agent
Guest
Let's not forget. The British Lions are struggling to beat NZ Super teams.
double agent
Guest
It would be nice to watch a Wallabies game where they don't give away a charge down try or an intercept try.
double agent
Guest
LOL very good!!
double agent
Guest
He threw a long ball to the wing. It was good.
double agent
Guest
I thought he went good.
Daveski
Guest
Haha Fionn that is atrocious analysis. So a bloke is terrible for 40% of the match but Ok for the remainder and thus he gets a pass mark ?
taylorman
Roar Guru
Genia was ordinary? That was enough to be his last match for the Wallabies. You set your standards so low. He gets charged down a first time then guess what happens on his own goal line? Of course they're going to look to do it again, and sure enough, he delivers. Then he pushes a pass along the ground behind his backline.... And no one says a word.... Folau misses a kick at goal after creating two tries and the word goes out...get him off... Whew...hard school.
taylorman
Roar Guru
How can Foley go from poor to really poor as a range when at at least two points in the match he created two tries. That's just silly, bia!sed analysis. You forgive Genias first half completely and completely ignore Foleys two try combination. Sorry, but it Doesn't get much more one eye!d than that...as a neutral observer of course.
Sydney
Guest
yeah mate genia looked slow and out of his depth all night
TC123
Guest
Dry your eyes
Kavvy
Guest
Spot on Beastie Boy. TC123, it's been happening for a long time, the wallabies results are the last to feel the impact
Vesi
Guest
Not those one eye aussie commentators who for some reason dislike the AB for whatever reason maybe winning all the time